Saudi Cup Souvenir Magazine 2020

The world’s most valuable horserace

FEBRUARY 2020 King Abdulaziz Racetrack, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

Please allow me to welcome you to the very first running of THE SAUDI CUP and, humbly, to our wonderful homeland, Saudi Arabia.

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FEBRUARY 2020 King Abdulaziz Racetrack

Foreword

by HRH Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal As we know from the many petroglyphs and rock drawings discovered across the breadth of our ancient lands, the horse has been central to the culture of our region for many thousands of years.

Man’s partnership with this proud and noble animal has been a constant down through the ages.

And, as we prepare to celebrate the strength, speed, endurance and beauty of the horse at the very first SAUDI CUP, it is perhaps fitting that the story of the racehorse is returning to the place of its inception all those centuries ago.

Indeed, the horse has played a central role in my own history. My great-grandfather – King Abdulaziz, the founder of Saudi Arabia – was the last military leader in the world to win his battles from the saddle, and my grandfather, who was in his twenties, rode alongside him. Then, my father was a jockey, can you believe, from the age of nine until his later teenage years!

We very much hope that this, the first running of the SAUDI CUP, will resonate not just with those who who follow the extraordinary sport of horseracing that we all enjoy so much, but with everyone who loves the majesty of the animal to whom mankind owes so much.

While you are here with us, we also hope that you will immerse yourself in the wider culture and beauty of our country, to explore and experience it through new eyes. We know you will not be disappointed.

Please allow me to welcome you to the very first running of THE SAUDI CUP and, humbly, to our wonderful homeland, Saudi Arabia.

HRH Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal Chairman, Jockey Club Of Saudi Arabia 3

Contents 6

A Race to Change the World

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An Arabian Homecoming

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Racing in Saudi Arabia

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Welcome to the Kingdom

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Delivering the Message

64

Creating a New Sporting Icon

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Turf Trials

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Your Race by Race Guide

86

The Longines Master Collection

88

Great Places to see in Saudi Arabia

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Learning from the Falcon

104

Five Things to do in Riyadh

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88 74

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64 98

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40 104 5

A race to

change the world

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Award-winning writer Jon Lees reflects on the creation of the $20 million Saudi Cup, set to become the richest contest in the history of horse racing.

Nearly four years ago, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 blueprint was unveiled, outlining the bold project that aims to diversify the Kingdom’s economy and reduce its dependence on oil.

Now Saudi Arabia opens the new decade with a stunningly ambitious example of how it plans to get there with the first running of the Saudi Cup, which at a stroke becomes the world’s richest-ever horse race with a prize fund of $20 million.

Via the creation of this single prize, the Kingdom has completely reset the pecking order of the world’s richest thoroughbred races, catapulting the new event to the top of the list. As things go, it is quite a statement of intent.

Offering $10m to the winner as the centrepiece of an eightrace card worth $29.2m in total, the inaugural Saudi Cup is the culmination of two years planning by the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia. In a country where the horse has been part of the Arab culture for 3,000 years, organised horse racing has existed for around 60 years. But over one weekend in February local horsemen will join their international peers for the most significant horse racing event the Kingdom will have ever staged, a fixture that aspires to establishing Saudi Arabia as not just a global horse racing and sporting hub, but also a magnet for tourism.

In 2019 Riyadh hosted British boxer Anthony Joshua’s world heavyweight title rematch, golf’s European Tour stopped off in the Kingdom and is due to return in 2020, while Saudi Arabia is set to be added to the Formula 1 circuit in 2023 following the completion of the Qiddiyah circuit, part of a new entertainment and sports complex under construction outside the capital.

With racing well established, much of the infrastructure needed to host an international race meeting was already in place at the King Abdulaziz racetrack in Riyadh where its renowned dirt oval is favourably compared with Belmont Park in New York.

The course hosts race meetings from October through to March when the action moves to the hills of Ta’if, where temperatures are cooler, during the summer from June until September. Last season around 635 races worth an average of $30,000 apiece were staged.

The biggest project was on the infield where, due to the inclusion of three turf races – among them the $2.5m long-distance handicap, the Red Sea Turf, on a richly endowed undercard – Saudi Arabia’s first grass course needed to be constructed.

A challenging schedule has been met with the completion of a 3,000-metre track. Only seeded in November last year, this new circuit was passed as race-ready by the world’s number one jockey Frankie Dettori at the end of January.

Top Ten World’s Richest Races Race

Value

Racecourse

1. Saudi Cup

$20m

King Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia

2. Dubai World Cup

$12m

Meydan, UAE

3. The Everest

$9.6m (A$14m)

Randwick, Australia

4. Breeders’ Cup Classic

$6m

Keeneland*, USA

= Dubai Sheema Classic

$6m

Meydan, UAE

= Dubai Turf

$6m

Meydan, UAE

7. Arima Kinen

$5.6m (¥648m)

Nakayama, Japan

= Japan Cup

$5.6m (¥648m)

Tokyo, Japan

9. Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

$5.54m (€5m)

ParisLongchamp, France

10. Melbourne Cup

$5.5m (A$8m)

Flemington, Australia

*run at a different venue each year 8

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Among more than 140 nominations from four continents, 16 countries and more than 60 trainers around the globe was multiple Grade 1-winning mare Midnight Bisou.

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“It’s amazing, the vision of the designers, the Crown Prince, to have this meeting with the richest race in the world, the Saudi Cup,” says racing’s best-known face. “It’s very exciting, very interesting. It’s going to attract the best horses in the world. It’s phenomenal that these days we can race for $20m.”

The ‘Frankie factor’ can go so far, the staggering purse values have done the rest in drawing together a stellar cast of entries – nearly 1,000 across the entire card, with no fewer than 32 individual Group or Grade 1 winners for the Saudi Cup alone. Among more than 140 nominations from four continents, 16 countries and more than 60 trainers around the globe were multiple Grade 1-winning mare Midnight Bisou, Grade 1 Cigar Mile winner and four-time Grade 1 star Maximum Security and Breeder’s Cup Classic runner-up, McKinzie.

The cast of big-name turf invitees included the 2019 Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck, the Ascot Gold Cup winner Kew Gardens and the 2018 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter.

Although Britain’s record-breaking trainer Mark Johnston has no candidate for the Saudi Cup, he has designs on the $2.5m Red Sea Turf, run over a two-mile distance at which his horses particularly excel. The progressive and prolific six-year-old King’s Advice is the prime hope of the hard-working Scot who became Britain’s all-time winningmost trainer when Poet’s Society, with Dettori in the saddle, became winner number 4,194 at York in August 2018.

“It shows you if you put on enough prize-money horses will come,” says Johnston, who has saddled more than 100 winners in each of the last 26 years. “That’s the simple thing for us,” he adds. “They have put on so much prize-money that we cannot resist.”

Ultimately the line-up for the $20m Saudi Cup is key to the event’s success, with US participation crucial for a world-class dirt race – just as it was in 1996 when the Dubai World Cup was first run.

US Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, a regular visitor to Saudi Arabia during his garlanded career, played a major role in the inaugural Dubai contest aboard Soul Of The Matter, who lost out to the legendary Cigar only after an epic battle under the floodlights at Nad Al Sheba.

The rider of well over 5,200 winners expects the Saudi Cup to leave a similar mark. “I think the Saudi Cup is going to prove quite significant,” says Stevens, who called time on a near 40-year career in November 2018 at the age of 55. “I rode in the first Dubai World Cup and we had never quite seen a stage like that with the kind of money offered on that day. Its significance in racing, as history has shown, has been huge in developing champions on an international stage with international horses.”

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“I think it’s great that Saudi Arabia has got this race on the schedule now,” Stevens goes on. “If these horses run well in the Saudi Cup and come out of the race well they can stay there and do it again a month later. It fits perfectly on the calendar and I think it is great for horse racing internationally.”

Reflecting on the first Dubai World Cup – a race he won in 1998 on Silver Charm, one of his three Kentucky Derby victors – Stevens adds: “It was Bill Mott and Richard Mandella, two Hall of Famers, that first took their horses to Dubai for Allen Paulson and Burt Bacharach, with myself and Jerry Bailey. After that it was always marked on our calendar, just like the Triple Crown races and the Breeders’ Cup. “Now when you ride a champion in the Breeders’ Cup, the first thing that kicks in your head is the Dubai World Cup, and now the Saudi Cup has caught the eye of the connections of the likes of Maximum Security and McKinzie and they are headed there. When you put up that kind of money the big shooters are going to show up.”

Stevens has more experience of riding in Riyadh than most overseas jockeys. “I rode in Saudi Arabia on multiple occasions for Prince Ahmed Salman’s Thoroughbred Corporation,” explains Stevens, who is now a broadcaster for Fox Sports. “I saw the steady progression of the quality of horses then. The top tier horses are going to show up on Saudi Cup night.”

While establishing the Saudi Cup as a race of international renown is a primary goal, alongside comes the ambition of raising the standard of racing in the Kingdom itself, where the thoroughbred horse population is said to exceed 9,000.

“The introduction of the Saudi Cup as an international race is without doubt the most significant event in the history of horse racing in

Saudi Arabia,” says Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, chairman of the Jockey Club Of Saudi Arabia. “It demonstrates our resolve to develop this great sport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and also our ambition to become a leading player on horse racing’s world stage.”

“This is an event we plan to last for decades. We hope it will be one of the most sought after races on the international calendar. We would also like it to be an opportunity for people to come and visit this part of the world, see the culture, the people and understand it.”

“This is among many other events that the Kingdom is embarking on in sports so we would like it to be memorable, special and an opportunity for us to showcase horse racing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Looking at the likely fields for the inaugural Saudi Cup meeting, they could hardly have got off to a better start.

Saudi Cup Card (29 February) Total prize-money: $29,200,000 Race

Age

Distance

Surface

Total purse

Jockey Club Local Handicap

4yo+

1,800m (1m 1f)

Dirt

$500,000

Riyadh Dirt Sprint

3yo+

1,200m (6f)

Dirt

$1,500,000

1351 Turf Sprint

4yo+

1,351m (63/4f)

Turf

$1,000,000

Saudi Derby

3yo

1,600m (1m)

Dirt

$800,000

Neom Turf Cup

4yo+

2,100m (1m 21/2f)

Turf

$1,000,000

Obaiya Arabian Classic*

4yo+

2,000m (1m 2f)

Dirt

$1,900,000

Red Sea Turf Handicap

4yo+

3,000m (1m 7f)

Turf

$2,500,000

Saudi Cup

4yo+

1,800m (1m 1f)

Dirt

$20,000,000

*for Purebred Arabians 14

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An Arabian homecoming

As Michele MacDonald discovers, the legacy of the thoroughbred will come full circle when the Saudi Cup is inaugurated.

Shrouded by the mists of legend and romance, prized by kings and sheikhs, and tested for courage and stamina over centuries, they continue to gallop across desert sands in the minds of all who value modern racehorses.

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The bay, grey, chestnut, black and even golden hues of their coats gleam across the epochs, and while precious few facts are known about many of them, the Arabian stallions who provided the foundation blood of the thoroughbred breed are without question the colourful core of sporting history.

A total of 104 stallions with backgrounds described as Arabian, Barb or Turk were listed in the General Stud Book of 1891, with those imported to England prior to 1750 arriving with little or no recorded information regarding their origins.

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Considering the hazards and costs of obtaining these horses, widely regarded as the world’s most spirited and refined horseflesh of the era, it is remarkable that so many were procured for mating with English and Irish mares, who possessed their own storied history of racing-proven speed.

Ottoman sultans, who ruled an empire stretching over parts of Asia, North Africa and Europe, decided in the early 1500s to forbid exportation of the treasured horses that had been meticulously cultivated by Bedouins across the Arabian region over centuries of time.

Perhaps that decision only made the sleek, purebred Arabian horses, and their offspring when crossed with the Barbs of North Africa and the Turks’ own steeds, all the more coveted.

English breeder Gervase Markham, who penned the 1593 book A Discourse of Horsemanshippe—regarded as the first European text on training racehorses—expressed this opinion: “The true stallion, who for his brave trot and pure virtue of valor in the field is (superior) to all other horses….whose wonderful speed both in short and long courses….who by nature hath all things perfect, nothing defective: him I hold a fit stallion to breed and a fit beast for his master to hazard his life on—and this is only the courser of Arabia.”

Fittingly, the initial stallion mentioned among the desert horses in English stud book records is the Markham Arabian of 1616, with the notation that it was “said (but with little probability) that he was the first of the breed ever seen in England.”

However, perhaps the key date in this overall saga is 1660, when King Charles II assumed the English throne and proceeded to chart the sport’s future and assure the lasting influence of Arabian bloodlines.

Passionate about racing, Charles created a series of competitions he called King’s Plates with multiple heats of four miles each. Thus, there was an immediate demand for horses possessing stamina to mate with speedy English and Irish mares to create winners of the testing events, in which the king sometimes rode himself.

Today, the names of Arabian stallions that English breeders managed to acquire to fulfil this demand can be found in the pedigrees of all racehorses.

Often, the stallions were bought sight unseen and without any performance records, despite costs that could range into the thousands of pounds (£2,000 in 1680, when there were no huge purses or stud fees, would currently equal about $500,000), not to mention shipment dangers over land or sea.

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The Darley Arabian, the Byerley Turk and the Godolphin Arabian are acknowledged as the three most significant foundation stallions.

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Two of most prominent thoroughbred sires in the modern world, Galileo and his phenomenal son Frankel, trace back in an unbroken line to one of these imported stallions, the Darley Arabian.

That horse, the Byerley Turk and the Godolphin Arabian are acknowledged as the three most significant foundation stallions.

More than 90% of thoroughbreds worldwide today descend from the male line of the Darley Arabian, who was acquired in Aleppo as a four-year-old in 1704 by merchant Thomas Darley and sent from what is now Izmir, Turkey, by ship to England. Like most of the imported Arabian stallions, he was not raced upon arrival.

Described as around 15 hands tall, the Darley Arabian sired full-brothers Flying Childers—known as “the fleetest horse ever trained”—and unraced Bartlett’s Childers. They in turn passed along the heritage of their sire, a dark bay splashed with a white stripe and three white socks.

Bartlett’s Childers’ great-grandson, the undefeated Eclipse, is the primary link from past to present and is the tail-male ancestor of Northern Dancer, whose blood dominates Europe and Australia through son Sadler’s Wells, the sire of Galileo, and grandson Danehill; Sunday Silence, who with his son Deep Impact continues to rule Japan, and Mr. Prospector, who has been influential globally through sons including Fappiano, Kingmambo and Seeking the Gold and further descendants American Pharoah, King Kamehameha and Dubawi.

More generally, the Darley Arabian helped sculpt today’s thoroughbred into a magnificent creature.

As Alexander Mackay-Smith noted in his book, Speed and the thoroughbred, the Darley Arabian “spread throughout the entire breed his high spirits, his stamina, his exquisite beauty, his broad and concave forehead, his luminous eyes, his small ears and muzzle and his high-set tail. (He) transformed the thoroughbred into a beautiful horse.”

Yet the Darley Arabian was far from alone in this task, and he and his male descendants relied on mares by the Byerley Turk and the Godolphin Arabian, among many others.

For instance, Galileo’s pedigree through the female side goes back to Miss Muston, a mare bred in 1790 who has at least six lines of the Godolphin Arabian and five of the Byerley Turk.

Among other Middle Eastern ancestors of many thoroughbreds, including Galileo, are D’Arcy’s Yellow Turk, who was described as palomino in colour; D’Arcy’s White Turk, a grey likely imported from Syria; the Lister Turk, reportedly captured in battle in Hungary, and Alcock’s Arabian, a grey sired by Curwen’s Bay Barb, a stallion originally sent as a gift to French King Louis XIV by Moroccan King Moulay Ismail ibn Sharif.

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Another grey, Place’s White Turk, is a possible ancestor of both Turk stallions owned by leading English breeder James D’Arcy. These so-called Turk horses likely possessed several crosses of Arabian blood, which was the most valued.

Place’s White Turk, a gift from Sultan Mohammed IV to Oliver Cromwell and owned later by Rowland Place following Cromwell’s death, became perhaps the most significant sire of the 17th century in terms of injecting stamina into horses competing in Charles II’s four-mile heats. Due to political fallout over Cromwell’s government, the horse’s name was at times excluded from registration records.

His offspring probably included the Byerley Turk, who was said to have proved his mettle while serving as Captain Robert Byerley’s charger at the Battle of the Boyne in in Ireland in 1690, the same year he won a race at Downpatrick.

As painted portraits show, the Byerley Turk was a solid dark brown or black horse with an Arabian appearance, characteristics he tended to pass to his offspring along with the gameness he displayed in battle. His key male descendant was Herod, a colt bred, like Eclipse, by William, the Duke of Cumberland.

While this direct male line, which has been carried on by Ahonoora in recent times, seems to be fading out, the Byerley Turk reportedly has a higher percentage of blood in the modern thoroughbred than any other foundation stallion.

His descendants include ‘The Spotted Wonder,’ The Tetrarch, unbeaten champion juvenile and sire of ‘The Flying Filly,’ Mumtaz Mahal.

Perhaps the horse with the most unique place in thoroughbred history, however, is the Godolphin Arabian. Tales have it that he may have been foaled in what is now Yemen and sent to Tunisia before allegedly harnessed to a cart in Paris prior to beginning his stud career in England in 1731.

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Eventually acquired by Francis, Earl of Godolphin, the bay horse with dashes of white on his hind feet and a fiery temperament provided some of the most critical physical contributions to the breed.

London veterinary surgeon William Osmer wrote in his 1756 tome, Dissertation on Horses: “There never was a horse … so well entitled to get racers as the Godolphin Arabian … his shoulders were deeper and lay further into his back than any horse ever yet seen. … The muscles of his loins rose exceedingly high, broad and expanded, which were inserted into his quarters with greater strength and power than in any horse.”

The Godolphin Arabian’s male line was cemented by his grandson Matchem, from whom the incomparable Man o’ War descended. Two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Tiznow is a modern direct descendant of the Godolphin Arabian.

Over time, as English racing evolved into contests over shorter distances, with the Derby and Oaks instituted in 1779 and 1780 at a mile and a half (about 2400m), thoroughbred breeders realised they had to concentrate more on speed. Thus, after reaching a peak of influence around 1750, Arabian stallions began to decline in popularity.

By that time, however, their legacy was firmly in place, unassailable in perpetuity.

When the $20 million SAUDI CUP is inaugurated on February 29 at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh, racing will be returning, in a sense, to the region that provided the taproots of the thoroughbred sport.

And no matter which horse wins the record $10 million first-place prize, or where he or she might have been born, the victor will possess the blood of Arabian ancestors; stallions from centuries ago who trod across desert sands before leaving an enduring legacy for us all.

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FEBRUARY 2020 King Abdulaziz Racetrack

Racing

in Saudi Arabia

Howard Wright, the doyen of British racing journalists, traces the development of horse racing in the Kingdom.

When the international cast of top-class owners, trainers, jockeys and horses gathers for the Saudi Cup race meeting, the richest one-day event ever held, at King Abdulaziz racetrack on the north-eastern outskirts of Riyadh on 29 February, the equine circle will be complete.

Archaeological evidence from the Middle East of horses who resemble modern Arabians dates back 4,500 years. More recent history claims the Godolphin Arabian, recognised as one of the three founding fathers of the thoroughbred and still the most prevalent in 21st Century pedigrees, was born in the region around 1742, before a circuitous route took him through Syria to Tunis, France and finally Derbyshire in England.

In that respect, the thoroughbred will return to its roots. Yet in another sense, this is a new beginning for the kingdom itself, as the Equestrian Club of Riyadh looks to fulfil the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia’s stated vision – “to attain international excellence in horse racing through developing this sport” – and its mission “to provide patronage for horseracing in a creative way that is also supported by a high level of modern technology and the setting up of effective local and international partnerships.”

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For so long, Saudi Arabia has been a closed book among the majority of international horse racing followers, despite the success enjoyed by Saudi-born or Saudi-based owners around the world.

They are headed, of course, by Khalid Abdullah, whose winning tally stretches from the small acorn of the first, Charming Native at Windsor in 1979, to the mighty oak of dual Prix de l’ Arc de Triomphe winner Enable, with the outstanding Dancing Brace and the peerless Frankel along the way.

Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farm operation has become a byword for international excellence, but others have reached the heights: Prince Ahmed bin Salman al-Saud, with the Derby winner Oath in 1999 and the Kentucky Derby winner War Emblem three years later; his brother Prince Fahd, who also won the Derby, with Generous in 1991; and their brother Prince Faisal, whose Last Second won the Nassau and Sun Chariot Stakes and later bred the French 2,000 Guineas winner Aussie Rules.

Based in Saudi although born in Syria, Wafic Said won the 1,000 Guineas and Champion Stakes from Bosra Sham’s four races in 1996.

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Prince Ahmed bin Salman al-Saud, with the Epsom Derby winner Oath in 1999.

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However, their exploits on the international stage have done little or nothing to open up the world’s eyes to horse racing in Saudi Arabia, which in a formalised fashion is a relatively modern phenomenon. The Saudi Cup meeting will alter that perspective beyond all recognition.

Two dates stand out in the history of Saudi Arabian horseracing: 1965, when the Equestrian Club of Riyadh was formed and an enclosed racetrack was built in the district of Al Mazal to the south west of Riyadh; and 2003, when racing moved to the present site and a new racetrack in the district of Al Janadriyah on north-eastern outskirts of the capital.

The founding of the Equestrian Club had its origins in the races that King Abdulaziz, who in 1932 unified the kingdoms of Nejd and Hijaz to create the sovereign state of Saudi Arabia, would watch from a bench on top of a hill as his sons rode their purebred Arabian horses to a finish line where he sat. Two of those sons, Prince Abdulla, who became the first Club president, and Prince Sulman were later responsible for the formalisation of racing under a decree from King Faisal bin Abdulaziz.

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As Al Mazal became a busier residential centre and the Equestrian Club developed in local popularity, the need for a new site became obvious. Al Janadriyah township was chosen and King Abdulaziz racetrack was born, with the British-based company International Racecourse Management guiding the early years of the project under the Sanderson family.

“It has been enormously satisfying to see their operation go from strength to strength,” says IRM patriarch John Sanderson. “The racing and equestrian facilities are amongst the best in the world, and the top jockeys who have ridden there are united in their opinion that King Abdulaziz racecourse features one of the very best dirt racing surfaces worldwide.”

Phil Smith, the international handicapper who is advising the Equestrian Club on implementation of a ratings-based handicap system, goes further, saying: “In my opinion this is the best dirt track I’ve seen anywhere in the world.

“It’s a good galloping course, with a consistent surface, which means the jockeys can win from anywhere. They can ride from the front or behind, and there’s very little kickback. Bob Turman, the track manager, has done a brilliant job. He’s a gem.”

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Turman, who spent 38 years at Bay Meadows in California before moving to Riyadh six years ago, is proud of his track.

“One of the unique features is the beautiful Saudi sand,” he says.

“It’s very fine, so it tends not to compact as tightly as some other surfaces. We also use a blend with a formula of organic material, which also reduces compaction and gives the horses a little bit of bounce once they’re running.

“We’re proud of the fact that international riders really love the track and mention that the kickback is minimal. They also like how fair the track can be. They feel they can be ten lengths behind and come through and still win the race, just as easily as going to the front.”

Among the international star jockeys who have enjoyed the Riyadh experience and are looking forward to February’s big day is Frankie Dettori, who says: “It’s a beautiful track with a long straight. The vision of His Highness the Crown Prince to start this race meeting, with the richest race in the world, is amazing.

It’s s going to be very exciting, because it will attract the best horses and best jockeys in the world.”

The day itself will attract further attention because of the opening of the new turf track, which was laid as a 3,000-metre oval in September by the world-renowned, British-based sports surface specialists STRI.

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So far so good, says Phil Smith. “The turf track looks magnificent,” he reports. “Of course, no-one has a clue how it will ride at fast racing pace on the day, but when I saw it at the beginning of January, I was astonished. No stone has been left unturned to get it right, and it’s to the committee’s credit that they have brought in Michael Prosser from Newmarket to provide the finishing touches.”

As for the quality of horses running on Saudi Cup day, Smith has no doubts. “It looks certain to be high,” he says, “and I can easily imagine that the average rating of the first four in the big race itself could be around 115, which would be good enough for Group 1 status in two years’ time if it was repeated, or even bettered, next year.”

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Achieving such a high standard in the first year would be just reward for the work put into the project by Jockey Club chairman Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal and his team, who readily acknowledge the support of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

One of the Equestrian Club’s advisors, Paul Roberts of Turnberry Consulting, gave a flavour of what the project means to horseracing in Saudi Arabia when he spoke to delegates at the IFHA annual conference in Paris last October.

Roberts said: “You have to remember that the history of the horse in Saudi Arabia is in the country’s DNA, but an evolving structure has happened over a long period of time. Now the Saudi Cup has come along, and that will drag everything along at a pace.

“What is really interesting is that all the preparations for the Saudi Cup are going to result in the further evolution of the industry here, which means everything from horse welfare, nutrition, trainer and jockey skills and stewarding. If it wasn’t for the Saudi Cup, we wouldn’t be seeing the transformation of the horse racing industry that Prince Bandar and the committee want to achieve,”

“I’ve been humbled every day since, realising the scale of the task. But this is a continuation of an evolution process. We are absolutely determined to continue to move to this goal, and this race alone [the Saudi Cup] has expedited the transformation of the industry within the kingdom.

Last word goes to Prince Bandar himself, who at the same conference said: “I was asked to join the Jockey Club in February 2018 and given a couple of mandates, the first of which was to continue to evolve horse racing in Saudi Arabia to be at the highest international standards, with a caveat to move horse racing in the Kingdom from a Part III country to a Part I country in the international Blue Book.

“Horse welfare is very much centre of the strategy, and we have moved Saudi Arabia immediately to a position where no performance-enhancing medication is allowed at all. “This is a long-term project; It’s not an event we’re seeking to put on for one or two years. We are very much committed to horse racing and to enhancing the global calendar.”

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Saudi Arabia’s Champions Trainer NAME: Ghaith Alghaith BORN: Saudi Arabia, 1980 CAREER: Rode around 20 winners from limited opportunities and has been training for 15 years. First two horses he ran both won and has trained more than 270 winners at King Abdulaziz racetrack alone. With 50 winners at the beginning of February, is on target to beat last year’s previous best score of 53.

AMBITION: To train a Group 1 winner. Says he found it difficult to get established in the early days but determination to succeed and a love of horses has kept him focused, despite losing some of his own money when starting out.

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Jockey NAME: Wigberto (Wiggy) Ramos BORN: Panama, 1968 CAREER: First came to Saudi Arabia to ride for the King’s stable at the Crown Prince Cup meeting in 1991. Returned to the US, where he has ridden 1,470 winners, including the 1993 Group 1 Florida Derby on Bull Inthe Heather, before coming back to Saudi in 1998. Has almost 550 winners to his name in the Kingdom, the highlight being the 2003 Crown Prince Cup for Prince Faisal.

AMBITION: To continue his good fortune for the rest of the season. Says that having his best season ever at the age of 51 is testament to the improvement and professionalism of fellow jockeys, who ride in a safe and proper manner.

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Racing in

Saudi Arabia in numbers

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Racecourses

King Abdulaziz racetrack, in Alfrusiya Park, in the district of Al Janadriyah, on north-east outskirts of the capital Riyadh, close to Thumamah National Park.

Races every Friday and Saturday, October to March, with programme of 10-11 races, starting at 2pm. Lefthanded, perfectly flat sand track, 24 metres wide and 2,000m round with 600m chutes, and new outer turf circuit to be used for first time in February. Also houses stabling for more than 370 trainers, with 800-1,000 horses training daily.

King Khalid racetrack, at Taif, quiet agricultural town in mountainous region 465 miles (750km) and an hour’s flight directly south west of Riyadh, in same province as holy city of Mecca. Races twice a week from mid-June to the beginning of August.

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Local Group 1 races, in Part III of international Blue Book, run during season (June to March) in Riyadh.

Richest is King Abdulaziz Cup, restricted to Saudi Arabian-breds, for 3yos run over 1,600m, with prize fund of three million riyals (about ÂŁ604,000). Two one-million-riyal races, both Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cups, with one restricted to Saudi Arabianbreds, for older horses run over 2,000m.

3,500

Seats in main Riyadh grandstand, six-floor building, covering 1,700sq metres, with private boxes, restaurants and broadcasting facilities.

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Race meetings a year.

608

Races (in 2018-19), with maximum fields set at 18.

Individual starters totalled 2,273, with average of 15.22 runners per race at Taif and 13.7 at Riyadh, and average starts per horse of 4.08.

42.97

Million

Total prize-money in Saudi Arabian riyals in 2018-19.

4.97

Riyals to the British pound, under the British Horseracing Authority rules governing exchange rates from 1 January 2020.

1,701 Foals born in 2018.

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Welcome

to the Kingdom

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Welcome to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the final frontier of travel. A place that has come to represent all that is mysterious about Arabia.

This is the land that captivated romantic adventurers of antiquity, such as Charles Doughty and Wilfred Thesiger, and gave birth to the legend of Lawrence of Arabia, as well as being the birthplace of Islam.

Opening its doors for tourism only in 2019, Saudi Arabia is a nation founded by daring desert emirs and is built upon the wealth of ‘black gold’; a country of contrast, where ancient monuments rub shoulders with the modern, sleek and stylish.

In the Kingdom’s northwest, stretching 39 square kilometres into the reddened sands of the Al Nafud Desert, is one of the world’s premier prehistoric rock art sites at Jubba. Thousands of carvings dating as far back as 5500 BC tell the unfathomable story of when much of this desert was an inland lake attracting long-extinct beasts.

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To the west of the prehistoric art gallery, in the stunning, otherworldly landscape of Al Ula, adventurers can seek out the mysterious rock-hewn tombs and sacred sites of Madain Saleh, once revered by the ancient Nabateans, of Petra-fame.

Flanking the Kingdom to the east lies the fabled and forbidden Empty Quarter, a vast and unforgiving desert steeped in legend and myth, where sculpted, windswept dunes reach almost 300 metres in height. Famously conquered by Thesiger and of course the bedouin that still roam its sands.

Home to five UNESCO World Heritage sites, everywhere you go in this mysterious nation, something new and enigmatic awaits discovery, especially along the 2,000km of Red Sea coastline, beneath which pristine, world-class dive sites are littered with ancient wrecks and stunning technicolour coral, frequented by hammerheads, rays, and the world’s largest fish, the whale shark.

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Adventurers can seek out the mysterious rock-hewn tombs and sacred sites of Madain Saleh, once revered by the ancient Nabateans, of Petra-fame.

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Home of Islam Born in the ‘forbidden’ holy cities of Makkah and Madinah in the 7th century - where only Muslims may venture - it is the legacy of Islam, that looms largest in Saudi Arabia.

Attracting over two million Muslims annually, Saudi Arabia is also the home of the Hajj - the spectacular islamic pilgrimage that has been performed by the likes of Malcolm X, the great Muslim travellers Ibn Battuta and Ibn Jubayr, and even maverick British explorer and ‘Haji’, Sir Richard Burton.

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All of them passing through the famous pilgrim port town of Jeddah - where the country’s most beautiful example of traditional hejazi architecture can be found. This collection of stunning homes built using Red Sea coral and featuring intricately patterned wooden balconies - mashrabiyas - watch over the nation’s largest and oldest bazaar, the bustling Souk Al Alawi.

A place where hawkers call out their wares as the waft of a thousand spices fills the air and locals, dressed in their white thobes, pick through heaped piles of traditional delicacies including the Kingdom’s most prized export, the humble date.

The hustle and bustle in these great ancient markets halts five times a day, when the melodic call to prayer rings out across the Kingdom as it has done for fourteen centuries. The ‘adhan’ brings all of Saudi society to a complete standstill.

This is not to say that interacting with locals is difficult here. Saudis are famously hospitable, especially when it comes to travellers, but like many gulf nations, life moves to a slower rhythm.

The particular version of Islam practised here means most Saudi women still wear the face veil - niqab - alcohol is illegal and, until recently, genders rarely mix in public. As a result, many local restaurants and businesses still have separate entrances for men and women, although there is now a commitment to relaxing some of these practices in certain places.

Visitors should expect to take their time in conversations or when being piled with endless cups of the aromatic local coffee known as kawa. In Saudi Arabia it is deemed rude to hurry your host, and even ruder to refuse their hospitality.

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This collection of stunning homes built using Red Sea coral and featuring intricately patterned wooden balconies.

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The Al Sauds Whilst religiously, this is a Muslim nation, culturally the imprint of one family can be seen across the Kingdom, especially in the nation’s capital, Riyadh.

The ancient home of the ruling al Saud family, this wealthy city brims with historic sites that retell the legend of how antiquity’s ‘Arabia Deserta’ became the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The story begins in the world heritage site of Diraiyah, a collection of modestly stunning mud palaces on the western edge of modern Riyadh that surround an ancient oasis of date palms.

Today a tastefully restored tourist site, complete with its very own state-of-the-art museum and a new commercial district of pleasure parks and entertainment spaces, it was in Diraiyah the great ancestors of Saudi Arabia’s modern princes founded the first Saudi state, the Emirate of Diraiyah, in the 18th century.

Born out of an alliance between Muhammad bin Saud and an influential local preacher known as Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, the Emirate of Diraiyah lasted 74 years from 1744 to 1818.

Then in 1875, a young warrior prince, by the name of Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud was born.

Determined to claim what he believed to be his birthright from the rival ruling Rashidi family, the legend of how Abdul Aziz retook the nation, begins on a cold January morning in 1902.

On that fateful day, Abdul Aziz and his band of warriors stole into the Masmak Fortress in Riyadh to captured the city in what has come to be known as the Battle of Riyadh.

The fortress, now serving as a cultural museum, sits in the heart of Riyadh’s ancient old town, yards from the only surviving original gate, Thumairah Gate, and close to the city’s largest mosque, the splendid Imam Turki bin Abdullah Grand Mosque, named after the great, great, grandfather of current monarch, King Salman.

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Now just a tiny quarter in a city that is 2,000 times the size of the one Abdul Aziz conquered, old Riyadh is dwarfed by what the warrior-king’s wealthy offspring have gone on to achieve.

The greatest symbol of this material success is of course the iconic Kingdom Tower with its distinct u-shaped necklace, topped by one of the world’s highest viewing platforms.

Like so many places in modern Saudi Arabia, Riyadh is a seamless blend of the traditional and modern, the historic and the contemporary.

Whether you want to shop in designer malls, visit a stylish art gallery, eat your fill in a traditional Najdi restaurant or simply head out to a camel market to barter with a bedouin right beside his goat-hair tent, in Saudi Arabia, it is genuinely all here, so come on in, the Kingdom is open.

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FEBRUARY 2020 King Abdulaziz Racetrack

Delivering the message

Jon Lees meets Harry Herbert, one of the key figures behind the Saudi Cup and a familiar face on the international racing stage in a number of high-profile roles.

When the organisers of the Saudi Cup were seeking a candidate to sell the concept of a new international horserace to the sport’s participants around the world, they would surely have struggled to find anyone better connected than Harry Herbert.

The godson of Her Majesty the Queen, Herbert grew up at Highclere Castle, the setting for TV’s fictional drama Downton Abbey. For decades his family has been integral to the racing fortunes of British royalty through his late father the Earl of Carnarvon’s role as Queen Elizabeth’s racing manager; the same position is now occupied by Herbert’s brother-in-law, John Warren.

Herbert, though, had more to offer than a noble background given his racing pedigree as pioneer of a successful syndicate company, racing manager, racecourse director, member of the Jockey Club and all-round mover and shaker.

The 2019 Royal Ascot meeting provided the backdrop to Herbert’s first meeting with Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, to hear about his vision for a $20 million contest that would become the world’s richest horserace, run in Riyadh on February 29.

Herbert was on board immediately as the Saudi Cup’s global ambassador, ready to champion an event set to transform the profile of horse racing within Saudi Arabia as it also introduces the kingdom to the international fold.

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“My name had come up as someone to talk to about an ambassadorial role, someone who knew enough people in the game who could get behind the project,” explains Herbert.

“Prince Bandar and Prince Abdulaziz and members of the Saudi royal family wanted to sit down with me on the Tuesday of Royal Ascot to discuss this. I suppose it was an interview of sorts.

“I got on very well with them,” he goes on. “They were incredibly nice and very professional, with Prince Bandar leading. After Royal Ascot I heard that they wanted me to be involved and I was very happy to do so having heard more about the project.The Saudi Cup is incredibly exciting, very good for racing worldwide, and there is nothing more exciting than being involved in a new idea.” Organised thoroughbred racing has been staged in Saudi Arabia under the auspices of the Jockey Club for more than 50 years. Herbert, whose grandfather discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in Egypt in 1922, was familiar with the Arabian Peninsula, regularly visiting the UAE and Qatar in his role as racing manager to Qatar Racing.

However, this racing globetrotter had never been to Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz racecourse. “I hadn’t seen the racetrack but went out soon after being appointed and I was incredibly impressed,” Herbert recalls. “The track is magnificent, like Belmont Park in New York, and I could imagine how a turf track on the inside, which was being planned, would make it even more impressive.”

There were other positives, as Herbert explains, saying: “The fact that this was an established business already and taken very seriously within the kingdom meant this wasn’t a case of having to set it up from scratch. It also fitted well in the calendar between the Pegasus World Cup in January and the Dubai World Cup in March.

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“There are not many spots in the worldwide racing calendar where you can introduce something of this magnitude other than at that time. So long as the quarantine protocols could all be put in place, it was a no-brainer.

If you have a horse that could go from Saudi Arabia to Dubai in a hop, skip and a jump and run for vast sums of money, it had to appeal. It was perfect timing. I was very impressed by Prince Bandar’s professionalism and foresight and desire to make it all happen as it should.”

Herbert duly attended twin launch events for the Saudi Cup at Saratoga and in London, as well as last year’s Keeneland Sales, where he introduced Prince Bandar to leading players from the international racing community.

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With nearly 1,000 nominations for the inaugural card, such initial efforts can be regarded only as a success.

Herbert cites the level of prize-money, plus the payment of all travelling costs for horses and connections, as a key factor in attracting big names from across the globe.

“The money is phenomenal,” he explains. “Everything is paid for. When you are running for this sort of money and have the right horse, you not only have the new experience of visiting the country – which is what international racing is partly all about – but you are running in the Saudi Cup!

“You can finish fifth and win $1m, sixth and collect $600,000 and seventh $500,000, or if you are running in the Red Sea Handicap, the turf long-distance race, there is $1.5m to the winner and the fourth earns $125,000. You’ve not got a lot to lose.”

Herbert adds: “For Americans, if you can win $10m and then potentially head on to Dubai and win another however many million there, that will change the way you think about when you are going to retire your horse.”

Herbert also expects the Saudi Cup to make a significant mark at home.

“The awareness of the event in Saudi Arabia itself is going to be huge,” he says. “It will propel the event as a really exciting sporting day in the national calendar and will renew interest in the sport. That will trickle down everywhere – and not just in the country itself, but internationally as well. It will be very good for the sport, with people wanting to find a runner.

“It’s a natural part of Vision 2030 and when you introduce such an important international meeting, everything changes. The facilities, quarantine, the barns…everything is upgraded.”

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Meetglobal theambassador Although Herbert grew up around racehorses, there were a few twists and turns before he became professionally involved in the sport. Indeed, he even took up acting for a spell while he was working for a stockbroker in the City of London. “Later it began to make sense to work with horses and I was determined to make it my career,” he says. “I headed off to Kentucky and did four years there.”

In going to the States, he was following in the family footsteps. “My great-grandfather on my mother’s side was the second son of the Earl of Portsmouth and he went out to Wyoming to seek a new life and fell in love with the place and breeding horses and cattle,” he explains. “He owned a fair bit of land but it has shrunk somewhat since his day.”

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When Herbert returned to Britain it was to establish his own thoroughbred management company, providing advisory and promotional services to the bloodstock industry. In the US he had witnessed the advantages of syndicate ownership, becoming a founding member of Kennet Valley Thoroughbreds with the goal to try to win the Cartier Million, a million- pound race for horses bought at one particular sale. They purchased four horses, in which 15 shares were sold, and earned a significant windfall with a second and third place, after which the horses were sold on for a profit.

In 1991 his father created his own version of a sales race at Newbury – where Herbert is now a board member – and was determined to win the race with a horse of his own called Lyric Fantasy. “She was known as the ‘Pocket Rocket’ and she was bought for only 10,500 guineas by Richard Hannon for my father, who wanted to win a race he devised called the Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury,” explains Herbert.

“She won first time out on my mother’s birthday at Windsor and then went on to win the National Stakes (Listed), the Group 3 Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Super Sprint and then the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York, where she beat older sprinters.”

“She was only 14.3 hands, a tiny speed machine, and watching my father’s face as Michael Roberts steered her to victory was priceless. It was my fondest memory of racing with my father.”

Such experiences helped set the template for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, which Herbert established in 1992. Success was immediate when Lake Coniston, who was bought for 22,000gns, became champion sprinter of Europe, earning over £225,000 before he was sold as a stallion for £2.4m.

As chief executive of both Highclere and the Royal Ascot Racing Club, Herbert has enjoyed the thrill of winning some of the sport’s greatest prizes, including the Derby at Epsom. “We were the first syndicate company to win a Classic race when Petrushka won the Irish Oaks,” he says. “We have been lucky enough to race seven European champions and she was one.”

Another notable success was the record-breaking 11-length victory of Harbinger in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Britain’s midsummer championship event, at Ascot nine years ago.

“Harbinger was world champion racehorse in 2010, while Motivator, for the Royal Ascot Racing Club, was the first company-owned winner of the Derby,” recalls Herbert. “They were very exciting moments and we are also the most successful syndicate company with regard to winners at Royal Ascot. These big festival meetings are what we aspire to and it has been great over the years to enable people, for a lot less money than they would normally have to pay, to acquire this quality of horse.”

One thing’s for sure: even if his syndicates do not have a runner this time around, Herbert will have his eye on the Saudi Cup card in the future. “We have some really exciting prospects for the year ahead,” he says. “Hopefully we will be out there in Saudi next year.”

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“Harbinger was world champion racehorse in 2010, while Motivator, for the Royal Ascot Racing Club, was the first company-owned winner of the Derby,� recalls Herbert.

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FEBRUARY 2020 King Abdulaziz Racetrack

Creating

a new sporting icon

How royal jeweller Garrard produced a magnificent trophy to befit a magnificent race.

The world’s most valuable horserace demands a trophy to match its significance. Garrard, the world’s longest-serving royal jeweller, was honoured to create such an appropriate symbol of triumph for the Saudi Cup, the most exciting new event on the global racing calendar.

Standing over a metre tall, their majestic trophy gleams gold, its height helped by a triple-tiered base on which will be inscribed the victors’ names – this year and in years to come.

Commissioned by HRH Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, the chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, it combines His Royal Highness’s design ideas with Garrard’s renowned craftsmanship and reputation for exceptional quality.

Making the trophy has involved no fewer than seven individual intricate processes, each carried out by one of Garrard’s master silversmiths over hundreds of hours. Handcrafted in sterling silver, the Saudi Cup has been richly gilded, studded with coloured enamel and embellished with ornate chased details. “They are Saudi-inspired with a Garrard twist,” explains creative director Sara Prentice.

“Working with His Royal Highness Prince Bandar on the design process was a privilege – the immense level of detail and skill that has gone into the trophy, and the grandeur of the design that we chose, really captures the significance of the race it will represent.

It has been an honour to add such a prestigious commission to Garrard’s rich legacy of creating trophies for the world’s finest sporting occasions.”

The Saudi Cup joins an illustrious collection of magnificent trophies as part of Garrard’s enduring regal history. Among others Garrard has created the Gold Cup for Royal Ascot; the America’s Cup, the world’s oldest international sporting trophy; the Dubai World Cup and, more recently, the medals for the Invictus Games, commissioned by HRH Prince Harry.

Great sporting trophies both reward and exalt and consistent within all these creations is the excellence they acknowledge, and, in the case of perpetual awards, record.

The Saudi Cup celebrates the horse’s significance in Saudi history and Arabian culture, and the pride and glory in its beauty and pace. While the euphoria of the race can only ever be fleeting, Garrard’s inspiring cup, and the names engraved upon it, will provide an eternal reminder of a crowning achievement in this thrilling sport of kings.

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“It has been an honour to add such a prestigious commission to Garrard’s rich legacy of creating trophies for the world’s finest sporting occasions.”

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Thumbs up for the turf

Star riders including Frankie Dettori put the new grass circuit at King Abdulaziz racecourse to the test with a dress rehearsal for the Saudi Cup. Jon Lees went to Riyadh to see what happened.

History will be made at the King Addulaziz racetrack on Saudi Cup day when the country’s first race on turf will take place following the construction of a new grass course completed in just a few short months.

Any lingering doubts that the three-month timeframe to produce an international standard turf surface was too ambitious were banished after the first trial took place on January 29, just over four weeks ahead of the meeting.

In the week before the trial French jockey Olivier Peslier took part in a behind-closed-doors test which resulted in minor adjustments being carried out ahead of a public trial involving a quartet of international jockeys, headed by Frankie Dettori.

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As a dress rehearsal for the fixture, which will feature three top quality turf races worth a total of $4.5 million, things could not have gone any better as each rider delivered a glowing endorsement of the track after they had galloped four horses over a full circuit of the nine-furlong (1,800m) oval.

“It was very good,” said Dettori. “We tried it out to the best of our ability today with four world-renowned jockeys. I couldn’t fault it. For a new track it rode really well. It will be perfect for February 29.”

Dettori joined William Buick, James Doyle and Danny Tudhope, who had travelled from Dubai, as they partnered four local horses on a lap of the lush, good to firm grass surface, running at near race pace.

The course, which has been laid on a former training track inside the longer established dirt circuit, was only seeded in November last year. “We really tested it,” said Dettori.

“We went a good gallop. We went as fast as we could round the turn.

On the straight there were no problems. The horses got a good grip.

The ground is perfect. We would like to have it like this on raceday.

Today’s test went with flying colours.”

Godolphin rider Buick said: “We got asked to test the surface ahead of the big day. We needed to get something out of it and learn something, and to do that we had to go not far off race pace, to see how the horses handled it, how they went round the turns and how the ground reacted to what we were doing.

“The ground reacted very well,” he reported. “There were no patches. It was very even all over. All four of us were in agreement that it was a fair track with genuine good to firm ground. There were no complaints. It was a very positive exercise. People can come here with a lot more confidence after that.”

Godolphin colleague James Doyle was equally enthusiastic, reporting: “There were nice cambers on the turns, it rode perfectly and there is a nice long straight. Honestly we couldn’t fault it in any way. There is a bit of time still so it can only get better.

“We were a bit shocked at what could be done in such a short space of time. Obviously there is a fantastic team put together to work on it and full credit to them. They have done a wonderful job. It does look beautiful and it certainly rides that way.”

The 10-furlong (2,000m) exercise was completed in front of Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, Chairman of the Jockey Club Of Saudi Arabia, and other officials. Also taking an interest with a view to saddling runners at the meeting were Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby and TP Comerford, who regularly supervises Aidan O’Brien’s overseas challengers.

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Appleby was not surprised by the success of the turf track trial. “In Dubai this is what we do,” he said. “We reseed every year so this is second nature for me to see this. I have to be very pleased with it. Visually it looks great and the nice thing about it is it’s not tearing. There is obviously a good bit of root there and it is only going to get stronger.

“The configuration of the track is fantastic,” added Appleby, who is likely to be well represented on the Saudi Cup card via the likes of Ghaiyyath, Cross Counter and Space Blues.

“I was always very confident of what we were going to see and what’s been achieved. I think they’ve done a fantastic job. There are four weeks to go and it will be like a carpet.”

The strength of the responses were heartening for turf specialists STRI, who laid the surface, and Tom Ryan, the Saudi Cup’s director of international strategy.

“It is the first time a track of this specification has been tried,” said Ryan. “It is a very new take on modern sports turf delivery. We didn’t have a set of data that related to a track of this type because it simply didn’t exist.

“The track is more generous than most tracks in the UK or Ireland,” he went on. “It’s nowhere near as tight as the tracks in America, which are on the inside, and it’s like a handbrake-turn situation.

“We made a few tweaks as a result of the feedback we got from Olivier Peslier, adding two per cent more moisture, and in short we couldn’t have dreamt of having such a positive result. For those guys to get off and say it couldn’t be any better was hard to believe.

We were absolutely delighted with it.

“We were in a situation where if the trial hadn’t gone well there was no Plan B. It was a brave decision to be ambitious, have the grass track as a feature in the first year, when it would have been very easy to take the cautious view and buy more time.

“Having a turf track adds more layers to the fabric of the event and increases the level of excitement. When the horses break out of the 10½-furlong (2,100m) start, just after 4.30pm on Saturday, February 29, it will be the first horse race to have taken place on grass in the history of the country. That’s massive.”

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Yourbyrace race guide International racing expert Nicholas Godfrey casts his eye down the entries for the showpiece Thoroughbred contests on the $29.2 million card.

Even allowing for the massive prizes, free entries and paid travel expenses, attracting not far short of 1,000 nominations for a new international race meeting must be regarded as a highly positive outcome.

The precise number of initial entries across the eight races at King Abdulaziz racecourse on the outskirts of Riyadh on February 29 stood at 964. They included no fewer than 32

Group or Grade 1 winners from across the globe, with more than 20 countries in five continents hoping to secure a spot in the starting gate.

It was the job of former British Horseracing Authority handicapper Phil Smith, the co-chairman of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities panel on such matters, to whittle this surfeit of entries down to final fields based on ratings.

With final declarations and the post-position draw scheduled for the week before the Saudi Cup meeting, here is an overview of the more attractive-looking contenders.

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SAUDI CUP – 2,000 metres (1m2f) dirt, $20m total purse No fewer than 15 nations were represented among 143 initial entries for the world’s richest race, for which there is a qualifying event for locally trained contenders on February 7.

However, there is really only one place to start and that’s the USA. While a plethora of the nation’s leading dirt specialists will be heading here, the headline act is last year’s three-year-old champion Maximum Security. No horse still in training has a higher profile in the States than this Jason Servis-trained colt, beaten only once in his nine-race career (and that was in a preparatory race). That said, his career record officially reads at only seven victories owing to his controversial disqualification in the Kentucky Derby, where he was first past the post and clearly the winner on merit before the stewards demoted him for interference on the home turn at Churchill Downs.

Maximum Security won three other Grade 1 events, however, posting the best performance of his life on his most recent start when he made all to beat fellow Saudi entry Spun To Run, the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile victor, in the Cigar Mile at Belmont Park. A repeat performance over an extra quarter-mile – no problem to judge from the Kentucky Derby – would make him hard to master.

Not that there is likely to be any shortage of US compatriots seeking to lower his colours. Maximum Security bypassed the Pegasus World Cup in January in favour of a trip to Saudi Arabia. In his absence, Mucho Gusto recorded a runaway success in the $3m contest carrying the red silks of new owner HRH Prince Faisal bin Khaled; the colt is in line for the Saudi Cup. “I think he’ll get an invite now,” grinned his legendary trainer Bob Baffert after an emphatic 4½-length triumph.

Baffert, so successful over the years in Dubai, is also set to field the four-time Grade 1 winner McKinzie, last seen finishing runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita, where likely Saudi rivals Math Wizard (fifth) and Seeking The Soul (sixth) were among those behind.

Brilliant mare Midnight Bisou, whose sole reverse last year came in a narrow defeat in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, is also in the mix from the States. Others heading to Riyadh from North America may include Classic-placed Tacitus, who carries the colours of Khalid Abdullah, plus Belmont Stakes winner Sir Winston and Tom’s D’Etat, who won the Grade 1 Clark.

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Veteran west-coast star Gift Box, who touched off McKinzie in last year’s Santa Anita Handicap, is yet another highprofile horse from the States.

With that in mind, it might be a struggle for much else to get in the race! That said, as is the case elsewhere on a glittering card, among the more attractive options against the American horde are horses spending the winter in Dubai with the Godolphin operation.

Chief among them may be the longstriding Ghaiyyath, a top-class son of Dubawi for Charlie Appleby whose action and style of racing suggests he could make the transition to dirt. Benbatl, from the Saeed Bin Suroor team, is another who could switch surfaces for Sheikh Mohammed’s team. From the Salem Bin Ghadayer string, Dubai World Cup runner-up Gronkowski is another Dubai contender.

Looking farther afield, Japan’s pioneering racemare Deirdre is being considered for a move to the dirt. She earned a small slice of history last year when she became only the second Japanese-trained horse – and the first since Agnes World’s July Cup in 2000 – to win a race in Britain when she landed the Group 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood under champion jockey Oisin Murphy. Top dirt performer Chrysoberyl, winner of the Grade 1 Champions Cup (formerly the Japan Cup Dirt) in December, would also merit attention from the Far East contingent.

There is even the possibility that Ballydoyle’s remarkable mare Magic Wand could make her first start on dirt here following her valiant runner-up effort in the Pegasus Turf.

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RED SEA TURF HANDICAP – 3,000 metres (1m7f) turf, $2.5m With a nod to the renewed emphasis on the staying programme in Europe in recent seasons, this lavishly endowed marathon creates a wonderful opportunity in the long-distance turf division. What is more, it is a handicap – reflective of the Melbourne Cup, the senior international two-mile race.

Under such conditions, with a total of 126 initial entries from 12 different countries, this is hardly the easiest contest to decipher. But there are some familiar names at the top of the list, which is dominated by world-class stayers, starting with top-weight Kew Gardens, whose main claim to fame is lowering the colours of the formidable Stradivarius in the British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot on the final start of his four-year-old campaign 2019. Described as “an incredible horse, a brave horse” by his trainer Aidan O’Brien, the powerful son of Galileo is a regular at the top level and a Classic winner at three, when he won the St Leger at Doncaster.

Although Kew Gardens would bring an unquestionable touch of quality to proceedings, he would be asked to concede weight to horses like Charlie Appleby’s 2018 Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter, Ascot Gold Cup runner-up Dee Ex Bee – stationed with Salem Bin Ghadayer in Dubai for the winter – and top French stayer Call The Wind.

Pegasus World Cup Turf winner Zulu Alpha holds this entry, while lower down the weights, hardy globetrotter Prince Of Arran and the prolific King’s Advice figure among a multitude of well-known animals. Newmarket-based trainer William Haggas has long since had this on the radar for nicely weighted Young Rascal, while David Simcock’s Spanish Mission would also have plenty of appeal. He won the $1m Jockey Club Derby at Belmont Park on his last outing as a three-year-old; representing the same trainer, Universal Order looked really good winning at Meydan in January.

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NEOM TURF CUP – 2,100 metres (1m2½f) turf, $1m The first Saudi Cup card could be graced by the winner of arguably the world’s premier Classic in the shape of Anthony Van Dyck, whose career high came with a half-length victory in the Investec Derby at Epsom in June. Admittedly, things haven’t gone entirely to plan since – in fact, he hasn’t won in five starts, though he ran a cracking race to come third after a luckless passage in the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

The Derby hero heads a quartet of Aidan O’Brien-trained possibles, with the Ballydoyle behemoth also having entered dual Group 1 winner Circus Maximus, Mount Everest and the much-travelled Magic Wand, for whom this would be a more conventional assignment than the main event on dirt.

A Group 1 winner in Australia last year when she took in ten different racecourses in six countries across four continents, she carried on in the same vein last month when she was a second in the Pegasus World Cup Turf behind Zulu Alpha.

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Other likely types who are also engaged elsewhere include Godolphin’s Group 1 winner Barney Roy and Japanese mare Deirdre, both of whom were also nominated for the main event. Norwegiantrained Square De Luynes, dubbed the ‘Frankel of the Fjords’ for his exploits in Scandinavia, also holds this entry alongside the Saudi Cup. Japanese horses cast all before them in turf races across the globe in 2019. Alongside Deirdre, their 16 entries also included the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) victress Loves Only You – expected to take high rank on the international stage as a four-year-old – and progressive Group 3 winner Triomphe.

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1351 TURF SPRINT – 1,351 metres (6¾f) turf, $1m A really interesting runner here would be Godolphin’s Space Blues, a four-year-old son of Dubawi spending the winter in Dubai with Charlie Appleby’s string. He has run only eight times, showing progressive form last term when he was narrowly beaten at Royal Ascot before getting placed in two Group 1 events at Deauville.

This extended sprint trip looks ideal for a horse confidently expected to leave his mark at the top level in 2020.

Stable companion Glorious Journey also merits consideration, Appleby having named this race as the horse’s target after he landed his second Group 2 success at seven furlongs at Meydan in January.

Several fellow Dubai Carnival winners could show up, among them the likes of Ekhtiyaar, Major Partnership, Roulston Scar and Suedois, all of whom also scored at Meydan in January. None were as impressive as the Charlie Hills-trained Equilateral, though this distance would be a question mark.

Trainer David Elsworth’s veteran sevenfurlong specialist Sir Dancealot added to his laurels last year with another couple of Group 2 victories, including completing back-to-back successes in the Lennox Stakes under popular international pilot Gerald Mosse at Glorious Goodwood.

No American trainer targets these sort of races like California-based Peter Miller, who has landed the three most recent editions of the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. For him, Texas Wedge beat a good field under Flavien Prat in Grade 2 company at Santa Anita on New Year’s Day before scoring on the Pegasus undercard. He is unproven at this extended sprint distance, mind you. Other US possibles are headed by cutback miler Got Stormy and Bound For Nowhere, a regular in the better turf sprints for Royal Ascot’s adopted son Wesley Ward.

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RIYADH DIRT SPRINT – 1,200 metres (6f) dirt, $1.5m US-trained speedballs have totally dominated the Dubai Golden Shaheen over the same distance on dirt at Meydan’s World Cup meeting, claiming four of the last five editions of a race they also farmed at former venue Nad Al Sheba.

With a strong representation expected from across the Atlantic, there seems little reason to expect anything different here. According to official ratings, last season’s Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita featured one of the most accomplished groups of horses gathered anywhere on the planet in the last 12 months.

Although winner Mitole has been retired, several of those who finished behind him are set to take their chance here, headed by runner-up Shancealot, who gave way only in the last 50 yards after setting a scorching gallop. They don’t come much faster than the Jorge Navarrotrained four-year-old, who will be joined by Engage (fourth) and Firenze Fire (fifth), plus Japan’s Matera Sky, last of eight at Santa Anita but runnerup in the Golden Shaheen.

The ‘pocket rocket’ Imperial Hint, a multiple Grade 1 winner in the States, was forced to miss the Breeders’ Cup through a foot blister. He has been prepping in Florida, where he was beaten by Saudi entry Diamond Oops in December. Make no mistake: the seven-year-old is better than that.

Gladiator King and Drafted represent top dirt sprint form from the Dubai Carnival, while Blue Chipper heads a handful of possibles from South Korea. After winning seven of his eight previous starts, including the valuable Keeneland Korea Sprint at the nation’s international weekend meeting in Seoul, he became the first Korean-trained horse to run at the Breeders’ Cup. He wasn’t just making up the numbers, either, as he chased the leaders in the Dirt Mile before coming third behind Spun To Run and Omaha Beach.

Other Races SAUDI DERBY – 1,600 metres (1m) dirt, 3yo, $800,000

OBAIYA ARABIAN CLASSIC – (Purebred Arabians) 2,000 metres (1m2f) dirt, $1.9m

JOCKEY CLUB LOCAL HANDICAP – (KSA-trained horses) 1,800 metres (1m1f) dirt, $500,000

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The Longines Master Collection

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As the Official Partner and Official Timekeeper of the Saudi Cup 2020, Longines is also proud to highlight its Official Watch, The Longines Master Collection. Powered by a new self-winding movement developed exclusively for the brand, these timepieces are characterized by a moon phase indicator and a refined aesthetic, creating a balance between technical excellence and classic elegance.

A symbol of Longines’ watchmaking expertise, The Longines Master Collection perfectly embodies the values of excellence and elegance that have contributed to building the brand’s reputation across the world. Since this line of models, all powered by mechanical movements, was created in 2005, it has over the years added new variations and sophisticated features that showcase the watchmaking tradition so dear to the brand.

Last year, the Swiss watch brand introduced new models featuring a moon phase indicator at 6 o’clock circled by an Arabic numeral date ring on which a hand points to the current day. The mechanism is powered by a new movement developed exclusively for Longines – the L899 calibre.

In its eternal quest for elegance, Longines has designed a sleek dial for these new pieces combined with timeless design, thus creating a subdued and harmonious aesthetic.

Available in two sizes (40 and 42 mm in diameter), the new models of The Longines Master Collection are available in a range of different dials: black barleycorn with painted Roman numerals, silvered barleycorn with painted Arabic numerals or blue sunray with applied indexes.

The 42 mm stainless steel case of this model from The Longines Master Collection houses a new movement developed exclusively for Longines – the L899 calibre. The watch features a moon phase indicator at 6 o’clock circled by an Arabic numeral date ring on which a hand points to the current day. Its silvered barleycorn dial displays painted Arabic numerals. A brown leather strap adorns this elegant timepiece.

The 40 mm version is also available in a version with diamond indexes for a refined result. The new models of The Longines Master Collection are offered with either a stainless steel bracelet or a black, brown or blue strap to match the different dial colours.

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Great places

to see in Saudi Arabia

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From red-hued mountains to azure desert lakes and all the way to ancient sites that trace the history of mankind, Saudi Arabia is a destination like no other.

“If there is a final frontier of tourism left, it’s Saudi Arabia.” suggests the Lonely Planet travel guide, adding that the birthplace and spiritual home of Islam is “rich in attractions and stirring symbolism”.

Well, this so-called ‘final frontier’ is now more accessible than it has ever been after the introduction of the new tourist visa, launched in September 2019. Although non-Muslim visitors are unable to visit the historic religious cities of Mecca and Medina, elsewhere the Kingdom is opening its doors to international visitors from eligible countries who can apply for an eVisa via an easy-to-use online portal.

Alongside the warm hospitality of Saudi people, what awaits is a veritable cornucopia of delights: a dazzling heritage, vibrant culture and an array of breathtaking landscapes, from the mountains of Abha to the beaches of the Red Sea or the shifting sands of the Rub’ Al Khali desert, also known as the Empty Quarter.

Visitors will be spoiled for choice in bustling cities such as the capital Riyadh – a living crucible of past, present and future – and Jeddah, the fabled ‘Gate to Mecca’ for millions of pilgrims and a thriving commercial and tourism hub all rolled into one.

Here, then, are some of Saudi Arabia’s major attractions – find out more at www.visitsaudi.com. Out of respect to national custom and the laws of the country, please remember to dress conservatively.

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The National Museum of Saudi Arabia Journey through the history of Arabia Set aside a day to explore centuries of Arabian history, culture and art at the Kingdom’s biggest and most entertaining museum, which is one of Riyadh’s absolute highlights. Housed within striking modernist architecture and flower-wreathed gardens, the National Museum exhibits everything from Neolithic rock art to replicas of the buildings of old Jeddah, as well as transporting visitors on a magically interactive tour of the ages.

Come on weekdays for a less crowded experience, and take your time exploring the museum’s eight halls, starting with first hall, Man and the Universe, which is a sprawling 1,500-square metre space dedicated to the earth’s history. Catch a glimpse of the type of animals that once roamed the Arabian Peninsula, including the prehistoric mastodon, marvel at meteorites and explore a reconstruction of the dazzling Tuwaiq mountain range. Don’t miss the riveting display of rock carvings, which feature an ancient human handprint, discovered carved into a rock in the southern city of Najran.

Alongside the permanent collection, a regular rotation of activities, guest exhibitions and programmes keeps the content fresh.

Al Masmak Fortress Delve into Riyadh’s captivating history Located in the heart of Riyadh in the city’s old quarter is the 150-year-old Al Masmak Fortress. A vast clay and mud-brick citadel that witnessed the rise of a kingdom, Al Masmak serves as a proud reminder of Saudi Arabia’s history. Its capture by King Abdulaziz in 1902 marked the first step towards the consolidation of the Kingdom under the Saud name and the founding of the Saudi nation as we know it today.

Built in 1865, the fortress has served many purposes. While originally used to house the garrisons that protected the city, it later served as an ammunition warehouse following the raid by King Abdulaziz and, later still, as a prison.

Today the restored building is a museum, open to visitors wanting to step back in time and explore Saudi Arabia’s roots. Fascinating exhibitions show maps and photographs of Saudi Arabia dating from 1912 to 1937, alongside a range of historical artefacts, artworks and audiovisual attractions. A short documentary also re-enacts the capture of the fortress by King Abdulaziz, whose spearhead you can still see embedded in its wooden gate. Venture outside the fortress to explore the spacious courtyard too. Located just alongside the fortress is the Souq Al Zal. Selling traditional handicrafts, jewellery, spices and cashmere scarves, the market is the perfect place to pick up a memento.

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Historical Dir’iyah

Al Murabba Palace

See the future through Saudi Arabia’s past

Home of Saudi Arabia’s founding king

Welcome to Ad Diriyah, birthplace of the first Saudi state, historical crossroads of pilgrims and traders, and home to one of the Kingdom’s most ambitious heritage developments.

Close to Riyadh’s National Museum you’ll find the beautiful Murabba Palace, the former home and court of King Abdulaziz, founder of modern Saudi Arabia, and a monument to the city’s captivating past.

Curved along the outskirts of Riyadh about 20km to the west of the capital, and formed on the oasis that spilt from the banks of Wadi Hanifa, Ad Diriyah’s mud-brick walls once housed a thriving desert city that was a powerhouse of culture and commerce. Its Al Turaif district, the area’s citadel-marked primary quarter, was the original seat of power for the Kingdom’s Al Saud family. In 1745, the city was named the country’s capital, laying the foundations for what would later become a unified Saudi Arabia.

Ad Diriyah fell in late 1818 at the end of the Wahhabi war and was succeeded as the nation’s capital by the nearby settlement of Riyadh. The ruins of Al Turaif were designated a UNESCO Heritage Site in 2010 and the area has since been the subject of a painstaking restoration plan aimed at bringing its historical legacy back to life. While work at Ad Diriyah is still progressing, there are ample heritage-rich sites that are open to the public.

The Ad Diriyah’s Al Bujairy district is already welcoming visitors.

Once home to religious scholar Mohammed bin Abdul Wahab, its maze of twisting streets lead to low-lying mud huts that have been transformed into sparkling heritage sites, including Diriyah Museum, a former palace with exhibits on Saudi history and the restored Al Zawiha Mosque.

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Constructed outside the walls of the old city of Riyadh on what had previously been used as farmland during the winter months, Murabba Palace marked the first major expansion of the city as the country teetered on the brink of a new era of prosperity. The palace, where the King lived from its completion in 1938 until his death in 1953, was built in the traditional Najdean style, with vast palm frond layered walls and ceilings and rooms arranged around a breezy central courtyard.

Plan your visit in spring or winter, and you can wander the palace’s rolling green gardens, which spread over several hectares. But the real treasures are inside, where you’ll find plenty of memorabilia in the King Abdulaziz Historical Centre, including personal belongings of King Abdulaziz – right down to his spectacles – as well as photographs of meetings he conducted with statesman all over the world. Tear yourself away from the multimedia displays, and you can also see a Rolls-Royce that was presented to the King

by Winston Churchill in 1946.

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Ushaiger Heritage Village Ancient village casts a quiet spell Hidden in the heart of the Najd, an oasis-dotted region 200 km northwest of Riyadh, Ushaiger Heritage Village provides a glimpse of a slow-paced Saudi society of old.

Bedouins first settled here 1,500 years ago and Ushaiger quickly became a popular stopping point for pilgrims crossing to Mecca, thanks to its springs and low-brimmed olive and palm groves. But far from being a dusty, deserted museum piece, Ushaiger – which, in a naming quirk, means ‘little blonde’ to reflect the nearby red mountain that looms over the yellow mud houses – still has a small community of residents, making use of its schools, shops and mosques. To walk its narrow lanes is to enter a living museum, draped with traces of an ancient way of life.

Encased in thick walls, Ushaiger is a labyrinth of winding alleyways, shaded pathways and timber-framed walkways, crossing between hundreds of mud houses. The village is divided into districts and bisected by groves of palm trees, and includes a cluster of beautifully renovated houses. These offer a stunning example of Najdi architecture, with its distinctive triangular windows and roofs, and ornately carved wooden doors. Some still bear the names of the families who lived there.

Wander through the narrow streets and covered lanes to admire feats of engineering that remain exactly as they have been for hundreds of years. When the hunger pangs kick in, there’s a small restaurant (open on Fridays) that serves simple, but delicious food. They charge by weight, so go easy on the meat.

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King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture Dive into Saudi Arabia’s cultural hub Be amazed and inspired at Saudi Arabia’s leading centre for arts and culture. When the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture, known as ‘Ithra’ (‘enrichment’ in Arabic), opened in Dhahran in 2017, it became an instant icon. Not only because of its jawdropping design, which represents a throng of oil-bearing rocks smoothed by desert winds, all wrapped in a 350km-long steel pipe; but also its ambitious vision as Saudi Arabia’s first all-cultural destination. Quite simply, it is a structure that must be seen to be believed.

Inside, you will find a staggering 85,000 square metres of space, housing a museum, theatre, library, cinema, exhibition galleries, ideas lab and knowledge tower. Such is the scale of its halls, and spectacular architecture that it may take you a full day to appreciate Ithra’s wonders.

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Al Ahsa Oasis A natural wonder waiting to be explored A desert oasis of shady palm groves and crystal clear springs in the country’s Eastern Province, Al Ahsa Oasis stands as a dazzling haven against the harsh and untamed plains of the Rub’ Al Khali (Empty Quarter). For millennia, this region’s fertile land made it a hub for traders and caravans crossing the region’s ancient trade routes, forging links across the Arabian Peninsula and beyond, and providing a stopping place for early pilgrims en route to Mecca.

Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site – a nod to the city’s many archaeological landmarks – Al Ahsa Oasis is rapidly gaining appeal as one of Saudi Arabia’s most captivating tourist destinations.

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In Al Hofuf, the city’s commercial hub, visit the country’s first royal school and the Eastern Province’s first masjid, Jawatha Mosque.

Browse the hive of handicraft stalls and locally produced art, and sample the homegrown dates the region is famed for – both the Al Khalasah and Barhi varieties are farmed here.

A trip out to Al Ahsa’s undulating sands offers a chance to climb the popular Al Qarah Mountain and explore the rock-hewn caves that weave through it, or just to gaze over the oasis from its summit. If you feel daring, hire an SUV and join the locals in ‘drifting’ down the looming dunes. As evening falls, Al Ahsa’s bustling Souq Al Qaisariy comes alive, ringing with street hawkers and the timeless sounds of this historic port city.

Jeddah Waterfront Sun, sea and sports at the city’s newly developed coastline With its long stretches of pristine coastline, sandy beaches and cool walkways, Jeddah Corniche has always been one of the city’s main draws. Following a major revamp in 2017 – which added three new swimming bays, a winding pier and lush parklands – the area blends seamlessly with the cosmopolitan appeal of the Kingdom’s oldest and liveliest city and its beguiling mix of bustling souks, old-world architecture and culinary excellence.

Families will love the wide open spaces, where children can burn off steam in the designated playparks or splash about in the fountains. Adults can sign up for a selection of watersports on the beach, hire bikes and cycle along the 4.2km corniche, or

stroll down the pier to take in the sunset and beautiful Red Sea views as they await the 300-metre-plus eruptions of King Fahd’s Fountain, the world’s tallest.

Did you know that in the 1970s Jeddah was known for its outdoor sculptures? Part of the waterfront refurbishment plan involved gathering up some of the best examples, including works by masters such as Henry Moore and Joan Miró, restoring their faded grandeur and presenting them together in a stunning open-air museum, spanning 7km of parkland. It’s a photographer’s dream.

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Learning from the Falcon

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While the essence of Falconry remains true to its origins, the sport has evolved.

The Falcon and the horse remain enduring symbols of human civilization and, in Saudi Arabia, both are woven through the fabric of her ancient culture like the intricate strands of the antique rugs found among the narrow alleys of the Souk al-Zal. However, while the Arabian horse, and its metamorphosis into the global Thoroughbred we all know and love today, has adapted to suit the needs of mankind, the proud and beautiful Falcon, and the sport of Falconry, remains largely the same now as it was when the first writings about the glorious birds began – thought to be around 2,000 years BC.

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Equal parts sport, husbandry and art, Falconry retains a fascinating link with region’s Bedouin history. In an ever-changing world, the pursuit is enjoying something of a renaissance, as the rapidlymodernizing nation of Saudi Arabia determines to preserve the ties that bind us all to the heritage of our ancestors.

The second edition of the King Abdul Aziz Falconry Festival, organized by the Saudi Falcons Club, was held in Malham, in the north of Riyadh, in December 2019 and the event has quickly become an established component of the country’s vibrant sporting calendar.

Like all the most rewarding pastimes, Falconry takes many years to master, although the rewards for the most accomplished falconers are considerable.

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Like all the most rewarding pastimes, Falconry takes many years to master, although the rewards for the most accomplished falconers are considerable.

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More than SR1 million ($270,000) was granted by the Saudi Falcon Club to the winners of the two-stage competition for young Falcons, while SR1.8 million ($480,000) was awarded to the winners of the three-stage competition for fully-grown birds.

Falconry is about far more than money, however. The second King Abdul Aziz Falconry Festival was a celebration of the Saudi way of life and offered the younger generation a glimpse of a heritage that they are eager not only to learn about, but also from – and to conserve.

While the essence of the practice of Falconry remains true to its origins, the sport has evolved. Originally a way of obtaining food, it has developed a strong association with nature conservation and, as we saw at the Festival, social engagement. It’s links with ancient humanity remain so strong that the sport has been declared a “Living Human Heritage” by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

From its ancient origins, believed to be in Mesopotamia, the human harnessing of the majestic Falcon continues to this day to connect us all to the earth beneath our feet and the sky that we reach for. We teach the birds but, down through the ages, we have learned, and continue to learn, far more from them.

Long may they fly. And long may we learn from the Falcon.

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Five things to do in Riyadh

Some suggestions about how to spend your time in a capital city where old-world charm meets 21st-century vision.

Shimmering like a precious stone in the fierce desert sun, the birthplace of modern Saudi Arabia is a compelling mix of past, present and future.

Riyadh Province – also known as Al-Wosta – is home to the country’s capital: a modern cutting-edge metropolis with a thriving financial and business centre complete with towering skyscrapers, more than 100 of which have been built since 2014.

Yet intertwined within this city is a deep-rooted sense of tradition and history just waiting to be explored. It is a city rich in history, boasting myriad forts, palaces and museums, and some of the country’s most colourful souks.

Known as the ‘Queen of the Desert’, Riyadh will captivate visitors with her desert landscapes and lush green oases, her ancient monuments and the renowned Arabic hospitality of the city’s inhabitants.

This article contains information provided by the Arrivals Guide to Saudi Arabia – find out more at www. arrivalguides.com

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Shimmering like a precious stone in the fierce desert sun, the birthplace of modern Saudi Arabia is a compelling mix of past, present and future.

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1. Immerse yourself in culture The centre of Riyadh and the birthplace of the state of Saudi Arabia is the area of Al-Bathaa, in which visitors will find fascinating traces of the old city. At its heart lies Al-Masmak Fortress, a stunning example of desert architecture, whilst surrounding it is the King Abdulaziz Historical Centre and the souks that give a taste of the ambience of yesteryear.

About half a mile from the Al-Masmak Fortress is the Murabba Palace, the former home of King Abdulaziz, while not to be missed is the National Museum of Saudi Arabia, which covers centuries of art and culture with a wide-ranging display of interactive exhibits that reveal the fascinating history of the Arabian peninsula and the introduction of Islam. The museum takes you through the stories in a chronological fashion with help of movies, artefacts and maps.

If you’re thirsting for more cultural sites, then head to the Al-Dira area, which is home to many traditional buildings such as the Royal Palace. On the northwestern outskirts of the city is the ancient town of Ad-Diriyah.

Further details on these locations can be found in the ‘Saudi Highlights’ feature.

2. Enjoy the view In complete contrast to Riyadh’s historic attractions, the neighbourhood of Olaya is home to gleaming skyscrapers. This is where you will find the bulk of Riyadh’s high-end hotels, restaurants and shopping malls, chief among them being the Kingdom Centre and the Al Faisaliyah Tower which stand like sentinels guarding the city.

Housing the Al-Mamlaka shopping mall and the Four Seasons Hotel, the Kingdom Centre is the iconic ‘building with a hole in it’. Take a trip up the tower – 41 storeys reaching a height of 991 feet – and enjoy the view from the 56-metre-long sky bridge.

Designed by leading British architect Norman Foster, the Al Faisaliyah Tower is also is a must-see for first-time visitors to Riyadh, offering a fantastic panorama of the city from above on its viewing platform. For good measure, inside there are a multitude of restaurants, cafés and shopping opportunities.

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3. Shop ’til you drop Shopping is the number one pastime in Riyadh. Be it brand names or handmade, markets or malls, whatever you’re looking for the traders of Riyadh will satisfy your desires. So if you’re after the latest in tax-free designer clothing or if your tastes are more inclined towards the traditional gifts, or folk art, then grab your wallet, put on a pair of comfortable shoes and hit the streets of Riyadh. With over 60 shopping malls you could quite easily spend your entire holiday drifting from one mall to the next and still not negotiate them all. Among the biggest and most popular are the aforementioned Al Faisaliyah Centre and Kingdom Centre, plus the Granada Centre.

If you prefer the hustle of the market and a spot of haggling, then head on down to the Al-Bathaa neighbourhood where there are a plethora of souks. You can pick up some great deals on jewellery in the Gold Souk if your bargaining skills are up to scratch. In almost all the souks you will find quality handcrafted goods, particularly antiques, pottery and linen. Souk Al-Zal is the place to go for beautiful hand-woven carpets.

4. Eat like a king Saudi Arabia’s culinary scene is diverse, delicious and booming.

Dining out is immensely popular in Riyadh, where there is something to suit every appetite and budget, from delectable gourmet cuisine to fragrant Arabic dishes. Among celebrated eateries are The Globe, offering excellent international cuisine plus a stunning view from a location within the golden orb at the top of the Al Faisaliyah Tower, and Al Nakheel, one of the city’s premier Arabian restaurant in the Four Points Hotel by Sheraton.

Café culture is also a big deal in Riyadh. Long gone are the days when a coffee house in Saudi Arabia meant somewhere a few elderly men sat around with pots of ‘qahawa’ (traditional Saudi coffee) to while away the hours. Riyadh is now home to some of the Kingdom’s most fashionable cafés: places where bearded baristas serve gourmet coffee with a backstory so deep it needs its own biography, and brunches fit for a king arrive on plates dressed perfectly for that Instagram moment.

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5. Go to the edge of the world The ‘Edge of the World’, or Jebel Fihrayn as it is also known, is located about 90 kilometres from Saudi’s capital and roughly a 90-minute drive. It forms part of the vast Tuwaiq cliffs, which stretch over more than 600km through central Saudi, and once overlooked an ancient trade route used to cross the Arabian Peninsula.

Reached through winding desert trails that run along a ridge of the Tuwaiq escarpment, this spectacular spot offers breathtaking uninterrupted clifftop views across the barren valley floor and to the horizon, from the edge of a sheer precipice. These starkly dramatic views earned the site its nickname, and have helped turn it into one of Riyadh’s most popular tourist destinations.

Hikers can choose from a range of routes to get to the top, but with rugged terrain, steep climbs and loose gravel, good walking shoes are advised. As you traverse the path, keep an eye out for fossils – a holdover from when the region was part of an ocean bed – and for camels and the remains of riverbeds crossing the valley below.

It typically takes between 15 and 30 minutes to reach the cliff edge, however, there are plenty of opportunities along the way to stop and enjoy the view. Gates out of the site close at 6pm, and getting here requires an SUV with good GPS, and ideally as part of a larger group of vehicles. Several leading tour companies offer daylong excursions to the site, including the option to camp overnight.

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Keep in ot uch...

The world’s most valuable horserace THE JOCKEY CLUB LOCAL HANDICAP | THE RIYADH DIRT SPRINT | THE 1351 TURF SPRINT | THE SAUDI DERBY THE NEOM TURF CUP | THE OBAIYA ARABIAN CLASSIC | THE RED SEA TURF HANDICAP | THE SAUDI CUP

For full details on Ticketing, Travel and more please visit our new website: www.thesaudicup.com @thesaudicup

King Abdulaziz Racetrack, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

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Longines_HQ • Visual: HR20_MC23 • Magazine: Program_Saudi_Cup (CH) • Issue: 10/02/2020