Aez Alkhatir Set For Debut Under New Ownership At Taif
Aez Alkhatir will carry new colours for the first time this Friday when he lines up against 14 rivals in the US$40,000 (SAR150,000) JCSA Sprint Cup, the feature event over 1200m at King Khalid Racecourse in Taif. The gelding has moved from Qemat Twaiq Stable to the White Stable of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz & Sons, though trainer Homoud Alshamari continues to prepare him. Jockey Fahad Alfouraidi partnered Aez Alkhatir to victory in last month's Alhada Cup and is expected to take the ride again as the horse bids to build on that success and on a runner-up finish in the Sarawat Cup during Saudi Cup weekend.
The Sprint Cup is one of the fixtures making up the Taif Racing Season, which runs from 24 July to 26 September across 20 race nights and ten weekends at King Khalid Racecourse, a venue that has staged live racing since 1965. Meetings are held every Friday and Saturday, with owners, trainers and jockeys competing for a total prize fund of US$6.13 million (SAR23 million) spread across 200 races during the campaign. The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, established in 1965, oversees racing at the Taif venue as well as at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, and has stated its aim of positioning the Kingdom as a leading centre for the organisation and development of horse racing internationally. Race evenings at Taif run from 3pm to 8pm and are accompanied by food trucks, family entertainment and premium hospitality, features that have become part of the identity of the venue's summer meetings alongside the on-track action.
New Ownership For Alhada Cup Winner
The principal opposition to Aez Alkhatir comes from Aba Almae'aly, representing Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz's Red Stable. That rival finished eighth in the Sarawat Cup before returning to winning form in a conditions race on 28 August. Both horses share a notable form link: each most recently defeated the filly Ana Aljonubiyah. Aez Alkhatir finished a length in front of her when third, while Aba Almae'aly held her by only a quarter of a length when she was runner-up.
Red Stable also fields Thamer Almoghtarah, successful in Riyadh in December, giving the operation two realistic contenders in the field. Adel Alfouraidi has been engaged for Alklothani, who finished fourth in the Sarawat Cup and followed that with victory in last month's JCSA Sprint Cup Prep, a form line that places him among the leading contenders for Friday's renewal.
With the gelding switching stables for the first time, Friday's Sprint Cup offers an early opportunity to gauge how Aez Alkhatir settles into his new ownership before the remainder of the Taif summer season unfolds. The meeting continues to build toward the season's King Faisal Cup Weekend finale on 25 and 26 September, when Taif stages the Group 3 King Faisal bin Abdulaziz Cup and the Listed Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Cup for Purebred Arabians.
Arabian Open Headlines Friday Card
Friday's card also features a Purebred Arabian Open worth US$32,000 (SAR120,000). Ershan has been runner-up twice this season, most recently finishing second in the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Cup Prep, and takes his place as one of the leading contenders in the field.
He meets Angad Al Khalediah, who was runner-up in the King Khalid Racecourse Championship Prep and has rebuilt his form across three starts at Taif this campaign after a taxing 2025 season that included a well-beaten effort in the Group 1 Obaiyah Arabian Classic. The pair's clash adds further depth to a Friday programme already carrying significant interest through the Sprint Cup.
Red Stable Set To Dominate Saturday
Saturday's card is built around an Open worth US$32,000 (SAR120,000) that has drawn a field of 19, with Red Stable and owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah supplying seven of the runners between them.
Muhammad Aldaham's mount Ajwadi carries top weight and is chasing a third consecutive victory. The horse ended last season with success in the North America Cup in Riyadh before returning at Taif to win a conditions race by close to four lengths, with stablemate Moswaat back in third that day. Amichi finished between the pair in second on 15 August for Red Stable and reopposes on Saturday, joined by fellow Red Stable runners William Tell and Wuqood, who finished fifth and sixth respectively behind Ajwadi on that occasion.
Riyadh Angel completes Red Stable's four-strong team for the Open, underlining the operation's depth across the weekend's programme. White Stable's sole representative in the race is Allah Maae, fifth in the Taif University Cup, who will be ridden by Rayan Altoairsh.
Taken together, the two days at King Khalid Racecourse bring several established form lines back into competition, from Aez Alkhatir's first start under new ownership to the depth Red Stable can call upon across both the Arabian Open and Saturday's feature race, with both cards forming part of the ongoing build-up to the Taif season's September finale.