Third Running of Saudi Cup Set for Feb. 26

The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia launched the 2022 edition of the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) with record purse money on offer over two days of racing and new international luster for the race itself and the Kingdom's racing program.

Officials also had their eyes on further upgrades in the Kingdom's status and creation of a seamless Middle Eastern racing jurisdiction.

The designation of the $20 million Saudi Cup as an international group 1 race marks an important milestone in the campaign to make the Kingdom a top-tier player on the international racing scene, HRH Prince Bandar bin Khalid Al Faisal, chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, said Oct. 28 in a series of media video conferences.

The Saudi Cup, granted the group 1 designation earlier this month by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, will have its third running Feb. 26, 2022. Purse increases for the undercard races boost to $35.1 million the total prize money on offer, making the meeting the world's richest.

Prince Bandar and Tom Ryan, the JCSA's director of Strategy and International Racing, said the expectation is that fans will return to the King Abdulaziz grandstand after a year's absence because of pandemic restrictions.

"We will have tickets available for sale," Prince Bandar said. "Again, we are all subject to the international restrictions as to travel. I think everybody would be interested in the situation here in Saudi Arabia where we're quite well off compared to any other parts of the world. We have less than 50 infections per day. I'm really happy we've got it down to that. My hope is, the Western world can get their act together and hopefully help us help them open up sports everywhere."

Ryan said the 2021 experience with movement of horses was relatively easy compared to human travel. "Hopefully," he added, "as the world each week gets better with COVID, that part will become easier, too."

Prince Bandar said the rapid development of the Saudi Cup into an international fixture has surprised even Saudi officials.

"We could never have imagined the immediate impact the Saudi Cup would have on the international racing landscape, or indeed on our domestic racing product."

The first two editions of the Saudi Cup program attracted horses from around the globe, including Japan and the United States. Maximum Security   won the first running, though his purse money remains held up pending resolution of charges in the United States against trainer Jason Servis.

The 2021 Cup featured a tight finish with Mishriff  rallying late to defeat Charlatan   with Knicks Go   fading to get home fourth with Sleepy Eyes Todd  fifth.

Mishriff went on to win the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) on the turf at Meydan March 27, defeating top runners from Japan and the UAE.

The quality of those races contributed to the upgrade in Saudi Arabia's international status.

At the same time the IFHA granted group 1 rating to the Saudi Cup and group 3 ranking to five races on the weekend's undercard, it also bumped Saudi Arabia up to Part II status among racing jurisdictions—a step which Prince Bandar said the JCSA hopes to be only a temporary stop on the Kingdom's ascendency toward Part I.

"It's fair that they want to see commitment, they want to see longevity. They want to see us over the long run," Prince Bandar said. "I don't expect it to be a long period of time. I think within the next three to four years, we should be in a position where they would feel comfortable enough, if we continue on the same line we are now, to be within that elite group of countries."

Prince Bandar also said plans to coordinate racing schedules and infrastructure among Middle Eastern jurisdictions are "ongoing" since an announcement in March of 2021.

"The good news is they are very eager to work with us on this. The goal is between the three or four countries if you include Qatar and maybe Oman (with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates).

"It's a good thing for this part of the world. It makes it more attractive for international trainers or owners who like to move their horses across the world and it gets very attractive for people in the cold weather environment of the Northern Hemisphere," His Highness said. "I think this part of the world provides a very interesting venue for them to continue racing between November and March."

He said he expects a "very solid" announcement within six months.