Last year’s winner of the 2000 Guineas, Mhally (GB), stepped up to the mark 12 months later to earn a place in the 2026 Saudi Cup with victory under in-form Ricardo Ferreira in the Group 3 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup.

Mhally progressed from his 2000 Guineas success to be third on Saudi Cup night in the Derby in 2025, and will be back again this time in the main USD$20million event on February 14 after proving his stamina in the qualifier over 1800m.

There were four in with a chance halfway down the home stretch, but Mhally knows where the winning post is at King Abdulaziz and found more when required to deny last year’s US-winning-rider, Joel Rosario, aboard Ameerat Alzamaan (GB) by three-quarters of a length.

Recently crowned Eclipse champion older dirt male courtesy of his victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar Nov. 1. Susumu Fujita's Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) turned in a strong piece of fast work Wednesday at the Ritto Training Center in advance of his title defense in the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Feb. 14.

The newly turned 5-year-old, trained by the globally successful Yoshito Yahagi, was partnered in a gallop over 1200 meters by his regular jockey Ryusei Sakai and covered the distance in the time of 1:18.7. As is customary in Japan, the work itself is slow-paced at first before the horses are asked to quicken through the wire. Forever Young got his final 200 meters in :11.6.

“This will help him improve,” Sakai said in the Japanese media. “He still had plenty of energy in his body, so I worked him properly.”

Since defeating his close relative and 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) by a half-length in the Classic, Forever Young has made history by becoming the first dirt horse to be named Japanese Horse of the Year, receiving 226 out of a possible 248 votes. He was also formally recognized as Japan's best older colt or male and champion dirt horse at ceremonies held earlier this week in Tokyo.

Forever Young made his first appearance of 2025 in the Saudi Cup, clawing his way past Hong Kong standout Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in the shadow of the wire. Third in the G1 Dubai World Cup, he won the Nippon TV Hai ahead of his first successful American raid in three tries in November. The winner's share of the Saudi Cup purse would take his career earnings to just shy of $30 million.

Forever Young and the other Ritto-based runners headed to Riyadh entered quarantine Wednesday afternoon. They are expected to fly to the desert on Feb 4.

Trainer Brad Cox is not prone to any delusions of grandeur where it comes to the chances of 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo) against the likes of champion Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Nysos (Nyquist) and GII Clark Stakes hero Magnitude (Not This Time) in the G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Feb. 14.

He also realizes that $20 million is a lot to play for and is keen to seize upon the opportunity that presents itself, knowing that he has his horse the best he can be in advance of the 1800-meter contest.

“He's done very well, he deserves an opportunity and I'm glad he's been invited and excited about giving him a chance,” Cox said from South Florida, where the mercury reached a balmy 66 degrees Wednesday afternoon, significantly warmer than home in Kentucky.

Having made the GIII Forty Niner Stakes the third graded success of his career Nov. 2, Bishops Bay went on to top the Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale on a bid of $1.3 million from Pedro Lanz on behalf of the Saudi-based KAS Stables. The bay was on trial for a potential trip to the desert in the Dec. 6 GII Cigar Mile Stakes, came through that effort with flying colors and has since held his form, according to Cox.

“He's training very well since the Cigar Mile here at Payson, he's had all his works here,” the trainer said. “He's doing very well and he looks amazing. It's going to be a tall task--with $20 million on the line, it's supposed to be.”

Bishops Bay has recorded weekly breezes on a Saturday schedule over the deep surface at Payson since the first of the year, most recently drilling five furlongs in 1:01.60 on Jan. 24. He is scheduled to turn in his final local work this coming weekend.

“He's been really good here,” Cox said. “Sometimes this Payson surface can get to some of them, but he's been handling it incredibly well. It's gives you confidence. He's a good horse and lots of times good horses work good on just about anything and he shows that. He's a classy horse to be around, beautiful horse physically. I remember loving him the first time I saw him at Warrendale Sales and he's been very good to us.”

A $450,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase in 2021, Bishops Bay was a head second to next-out GI Belmont Stakes winner Arcangelo (Arrogate) in the 2023 GIII Peter Pan Stakes and also rounded out the exacta underneath GI Kentucky Derby runner-up Two Phil's (Hard Spun) in the GIII Ohio Derby. Victorious in a single appearance at four, he well and truly arrived in 2025, with six wins in eight appearances, capped by the Cigar Mile.

Though his best form of late has come at the mile, Cox is quietly confident that Bishops Bay can handle the added distance in Riyadh.

“More confidence doing it around one turn as opposed to two turns based off what we've seen from him,” he said. “You have to look at it and treat it like an extended mile race. That track can be demanding and tiring late, I think he's going to have to be ridden properly.

“It can be a challenging track, but I do like the idea that it's a one-turn mile and an eighth. If it were a two-turn mile and an eighth, it wouldn't be what I'd think would suit him, but the one turn definitely gives us a bit more confidence.”

Cox will have a Saudi Cup entrant for the fourth time in the seven-year history of the race, his best result coming when Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) was beaten less than a length into third by Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) two years ago. Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) struck for the barn in last year's G1 Dubai World Cup, and the trainer continues to learn on the job where it comes to traveling horses.

“Saudi Crown gave us a big thrill and what I learned that day is that it's a long stretch and a tiring track there,” Cox said with a laugh. “I do think there is something about having the experience going over to places like Saudi and Dubai and it's definitely valuable to have that experience from a personnel standpoint.”

Cox is of that mindset that goes 'you miss 100% of the shots you don't take.' He remains realistic about his Saudi Cup chances, but is clearly embracing the challenge that lies straight ahead.

 “He has to step forward, there is no doubt,” Cox said of his charge. “We've given him one opportunity in a Grade I to date. He ran a very respectable race there at Saratoga going seven furlongs [sixth in the Forego Stakes] and he probably wants to go a little further. He needs to step up and move forward and if he does and gets the right trip and some racing luck, I think we can be in the mix.”

Bishops Bay flies to Saudi with the other Florida-based entrants for the program on Feb. 2.

Hong Kong galloper Self Improvement departed Sha Tin for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia early this morning (Friday, 6 February). The Manfred Man trainee will run in the G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint (1200m, dirt) at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday, 14 February.

A horse has never won two editions of the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup, and Japanese Horse of the Year Forever Young (Real Steel) will try to break into that rarefied air after drawing post position six on Wednesday, ahead of Saturday's race. Also voted a champion in the U.S. after taking the GI Breeders' Cup Classic last autumn, the likeable bay will face 13 rivals at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in a few days' time.

“I think six is a good number,” trainer Yoshito Yahagi said. “We don't have to change anything with tactics. Honestly, I feel a lot of pressure on my shoulders bringing a defending champion but Forever Young doesn't feel any pressure at all.”

Opposing Forever Young is GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile hero Nysos (Nyquist). The Bob Baffert trainee is booked in gate 12. Another from the barn of the American Hall of Famer is Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach), who won the GI Goodwood Stakes last year. He will leave from gate seven and enters on the back of a second in the GII Laffit Pincay, Jr. Stakes to Nysos.

“I'd rather be on the outside than the inside,” Baffert said after drawing the wide gate for Nysos. “As long as the horse shows up that is more important. I think he is a really good horse and has always shown brilliance, he's a trier and knows where the wire is. From the outside he will have a clear run.

“Gate seven is good for Nevada Beach too. We just didn't want to be in the one-hole.”

Outside of the American contingent, the one-two finishers of the G3 King's Cup are also trying their hands here in Mhally (Sergei Prokofiev) and Ameerat Alzamaan (Ghaiyyath). They leave from stalls 13 and four, respectively.

“We are very happy with that draw, we wanted something on the outside,” Sheikh Faisal Al Sabah, son of owner, Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah said of Mhally. “Hopefully he proves himself on Saturday.”

The Saudi Cup is a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Keeneland this autumn. The following is the Saudi Cup field in post position order:

1-Sunrise Zipangu (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn})

2-Haqeet (Arrogate)

3-Banishing (Ghostzapper)

4-Ameerat Azamaan (GB) (Ghaiyyath {Ire})

5-Star Of Wonder (Uncle Mo)

6-Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn})

7-Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach)

8-Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance)

9-Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo)

10-Luxor Café (American Pharoah)

11-Rattle N Roll (Connect)

12-Nysos (Nyquist)

13-Mhally (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev)

14-Thundersquall (GB) (Dubawi {Ire})

Jerry Chau is proud to represent Hong Kong, China, for a third time overseas when he debuts in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia aboard Self Improvement, the horse who gave the local ace his biggest success in the 2025 G3 Korea Sprint (1200m, sand) in Seoul, South Korea.

Chau said: “It’s my honour to represent Hong Kong, China around the world. It’s really helpful for me to gain more experience. I will give my all and put my heart into this trip.

“It was my first overseas win, not including my training in Australia. It was amazing, and the crowd was cheering for me. We beat the Japanese horse (Chikappa) – he’s very good. We fought to the end. I am grateful – thank you to trainer Manfred Man and owner Mr Wong.”

The pair will face menacing opposition this weekend for the first time from North America, traditionally where the world’s best dirt horses hail from, including Bob Baffert’s Imagination, as well as Group 1 winner Lovesick Blues, in Saturday night’s (14 February) G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint (1200m, dirt) at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. 

Though revered for its turf heroes, Hong Kong racing has seen some of its finest moments come on alternate surfaces. Rich Tapestry stunned Goldencents in the 2014 G1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (1200m, dirt); Sterling City captured the 2014 G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (1200m, tapeta), while Super Jockey dominated the 2016 Korea Sprint, and although he narrowly missed, Romantic Warrior came second in the 2025 G1 Saudi Cup (1800m, dirt).

Man’s Self Improvement became the latest to join the winners list in September, and campaigns to the Middle East as the second Hong Kong, China-trained horse to race in Saudi Arabia after Romantic Warrior, and he is again hoping to defy pre-race expectations following success as a 9/1 chance in South Korea over Chikappa, who placed 10th in the 2025 Riyadh Dirt Sprint before his second in last year’s Korea Sprint.

Self Improvement is a six-year-old son of Deep Field. He made all in a trial on 29 January over 1200m on Sha Tin’s dirt course in 1m 09.78s (24.2, 22.6, 22.9). The earner of HK$12 million is owned by Wong Chung Yin, Wong Lai Ngor and Wilson Wong.

“He looks like he is really ready for the race after his last trial. Hopefully, he runs well. He’s improved a lot after winning in South Korea. He’s more mature, but I think he loves to travel – he will enjoy the trip to Saudi Arabia,” Chau said.

The Riyadh Dirt Sprint was inaugurated in 2020. It has been won by New York Central (2020), Copano Kicking (2021), Dancing Prince (2022), Elite Power (2023), Remake (2024) and Straight No Chaser (2025). Self Improvement steps from barrier eight in Saturday night’s dash, which is carded as S2-3 and will be run at 10.40pm (HKT). The race forms part of a seven-race World Pool fixture.

HKJC Horse Race Betting Limited will broadcast seven races (S2-1 to S2-7) of Saudi Cup Day from King Abdulaziz Racecourse, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, 14 February. Featured races include the world’s richest race, the Saudi Cup (S2-7), and the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (S2-3), in which Hong Kong, China’s “Self Improvement” will compete.

Top global runners compete for the Saudi Cup
First launched in 2020, the Saudi Cup worth US$20 million (approximately over HK$150 million), is the richest race ever held. This prestigious event attracts numerous world-class horses, including “Mishriff”, “Panthalassa” and “Forever Young”. Last year’s edition saw “Romantic Warrior”, the first runner from Hong Kong, China, narrowly miss behind “Forever Young”. “Romantic Warrior” finished a neck behind “Forever Young”, who won in race record time.

“Forever Young” seeks to defend his title this year, with his competitors including “Sunrise Zipangu”, trained by the Japan Racing Association’s first female trainer Kyoko Maekawa.

“Self Improvement” in the expedition to compete in Group 2
Hong Kong, China’s “Self Improvement”, trained by Manfred Man Ka-leung will participate in Riyadh Dirt Sprint. The horse arrived at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Friday (6 February) for quarantine and training preparation. “Self Improvement” won the Korea Sprint last year, becoming the second Hong Kong-trained horse to win the race.

King Abdulaziz Racecourse is a left-handed track, with the long dirt straight being 400 metres long, composed of multi-layered sand and organic materials at a thickness of about 30 centimetres, differing slightly from materials used in Korea, Japan and Dubai. It kicks up relatively less dirt, making it easier for horses to adapt.

Saudi Cup Day (S2) will take place at 9:20 pm on 14 February.

World Pool on offer for Saudi Cup Day
Saudi Cup Day will feature seven races commingled to ensure maximum liquidity for racing fans. The World Pool will be available for Win, Place, Quinella, Quinella Place, Forecast, Tierce and Treble.

Saudi Cup Day attracts world-class racing stars and is one of the annual highlights in racing. Customers can [click here] to watch a special video and learn more about the stories behind the overseas races, the local racing culture, and the uniqueness of the meetings.

Watch the “30-second Around the Racing World” video.

* All customers must be aged 18 or above.

Hong Kong, China’s Self Improvement is one of 13 declared runners in Saturday’s (14 February) hotly contested G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint (1200m, dirt), where he’ll face rivals from North America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, all vying for a share of the US$2 million (approx. HK$15.63 million) purse.

Manfred Man, who trains Self Improvement and has arrived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to oversee the horse’s preparation, said: “Because of the long-distance travel, his body weight dropped slightly after he arrived. But over the past few days his appetite has been good, and he has been eating normally.

“His condition has been progressing well. I feel the horse is in better condition now than when he was in South Korea, but rivals in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint are even stronger; we hope to deliver the best possible performance.”

Jerry Chau, who reunites with Self Improvement in barrier eight after starring with a Happy Valley treble on Wednesday night (11 February), said: “It’s the next step, and the competition will be stronger. Hopefully, he enjoys the track – that’s the most important part for me and the horse.”

Successful in September’s G3 Korea Sprint (1200m, sand), Self Improvement’s toughest assignment yet comes against form lines from November’s Breeders’ Cup fixture, led by the Riyadh Dirt Sprint’s expected race favourite Imagination, trained by Bob Baffert, who enters off a second in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (1200m, dirt) behind Bentornato.

Speaking to the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, Baffert said: “He is the kind of horse that takes off a little slow; it takes him a while to get going but the further the better. He should be very competitive. It’s hard to know how the form will compare, but he’s doing well.”

Five-year-old Imagination has placed in three Group 1s. The 2024 G2 San Felipe Stakes (1700m, dirt) and 2025 G2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship (1200m, dirt) are his best wins.

Trained by Librado Barocio, eight-year-old Lovesick Blues captured a first elite-level win in the 2025 G1 Bing Crosby Stakes (1200m, dirt) at Del Mar last July. Following an unlucky sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint last start after rallying late from last position, the veteran grey galloper chases redemption this weekend. 

Speaking to the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, Barocio said: “He got a really bad trip in the Breeders’ Cup. He got squeezed and was left like 10 lengths behind, but then he started really closing. Unfortunately, then he couldn’t find room. I’m ready to take on Imagination again, especially over this longer stretch. Once he gets into that stride and he gets going, he’s so good.”

Just Beat The Odds is also trained out of North America, and is a winner at Monmouth Park, Tampa Bay Downs and recently Aqueduct in New York, where he captured his biggest win to date in the 2025 G3 Elite Power Stakes (1200m, dirt) in December, for trainer Gregg Sacco.

Leading Saudi Arabia’s charge is Muqtahem, who returns for this year’s Riyadh Dirt Sprint after finishing second in the race last year behind North America’s Straight No Chaser. Since then, the Abdullah Alsidrani-trained runner has dominated on home soil with five straight wins – most recently capturing the Prince Fahad Bin Jalawi Cup (1200m, dirt) by almost six lengths over Saturday night’s course and distance. 

Japan, which has won the Riyadh Dirt Sprint three times with Copano Kicking (2021), Dancing Prince (2022) and Remake (2024), field four this year: American Stage, Don Amitie, Yamanin Cerchi and Gabby’s Sister, who links with four-time Hong Kong Champion Jockey (2014/15, 2015/16, 2016/17 & 2020/21) Joao Moreira and returns to the Middle East after a third in the 2025 Riyadh Dirt Sprint.

Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, the front-running American Stage finished fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint last November and is the third runner out of that race engaged in Saturday’s Riyadh Dirt Sprint, which is carded as S2-3 and will be run at 10.40pm (HKT) as part of the seven-race World Pool fixture.

The indomitable Forever Young will look to land back-to-back victories in the US$20 million (approx. HK$156 million) G1 Saudi Cup (1800m) on the Riyadh dirt at 1.40am (Hong Kong time) on Sunday (15 February).

Forever Young landed gate six at Wednesday night’s (11 February) barrier draw, an alley trainer Yoshito Yahagi called “a good number” for the King Abdulaziz Racecourse.

“We don’t have to change anything with tactics. Honestly, I feel a lot of pressure on my shoulders bringing a defending champion, but Forever Young doesn’t feel any pressure at all,” he said.  

While there is no Romantic Warrior this year and Forever Young’s main opposition looks to come from the American contingent, Yahagi still felt compelled to reflect on the great battle of 12 months ago that saw the Japanese giant repel the Hong Kong champion by a narrow margin in an absolute epic.

“I didn’t think he would be beaten by any horse,” Yahagi said. “But I wasn’t completely sure about Romantic Warrior, as it was his first time racing on dirt. If Forever Young was going to be beaten, it had to be by Romantic Warrior.

“It was unbelievable. To be honest, I thought we had been beaten at the finish. It was a great race.”

Forever Young was last seen scooping the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic (2000m, dirt) at Del Mar in November and he has had a longer time between runs in the lead-up to this year’s Saudi Cup compared to 2025.

“He skipped the Tokyo Daishoten (G1, 2000m, dirt) after the Breeders’ Cup,” Yahagi said, referring to the race Forever Young won before surging to Saudi Cup victory a year ago.

“He was carrying a little extra weight at first, but he has been improving steadily. The anti-clockwise track and the long home straight really suit him in Saudi.”

Bob Baffert-trained pair Nysos and Nevada Beach are among Forever Young’s main rivals, with the former hit with gate 12 while the latter has alley seven.

“I’d rather be on the outside than the inside,” Baffert said about Nysos.

“As long as the horse shows up, that is more important. I think he is a really good horse and has always shown brilliance. He’s a trier and knows where the wire is. From the outside he will have a clear run.”

Elsewhere on the biggest night in Saudi racing, Self Improvement will chase more overseas success in the G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint (1200m, dirt).

Victorious in September’s G3 Korea Sprint (1200m) on sand, Manfred Man’s Self Improvement faces a tougher task in Riyadh.

“The horse is good, everything is fine, he was moving very well and he satisfied me,” Man said. “The race is quite strong and stronger than Seoul but all we can do is try our best. It is exciting as it is our first time in a Saudi Cup race.

“This is a great racecourse and we’ve come here to try the race, and feel very happy to represent Hong Kong, China. It is hard to say he has a good chance but I hope he will come quite close and we will try our best.”

Saudi Cup is carded as S2-7 and will be run at 1.40am (Hong Kong time) on Sunday, 15 February. The Riyadh Dirt Sprint is carded as S2-3 and will be run at 10.40pm (Hong Kong time) on Saturday, 14 February.