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| Staff Writer |
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Luxembourg, the son of Camelot, will not be making his first dirt start next weekend as trainer Aidan O'Brien has decided to withdraw him from the Gr. 1 Saudi Cup field. Instead, O'Brien is targeting the Gr. 2 Howden Neom Turf Cup for the talented colt.
Initially, Ballydoyle had entered the horse in the 1800-meter, US$20m Saudi Cup Likely Fields as their first runner in the world's most valuable race since Magic Wand in 2020. However, O'Brien has given the Gr.1 Hong Kong Cup runner-up a more familiar assignment on turf over 2100m.
O'Brien said, "It's his first run back after a little break, and we felt it would be too tough a race to pitch him into for his first time on dirt. The competition is extreme, and he's never run on the surface before, so we thought it was a bit too much to ask of him. The Neom Turf Cup will suit him better."
In early December, the 5YO horse fought tenaciously to secure a close-up second-place finish behind Romantic Warrior. Now, O'Brien believes the horse has what it takes to take on his next international assignment in Riyadh on February 24th.
"We've been delighted with him since Hong Kong," he said. "It was the first time he'd been on a long trip abroad, and he ran a great race and took the travel very well. We were very pleased with the run, and he's been in good form since. Hopefully, he runs well in the Neom Turf Cup, and maybe that opens up the option of Dubai. He could be a horse that travels a lot over the coming year. He's got a very high level of form and some solid foundations to build from."
When asked about his decision to choose turf over dirt, O'Brien explained, "The Neom Turf Cup looks like the perfect choice. The track in Riyadh has received a lot of praise, and we believe it will be a great fit for our horse. Additionally, the prize money is very tempting, so we had to take that into consideration as well. The Saudi Cup meeting is now a significant event, and we are thrilled to be participating with a few good chances."
Aidan O'Brien plans to enter the 4YO Tower Of London in the 3000-meter Gr. 3 Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap. This race will mark the colt's return to the track since his last run in September.
"Tower Of London has had a good long break all winter," said the trainer. "We've aimed him at the Red Sea Turf, as we think both the trip and the nice ground will really suit him. We certainly think he's a horse that's going to progress a lot this season, so he could be a horse that goes onto Dubai after this."