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| Rowan Anderson |
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The Saudi Cup meeting is the world’s most valuable race meet and attracts the best trainers and horses in the world.
Karl Burke knows how to win major races and get the best from his horses as he sets a plan for his stables Saudi mission.
When the multiple Group One winning trainer arrives in Saudi, he will have two of his stars accompanying him in Holloway Boy and Al Qareem.
Holloway Boy is his 2YO colt who rewrote history when he became the first horse in 26 years to win at Royal Ascot on his debut taking out the Listed Class Chesham Stakes.
Watch win here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VoLCekil9c
Without any further wins from four starts since his win he has placed in all starts highlighting ability and a hunger to compete.
He will now be prepared for the $1.5 million Group 3 Saudi Derby, while Al Qareem has the $2.5 million Group 3 Red Sea Turf Handicap as his target.
Burke hopes that the race for Holloway Boy at Riyadh will set the son of Ulysses up for his eventual targeted race, the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May.
“It was always in my mind to give him a prep run before the 2000 Guineas. If we go out to the Saudi Derby, it still gives us the guts of two months into the Guineas,” Burke said.
“Timewise, it’s ideal and the prize money is huge. As long as he’s fit and well at the end of January, I would imagine that’s where we’ll go.
“He’s a horse with a lot of ability. He showed that again in the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster when he probably should have been second. The winner, Auguste Rodin, is obviously a very useful horse.”
It will be Holloway Boy’s first start on the dirt, but the trainer is positive and confident that his young star on the rise is up to the challenge, after seeing King Abdulaziz Racecourse firsthand in February at this year’s Saudi Cup.
“I went out for the big meeting earlier this year - some of my owners invited me out there. I was very impressed with everything.
“The jockeys reported the dirt track washorse-friendly compared toe others. The kickback wasn’t as severe, so it helped put it in our minds to give Holloway Boy a chance around there.
“I wouldn’t be keen to run him on ‘normal’ dirt but, from what I saw myself and listening to the jockeys, it’s a very kind surface in Saudi.
“Mishriff obviously went out there and won The Saudi Cup in 2021, so it’s proven to be friendly to the European horses so to speak.”
Al Qareem also offers great potential in Saudi Arabia after progressing from handicaps to land a French Group 2 over 3000m at Longchamp in October, having finished fourth behind subsequent St Leger winner Eldar Eldarov in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.
With a purse of $2.5 million available in the Group 3 Red Sea Turf Handicap Burke said the decision to enter him here was easy.
“It’s huge money and a horse like Al Qareem would go there with a chance. If he couldn’t win, he’d have a chance of picking up some big place money.
“He’s come back in and he’s cantering away steady at the moment. We’ll pick his work up now to Christmas and he’ll work through January. If he’s in good shape at the end of January, we’ll aim him at the Red Sea.
“That’s the plan in our heads at the moment but there is a lot of training to go into him over the next six weeks. We'll make a firm decision when we get to the end of January. I’m very pleased with him at the moment.
“We’d hope he could develop into a Cup horse next season. He’s shown a good level of form and he’s only a three-year-old. He’s only a baby really.
“He’s a big-framed horse, so he can strengthen and step up again next year. He’s obviously got to prove it yet but that’s the type of horse we’re hoping we can turn him into.”
Both races will take place on the same evening as the $20 million Group 1 Saudi Cup, the world’s most valuable race, and give both Burke-trained horses the chance to show what they can do once again.
Burke added that with the Saudi Cup meet in its fourth year his stable was keen to get involved in the carnival and that it would only further boost the industry globally.
“With the huge prize money on offer, it’s going to make every racing jurisdiction around the world take notice.
“You’d be mad not to take notice of The Saudi Cup meeting.”
By Rowan Anderson