A golden opportunity

Saudi Arabia’s lavish plans for the world’s richest race are just part of a wider initiative to improve racing in the region, as Michele MacDonald finds out

HRH Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, Britney Eurton and Nick Luck at the launch of the Saudi Cup at Fasig-Tipton in Saratoga Springs

Britney Eurton and HRH Prince Abdullah bin Khalid al Saud Owners and trainers worldwide have cause to rejoice as never before after officials from the

Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia unveiled plans to launch the Saudi Cup with a staggering purse of $20 million.

Set for February 29, 2020, the inaugural Saudi Cup will make history as the richest race ever conducted, with the winner to earn a record $10 million and prize money extending all the way back to tenth, which will be worth $200,000. In addition, the Jockey Club will pay expenses for all invited participants.

But there apparently will be far more on offer from the Saudis, who, with the backing of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also plan an entire programme of rich races for the day, including some to be run on a turf course now under construction.

Further details were to be announced in the months leading up to the Saudi Cup.

“This is an event that we plan on having for decades, well beyond your or my time. What we hope is for this event to be on the international calendar, to be one of the main races sought after,” declared His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Khalid al Faisal, Jockey Club Chairman, in announcing the Saudi Cup during a special launch event held in Saratoga Springs, New York, in early August.

“There are going to be about seven major races that day but this is the main event,” Prince Bandar elaborated in discussing the Saudi Cup, which will be run at nine furlongs over the dirt track at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh.

The driving forces behind the creation of the Saudi Cup are the desires to elevate the quality of the racing and breeding industry in Saudi Arabia, as well as to welcome people from other parts of the world to the kingdom so they can learn first-hand about the nation and its people.

Currently, Saudi Arabia is classified as a Part III country by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities as guided by the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee. That puts racing in the kingdom on a par with neighbouring countries Bahrain and Qatar as well as other nations such as Morocco, Mauritius, Austria, Spain, Poland and Switzerland.

The world’s best Thoroughbred racing is acknowledged to be conducted in 17 nations that have achieved Part I status, including Great Britain, the United States, Japan, France, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and the United Arab Emirates.

“Our main mission is to improve the horse racing environment within the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to bring it to international standards and be able to produce horses that compete on a global level,” Prince Bandar said. “Part of how we do that is to create world-class racing and to invite the best of the best from around the world to come and compete in Saudi Arabia.

“We feel we have the right infrastructure,” he added. “We certainly have an amazing track; we have the right stabling and quarantine area, so there really was nothing missing in all of the elements except to come up with the concept with the right, if you will, incentive for people to come there.” HRH Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal with trainer Bob Baffert, Saratoga

“We chose the timing very carefully. It is close enough to the Dubai Cup that people who do come to that part of the world can stay” – Prince Bandar

Prince Bandar and HRH Prince Abdullah bin Khalid al Saud, who also was present at the launch event attended by a number of high-profile figures in American racing, including trainers Chad Brown, Bill Mott, Steve Asmussen and Todd Pletcher, said that the UAE’s Dubai World Cup programme has been an inspiration. First run in 1996, well before Dubai became an international destination, the Dubai World Cup programme has grown to be the world’s richest day of racing with nine events, including one for purebred Arabians, worth a total of $35 million.

“Dubai did a lot of the heavy lifting for the (Middle East) region as a whole to introduce that part of the world to horse racing, and Sheikh Mohammed single-handedly did that,” Prince Bandar said. “So, he made things a lot easier for us because a lot of the owners and trainers have been to that part of the world and they understand what is involved in going.

“We would like (the Saudi Cup) to be an opportunity for people to come and visit (Saudi Arabia), see the culture, see the people, and understand it. This is among many other events that the kingdom is embarking on,” added Prince Bandar, who is an advisor to the Royal Court as well as Chairman of the company that publishes the Saudi daily newspaper Al Watan.

“We’d like it to be a memorable experience, we’d like for it to be a special experience, and we’d like it to be an opportunity for us to showcase horse racing in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” he said. “(Racing) is very much part of our culture, our heritage, our literature. But we are very keen to transform it into an industry that can grow, to be at a level on par with the best out there. That is our main focus now at the Jockey Club.”

The late February date for the Saudi Cup was chosen as it fits nicely between the world’s other richest races: the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park in late January, which has been run with purses ranging from $9 million, in 2019, to $16 million, in 2018, and the $12 million Dubai World Cup in late March. An additional factor is that Saudi weather is mild and ideal for racing at that time of the year.

“We chose the timing very carefully,” Prince Bandar said. “It is close enough to the Dubai Cup that people who do come to that part of the world can stay. It is a wonderful area. I think we were very lucky that we had that opening between those two races and we’re going to own it now. “This race symbolizes what our goals are for the horse racing industry in Saudi Arabia and what level we want to reach,” declared Prince Abdullah. “This is a proud moment for all Saudis and it really is a gift to all the horse racing industry around the world.”

Prince Bandar and Prince Abdullah, joined by the Saudi Cup’s designated global ambassador, Harry Herbert, emphasized that facilities at King Abdulaziz Racetrack are outstanding and include quarantine stabling just a short walk from the track and a state-of-the-art veterinary hospital.

Rossdales Veterinary Surgeons of Newmarket will provide veterinary services, Prince Abdullah added.

In promotional materials presented during the launch party, a number of international jockeys stated that the dirt track delivers minimal kickback and is fair to both front-runners and closers. Generally patterned after the sprawling, one and a half-mile oval of Belmont Park in New York, the King Abdulaziz track will allow the Saudi Cup to be conducted around only one turn.

“It’ s a beautiful track to ride and very fair,” stated jockey James Doyle, who has ridden in Riyadh and Dubai, as well as his home base in Britain where his mounts have included the likes of Godolphin’s 2019 King’s Stand and Diamond Jubilee Stakes winner Blue Point. “For a dirt surface, there is very little kickback and most horses go through it.”

Even before the official launch of the Saudi Cup, officials with the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia began working to promote the event to horsemen from around the world. They have retained the Newmarket-based International Racing Bureau to help in these efforts along with media and public relations specialists.

“We want to welcome as many of you as we can get to Saudi Arabia,” Prince Bandar told guests at the launch party. He envisions that the Saudi Cup will grow over time to become similar to British Champions Day, Breeders’ Cup and the Dubai World Cup programme.

“That is our hope,” he said. “We’re not doing a one-off event. We’re very meticulous about this, we’re not overreaching. We want to make sure we can deliver on everything for this race. And our goal, right from the first, is whoever comes says, ’Count me in for next year.’ That’s our goal.”