Unfortunately, Tom and Rich couldn’t get together for this week Foreign Friday of horse racing fun on YouTube. But we still made our picks for the 2022 Saudi Cup.
22 to 1 Tom’s International Tips
Free 2022 Saudi Cup Past Performances
Saudi Arabia – Riyadh – Saturday, February 26th
Race 1 – Neom Turf Cup
8 – Pyledriver
Good effort at Sha Tin last out, losing by 1L to a very good horse
Won on the AW at Lingfield and did enough
First up, he has 2 wins from 3 starts
Should sit close to the leaders and catch them
Never ran the distance but has face good horses in the UK at the top level
2 – Authority
Last 2 races at Tokyo with a win and a second in big fields
First up, 7 starts 4 wins 1 placing
Has won at 1800m 2000m but not 2100 but has won at longer distance
Group 2 winner 3 times
Should be the favorite, maybe?
6 – Harrovian
Prepped at Lingfield all weather in November but has not won coming into race first up but placed 3 times from 4 starts
Gosden/Dettori has won a few races
Won at Doncaster in open race but no wins in group races
Good enough to run ITM but win?
Race 2 – Turf Sprint
1 – Casa Creed
No match for Space Blues in BC race, ran an even race but no move forward
He’s won at distances close to this distance but not at this distance, I don’t see this as an issue
Mott/Saez combo and first ride
Grade 1 winner and also grade 2
Been away for 112 days so first up he’s only won once but here
Tough field but should do well
7 – Naval Crown
Won last out at Meydan good enough with he’s first start after a break
Group 2 winner and has placed in group 3 races
Did nothing vs group 1 horses at Deauville but they took a chance
I really like the last race and could be good enough to beat this bunch
11 – Thunder Moon
Prep race at Dundalk AW running 2nd useful
Needs a trip to win because he’s faced better may times
Group 1 winner with 2 placings from 7 starts
Joseph O’Brien/Christophe Soumillon an interest combo for this race
Race 3 – Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap
1 – Sonnyboyliston
Loves long, long races and 3000m is in his wheelhouse
Group 1 winner and has won first up
The race I really like is at York in big field handicap that really tough bunch
2 wins in a row coming and targeted this race after the York win
Normally sits close to the pace and moves up later
2 – Princess Zoe
Runs in very well at long distance races up to 4000m
Group 1 winner (and placing) also placed in group 3
Ran at Longchamp last at 4000m losing to Trueshan and Stradivarius group 1
Prior race at 2816m at Curragh, 2nd to Twilight Payment group 3
Another 2nd at Royal Ascot to Subjectivist in group 1 beating Stradivarius and Spanish Mission
The point here is, she’s faced some of the best in Europe and done well, if ready and she generally is, she will have a good chance to win but at least be ITM
Likes to run mid-pack and moves up about halfway through the race to have a chance later
9 – Siskany
Won last out at Meydan at 2810m serving as a prep for here, by 5.5L
Ran a 2nd at Kempton AW at 2413m in listed race
He’s not won either group or listed race but form and he’s liking of distance improves he’s chance
Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick for Godolphin
There are other Godolphin horses in this race with a chance too
Placed more forwardly here if runs back to last race
Race 6
9 – Sekifu
6 starts 3 wins, only a listed winner in Japan but lately going well
Last race, he sat in the back and had traffic issues getting going but this was a turf race and dirt is the preferred surface
He’s won at 1400m many times at different track, the significant for me were at Hanshin even though these were a maiden and allowance races, he showed two different running styles with win
The listed race a Sonoda was a good win at 1400m and laid closer to the pace
The last race was at 1600m, so he gets a second chance at 1 mile here
8 – Pinehurst
Ran 2nd last out at Santa Anita in grade 2 after running behind the leader, really didn’t gain any ground to suggest he can win here
So why is Bob Baffert with Flavien Prat running here?
He’s a grade 1 winner at Del Mar (along with a maiden win)
Ok effort in the Juvenile Breeders Cup race even though no horse has won after this race, so far
If he races like the last race, he beats the rest of the field but win?
16 – Qarnas
Saudi owned and raced only at Riyadh (on the dirt) with good efforts but only a maiden winner.
Placed in group 3 race here
Home field advantage because he’s weight assignment in 53kg vs 59.3kg for top horse
I hope this is one of the local horses that can compete here
By Frosted (pretty good horse) and mare was stakes placed so I am guessing they paid a good price for this horse. Big odds
2 – Perfect Love
I am only adding this horse that bred in Argentina because I am very curious because this is he’s first start
He’s assigned second top weight of 59.6kg, why?
Well, maybe he showed something special in his barrier trial races on 11/27?
I know nothing about the breeding, but could this be a better horse even this being he’s first start?
Most likely, he runs last but I would watch and see if you can find more information about this horse, very curious
Race 7 – Riyadh Dirt Sprint
4 – Ginobili – SCRATCHED
Showed speed in the Cigar Mile at AQU and faded out at 1600m, out of the race, Plainsmen won next out at Fairgrounds
She ran second to a horse by the name of Life is Good in the Breeder’s Cup and he just won next time out and wide out the field in the Pegasus (including horse of the year Knicks Go)
He won a 1400m group 2 race at Del Mar before the Breeder’s Cup race winning in frontrunning style
If you toss the last race and he’s runs at Del Mar, he should be this bunch but will he like the deeper, sand Riyadh tracks and will it favor speed?
2 – Copano Kicking
7 year old with 24 starts 10 wins and 8 placings and winner of a ton of money (over 4 million dollars)
Japanese horse has runs in Meydan and Riyadh (he won at this track in sprint cup)
In that race, he beat a very good Japanese sprinter named Matera Sky
Loves this distance with 14 starts 7 wins 3 placings at various tracks
Hasn’t race in a while but has won 3 times from 7 starts first up
William Buick has the mount and has won on this horse before
12 – Chain of Love
This horse may have found a new racing life on the dirt after 16 starts on the turf with 1 win. He’s last 2 races were at 1200m, today’s distance
Last 2 races on the Nakayama Dirt, he won an allowance race and ran 3rd in an open race 41 days ago,
He’s going to be in the rear of the pack and be moving late, really late
This appears to be plenty of speed so see could catch them in the end for at least a placing
Race 8 – Saudi Cup
9 – Mishriff
14 starts 7 wins and 4 placings with a win last year in this race beating Charlatan, Great Scot (running in another race today) and Knicks Go
After that, he ran against a few good horses include St Mark’s Basilica, Addeybb, Alenquer (who he beat), Sealiway (in here) Dubai Honour, Adayar and Love
Only 1 win after this race but place in the other 2 with a 4th in the last race
He has 6 wins from 12 starts on the turf, 1 for 1 on the dirt and an all-weather try
Trained by John Gosden and ridden again by David Egan
Oh, I should have pointed out his next race after the Saudi Cup was at Meydan on the turf and he won beating Chrono Genesis and Loves Only You (and we know what she did after this race)
Gosden won’t run him if he wasn’t ready for a top effort
He’s not going off at 20-1 like last year (I love him in the place last year)
10 – Real World
Win his last race at Meydan easily in group 2 prep for here
He’s also won with last 4 races too in group 2 down to handicap level, he’s found his best form as a 4 year old (now 5)
He’s won on various surfaces too so handling this track shouldn’t be an issue
The hot, in form horse that you cannot leave off your ticket, and he’s beaten some group winners too
7 – Mandaloun
In form, winning at Fairgrounds last out for Brad Cox (he failed at Fairground as a 3-year-old in the Louisiana Derby, he’s worst race of his career)
Beat Midnight Bourbon, who always runs his best
Grade 1 winner and recently prompted to 1st in the Kentucky Derby (I had him to win the Derby, but I am not cashing my win ticket)
My only question is handling the Saudi track, morning he’s look good from reports
8 – Midnight Bourbon
Always tries but just has 2 wins, in the money, possibility but win, no.
Rich’s Ranks
Race 1 – Neom Turf Cup
9 – PYLEDRIVER
2 – AUTHORITY
4 – FLYING VISIT
13 – EUDAIMONIA
Race 2 – Turf Sprint
7 – NAVAL CROWN
4 – HAPPY POWER
14 – SONGLINE
1 – CASA CREED
Race 3 – Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap
4 – BARON SAMEDI
9 – SISKANY
3 – SKAZINO
10 – DESERT FIRE
Race 7 – Riyadh Dirt Sprint
3 – DANCING PRINCE
11 – RUDY TRIGGER
10 – SWITZERLAND
6 – GLADIATOR KING
Race 8 – Saudi Cup
13 – T O KEYNES
9 – MISHRIFF
7 – MANDALOUN
3 – COUNTRY GRAMMER
5 – MAGNY COURS (longshot)
