Forever Young Becomes Timeform’s Highest-Rated Dirt Horse

[Wandering Eyes]

Forever Young (Jpn) earned a Timeform rating of 131 when winning Saturday's $20-million G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, identifying him as the highest-rated dirt horse in the world.

Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, the son of Real Steel (Jpn) had shown very smart form as a three-year-old when he won the G2 UAE Derby and the G1 Tokyo Daishoten, as well as finishing placed in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Classic.

However, Forever Young raised his game another notch and produced a top-class performance by Timeform's reckoning when getting the better of a thrilling tussle with Hong Kong Horse of the Year Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) in Riyadh, posting the best effort in the world's richest race since it was established in 2020.

With a rating of 131, Forever Young is now 2lb clear of Romantic Warrior, who shares his rating of 129 with last year's G1 Dubai World Cup winner Laurel River (Into Mischief). That identifies Forever Young as very much the one to beat should he come up against the defending champion in the 2025 running of the Dubai World Cup, which is scheduled to take place at Meydan on Saturday, April 5.

Timeform handicapper Jake Price said, “Forever Young capped off yet another fine international meet for Japanese-trained runners by landing the most valuable race on the planet in the Saudi Cup. He took his form up a significant notch with a hard-fought success in ending Hong Kong's Romantic Warrior's eight-race winning streak, that rival proving himself equally effective on dirt as on turf with yet another high-class effort.

“Whilst Forever Young isn't the flashiest, he's as genuine as they come and sure knows how to win. He also has some of the best international form on the dirt from last year to his name and, with prior experience of Meydan to boot, should take plenty of beating in the Dubai World Cup.”

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