Mishriff Appears in Good Form After Saudi Cup Defeat

Mishriff  was back trotting at John and Thady Gosden's yard in Newmarket March 3 and appeared to show no physical reasons for his poor showing in the Feb. 26 $20 million Saudi Cup (G1). 

The 5-year-old was drawn widest of all in stall 14 when attempting to land successive victories in the race but was a spent force turning for home and allowed to come home in his own time a long way behind local runner Emblem Road.

Together with the rest of the British contingent, Mishriff arrived back from Saudi Arabia on Monday and has since been checked over, but one factor against him in last Saturday's race may well have been a harder early pace than a year ago.

John Gosden said: "They went so hard early in the race on Saturday that I think some of the jockeys thought the winning post was down the back straight.

"It didn't help that Mishriff got a mouthful of dirt turning for home and it was game over for him. He seems fresh and well this morning and will be back to fight another day."

A year ago, Mishriff used the Saudi Cup as a springboard to further glory in the Longines Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) at Meydan on World Cup night, but Gosden reported that the son of Make Believe  will miss the $6 million contest this year. After his victory in Dubai, Mishriff finished his 2021 campaign in Europe with a win in the Juddmonte International Stakes (G1) and placings in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1) and Coral Eclipse Stakes (G1). 

Gosden said: "I'd be less inclined to take Mishriff back out to Dubai in a few weeks' time after his performance at the weekend and it may be better to wait with him."

Also in Riyadh last weekend was Ted Voute, racing manager for Mishriff's owner Prince Faisal.

He said of the Saudi Cup defeat: "Mishriff just didn't run his race but the dirt surface did look different this year.

"Last year a lot of European horses performed well on that track, but not a single one of them ran any good on it this year.

"It definitely seemed different and the kickback was definitely different. Whether there was more sand in it I don't know, but the jockeys were coming back plastered in it, which I don't remember happening last year."