Casa Creed captures the Fourstardave (G1) at Saratoga Aug. 13, 2022. (Susie Raisher)
~ Japan battles Britain for Top Turf Honors
By Amber Joyce
Japan captured the $USD1.5M 1351 Turf Sprint (G3) last year with Toru Hayashi’s Songline (JPN) and will aim to do it again with the G1-winning mare. Winner of the prestigious Yasuda Kinen (G1) in June, Songline looks to add a third graded stakes score to her tally.
Three other Japanese candidates will also head postward. 2022 Godolphin Mile (G2) victor Bathrat Leon (JPN) looks to return to the winner’s circle for the first time since that race. His trainer is Yoshito Yahagi. Another one from Japan is Lauda Sion (JPN) for trainer Takashi Saito. G1-winning Lauda Sion has not won since 2021 and has been in the money only once since that start. Rounding out the quartet is Resistencia (JPN), a six-year-old mare by Daiwa Major. This Takeshi Matsushita trainee was a G1 winner at two and hasn’t won since 2021.
Not seen since finishing third in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) at Keeneland in November, Charlie Appleby’s Creative Force (IRE) will try to make it back to the winner’s circle. His last visit was in 2021 after capturing the QIPCO British Champions Sprint (G1) at Ascot.
Also in the 1351 Turf Sprint for British connections is Charles Hills’ two-time G3 winner Garrus (IRE). Garrus was most recently 17th of 18 in the QIPCO British Champions Sprint (G1) in October. Charles Hills also has G2 winner Pogo (IRE), last time out seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) by three and a half lengths.
Happy Romance (IRE), third in this race last year, looks to regain top form after four consecutive off-the-board finishes. Happy Romance is one of two Richard Hannon trainees listed as likely runners. The other is two-time G2 winner Lusail (IRE), winless since 2021.
The lone United States contender is Casa Creed (USA) for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, who has been on quite a hot streak as of late. Casa Creed, a three-time G1 winner in the States, returns to King Abdulaziz for the second time, having been runner-up in this race last year.
Bahrain also has just one contender, Fawzi Nass-trained Mobaadel (USA). This Speightstown gelding has won three local G2 races in Bahrain, including the Horse Welfare Authority Cup on Feb. 10. That win was his second in a row, after the Al Wasmiya Cup (G3) in January. A win in the 1351 Turf Sprint would make Mobaadel Bahrain’s second winner of the race. Dark Power (IRE) captured the inaugural edition in 2020 for Allan Smith.
Completing the list of likely runners are two local horses, Raaed (IRE) and Rozgar (IRE). The former switched to turf last out and was an open-length winner of the Turf Sprint Qualifier 1351 for trainer Bedan Alsubaie. A seven-time winner, Raaed has run on Saudi Cup day twice, winning a handicap last year and finishing eighth in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint in 2021.
Watch Raaed’s (post position #2) recent victory in the Turf Sprint Qualifier 1351:
Rozgar is a listed stakes winner in France, making his second start in Saudi Arabia for his new trainer Bader Rezaiq. He was last seen finishing seventh in the Prince Naif Ben A/Aziz Cup (local G2) on Jan. 13.
The 1351 Turf Sprint will be contested at 1351M (6 ¾ furlongs) over the King Abdulaziz turf course and is restricted to horses aged four years old and upward.
Likely fields for the rest of the two-day Saudi Cup racing festival can be accessed here.
________________________
It was recently announced that the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia will partner with Equine MediRecord for this year’s Saudi Cup to ensure equine welfare protocols are followed at the event. This will help all of the trainers at this year’s event more easily keep track of all of their trainee’s needs and care.
For more on Equine MediRecord, visit www.equinemedirecord.com.
