Saudi Cup was a race for the ages, highlight of weekend global racing - UPI.com

1 of 2 | Japan’s Forever Young (No. 5) edges Hong Kong’s Romantic Warrior in Saturday’s $20 million Saudi Cup. Photo by Matea Kelley, courtesy of Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 24 (UPI) — There haven’t been and won’t be many races like Saturday’s $20 million Grade I Saudi Cup. And that was only the pinnacle of a solid weekend global schedule stretching from the Middle East to Hong Kong, Australia, Japan and Dubai.

But my oh my! That Saudi Cup.

The dictionary definition of “horse racing” could be illustrated with the photo finish of the 2025 Saudi Cup. Two of the world’s best horses hooked up at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh and the only shame was one had to lose.

Japan’s top dirt horse, Forever Young, prevailed by a neck over Hong Kong’s world-record money earner, Romantic Warrior — but only after the two swapped leads while leaving their other rivals far behind.

Forever Young took a forward position down the long backstretch, while Romantic Warrior, running on dirt for the first time, drafted along behind him. On the turn, jockey James McDonald eased Romantic Warrior out and circled the leaders to take a substantial lead early in the stretch run.

As he did in winning last year’s Saudi Derby, Forever Young battled back, closing the gap until the two were running eyeball to eyeball. In the final strides, Forever Young had a tiny bit more to give.

Enjoy the memory and save the replay as these two are unlikely to meet again. Forever Young’s trainer, Yoshito Yahagi, said he’s eyeing the Saudi Cup-Dubai World Cup Double, while Romantic Warrior’s connections said Saturday’s race was a one-time experiment on the dirt and their 7-year-old will go back to grass in the Group I Dubai Turf.

Yahagi also said he’d like to return to Del Mar for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, where Forever Young finished third last year. The Saudi Cup this year became a “Win and You’re In” for that race.

Japanese horses finished third and fourth in the Saudi Cup. The only American runner, Rattle N Roll, reported fifth.

Reigning Breeders’ Cup Sprint winner Straight No Chaser had all the others chasing him in the $2 million Group 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint and none was close to catching him.

With John Velazquez up for trainer Dan Blacker, the 6-year-old won by 3 3/4 lengths for the only American victory on the day. Not that he needed it, but Straight No Chaser also earned a guaranteed, fees-paid return to the Breeders’ Cup as the Sprint, like the Cup, was added to the “Win and You’re In” scheme shortly before the race.

The same connections that won the Saudi Cup — owner Susumu Fujita, trainer Yoshito Yahagi and jockey Ryusei Sakai — also prevailed in the $2 million Group 2 Neom Turf Cup with Shin Emperor.

The 4-year-old was second to Do Deuce in November’s Group 2 Japan Cup after racing in Ireland and France. His facile 1 3/4-length score in Saudi Arabia served notice he will be an ongoing force in Japan’s strong global team.

It was Japan 1-2 in the $2 million 1351 Turf Sprint, as Christophe Lemaire got 4-year-old filly Ascoli Piceno home a head in front of 6-year-old Win Marvel. Ascoli Piceno won the 2023 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies over colts and was second in the Grade 1 Japanese 1,000 Guineas and the Grade 1 NHK Mile in 2024.

And Japan struck yet again in the $2.5 million Group 2 Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap — a 3,000-meter marathon.

Byzantine Dream, with Oisin Murphy aboard, came with a rush in the final 100 meters to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Epic Poet with Continuous third. Byzantine Dream had finished out of the frame in his five previous starts, all over shorter distances.

Choisya and Cinderella’s Dream battled down the stretch in Friday night’s Group 2 Balanchine Stakes for fillies and mares, with Choisya taking the measure of Godolphin’s international star by a head.

Choisya, trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, was coming off a win in the Group 2 Cape Verdi. Cinderella’s Dream, second in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf last November, was having her season debut and wasn’t fully cranked by trainer Charlie Appleby.

Godolphin did score in the Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy, as 9-year-old Dubai Future, with Silvestre De Sousa up for trainer Saeed Bin Suroor, shook loose in the stretch to win by 4 1/4 lengths from stablemate King of Conquest.

Dubai Future missed last year with an injury, but Bin Suroor said he saw enough Friday to send him on to the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup on World Cup night.

The star of stars, Romantic Warrior, came up short in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, but two stay-at-home stars in the Hong Kong firmament had no trouble winning their Group 1 races Sunday at Sha Tin Racecourse.

Voyage Bubble ran his streak of Group 1 victories to three, while overcoming a near disaster in the Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup.

With James McDonald jetting back from Saudi Arabia, Voyage Bubble appeared to clip heels at the end of the backstretch run and was shuffled back to second-last.

McDonald gathered him back up, threaded his way through most of the field and finally got to the front just outside the 100-meter marker. He won by 3 3/4 lengths from Ensued as clearly the best horse in the field.

Ka Ying Rising ran his win streak to 10 and got his third Group 1 with a dominating 1 1/2-length victory in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup at 1,400 meters. The New Zealand-bred 4-year-old took over the lead from California Spangle early in the stretch run and had to turn back a bid by Helios Express before security the win.

Many of the top Japanese horses were competing in Saudi Arabia or waiting for Dubai, but there was no shortage of talent for Sunday’s Grade 1 February Stakes on the Tokyo Racecourse dirt.

Costa Nova, a 5-year-old son of Lord Kanaloa, emerged with the lead at mid-stretch in the 1-mile test and held on to win by 3/4 length under Rachel King, who landed a stakes double for her quick trip from Friday’s Saudi Arabia International Jockey Challenge.

It was Costa Nova’s first start in a Grade 1 dirt race, which are scarce in Japan. But it also was his fourth win from his last five starts. It was the first Japanese Grade 1 flat race victory for a female jockey. King is riding on a short-term license from her usual Aussie haunts.

Mr Brightside just did secure his second straight victory in the Group 1 Futurity on Saturday at Caulfield, taking the lead at the 200-meters marker and holding off desperate late bids by Tom Kitten and I Wish I Win.

The 7-year-old was an easier winner, by 1 1/2 lengths, a year ago. Trainer Will Hayes said Mr Brightside now will target the All-Star Mile with a longer-range eye on a visit to Hong Kong.

Devil Night posted a similar victory in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes for 2-year-olds, dueling for the lead before taking the front about 200 meters from home. He then survived by a head as Tentrys and Tycoon Star both came running.

Jimmysstar came flying down the outside to win the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate from the favorite, She’s Bulletproof.