There's some great horses lining up for the big race and also the undercard, as the prize money is very generous.
The Neon Turf Cup G3 is the first away and has 14 horses over the 2100m turf of the King Abdulaziz track at Riyadh. The prices we have are the UK ones so they may vary depending where you are located. The Japanese runner Authority is on top here on 7/4 with Christophe Lemaire on board. English Pyledriver, who was second in Hong Kong in the Vase, is on 11/4 with Martin Dwyer riding for the Grassicks. The Aga Khan's Ebaiyra now in the hands of F-H Graffard is on 2/1 with Soumillon riding and we think Grocer Jack could show up here on 9/1.
The Turf Sprint over 1400m G3 and the Appleby-Buick comabo comes here with Naval Crown on 9/4. Japanese runner Songline is on 5/1 with Lemaire riding, Rohaan is 6/1 with Ryan Moore riding and we have a roughie here in Entscheiden 20/1 from the Yahagi stable as he doesn't bring his horses to see the scenery.
The Red Sea Turf Handicap is G3 over 3000m on turf with Johnny Murtagh's Sonnyboyliston on 3/1 with Ben Coen in the irons. Siskany is another Appleby-Buick horse on 10/3 and Stay Foolish is on 12/1 for Yahagi-Lemaire. Skazino from France is not without a chance and is on 7/1.
The Saudi Derby G3 is for 3yo over 1600m with 14 to run. America's Pinehurst by Candy Ride is on 9/4 for Bob Baffert and Flavien Prat with Appleby-Buick's son of Kingman pn 5/1 and the Uruguayan Kiefer who ran well the other day in Dubai on 7/1 and the Japanese runner Consigliere on 8/1 with Lemaire on board.
The Riyadh Dirt Sprint over 1200m dirt has 13 runners headed by the Japanese runner Copano Kicking with trainer Murayama booking William Buick for the ride. The Dubai contingent are headed by Switzerland on 11/2 and then there's the Chilean Rudy Trigger who was favoured last time out but needed the run.
Then the Saudi Cup itself. G1, 1800m on dirt. All the talk is of Mishriff who won this last year and was second in the Derby the year before so he knows the track and has lots of things going for him so he's 5/2 in the UK. Mandaloun, who was promoted to winner of the Kentucky Derby this week is on 7/2 and the Japanese Champion Cup runner T O Keynes is on 6/1.
We are going out on a limb here and going for Marche Lorraine, whom nobody had heard of until she won the Breeders' Cup Distaff last year. She's by Orfevre, Yahagi trains, Soumillon rides and 12/1 means there's a lot to like. Sealiways won the Champions at Ascot UK last year and is on 14/1 and Aero Trem won the Gran Premio Latino-American and 40/1 could be a bit of temptation.
The an international jockey's challenge on the Friday – go Bossy!
