Tahzeem Lands Asian Racing Federation Cup
Tahzeem Holds Off Ibn Toulon In Photo Finish
A thrilling conclusion to the Asian Racing Federation Cup Local Handicap saw Tahzeem prevail in a desperately tight finish at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday, opening the main day of the 2026 Saudi Cup meeting in dramatic fashion. The US$1,500,000 (SAR5,625,000) contest over 1800 metres on the dirt provided an absorbing spectacle as the locally trained 6YO gelding, partnered by two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat, held off the late charge of Ibn Toulon by a mere head in a time of 1:53.461.
Owned by Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz and trained by Fahad Saad, the son arrived in Riyadh carrying a rating of 98 and with the significant advantage of having one of the world's finest riders in the saddle. Prat, who only three weeks ago collected his second consecutive Eclipse Award as North America's Outstanding Jockey for 2025, delivered a masterclass of tactical riding on unfamiliar ground, judging the pace with the precision that has earned him more than US$40 million in a single season's earnings.
Elite Jockey Booking Proves Decisive
The decision to recruit Flavien Prat for the ride proved the difference in what was an intensely competitive renewal of the race, which was named in honour of the Asian Racing Federation to coincide with the 41st Asian Racing Conference being held in Riyadh this week. The Frenchman, who won the 2019 Kentucky Derby and the 2021 Preakness Stakes among a host of major international victories, settled Tahzeem in a prominent position throughout before asking for his effort approaching the final two furlongs.
Ibn Toulon, trained by Abdullah Abdulrahman and ridden by Fahad Alfouraidi, ran a tremendous race to finish just a head behind the winner. The 6YO gelding, who carried the top rating of 99 in the field and bore 59.5 kilograms, never stopped trying under his local jockey and was closing with every stride at the line. It was a performance that underlined the growing depth of quality among Saudi-trained horses and provided connections with plenty of encouragement moving forward.
Third place went to Misaaeel, the 5YO trained by Abdullah Alsidrani and owned by Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah, who finished a length and a half behind the runner-up under Muhammad Aldaham. The trio pulled well clear of the remainder in what proved a high-class renewal.
Saudi Racing Showcased On Global Stage
The result was a fitting curtain-raiser for what promised to be a spectacular afternoon and evening of racing at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, headlined by the US$20 million Gr.1 Saudi Cup. With delegates from 28 national racing authorities gathered in Riyadh for the Asian Racing Conference under the theme of "Honouring Tradition, Shaping The Future," the victory of a locally bred and trained horse, guided by a rider of Prat's international calibre, perfectly encapsulated the ambitions of Saudi Arabian racing.
The US$900,000 (SAR3,375,000) winner's purse represented a significant payday for Saad's stable, whilst the runner-up Ibn Toulon collected US$300,000 (SAR1,125,000) and Misaaeel earned US$150,000 (SAR562,500) for third.
1st. Tahzeem (T: Fahad Saad / J: Flavien Prat)
2nd. Ibn Toulon (T: Abdullah Abdulrahman / J: Fahad Alfouraidi)
3rd. Misaaeel (T: Abdullah Alsidrani / J: Muhammad Aldaham)