Black-Type Analysis: Can Baffert Duo Dethrone Forever Young?

[Wandering Eyes]

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia, post time: 20:40, SAUDI CUP-G1, $20,000,000, NH/SH4yo/up, 1800m

Field: Banishing (Ghostzapper), Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo), Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), Haqeet (Arrogate), Luxor Cafe (American Pharoah), Mhally (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev), Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach), Nysos (Nyquist), Rattle N Roll (Connect), Star Of Wonder (Uncle Mo), Sunrise Zipangu (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), Thundersquall (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance), Ameerat Alzamaan (GB) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}).

TDN Analysis: Forever Young will be a prohibitive favourite to become the first to go back-to-back in the world's richest race. The Japanese Horse of the Year and American champion older dirt male makes his first start since taking the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 1. 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Nysos was also a winner on Breeders' Cup Saturday in the GI Dirt Mile, but tries a distance as far as 1800 metres for the first time. He will have to do much better than his head defeat of stablemate Nevada Beach in Grade II company at the back end of December. Mhally and Ameerat Alzamaan enter off a 1-2 finish in the G3 King's Cup on Jan. 17.

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia, post time: 19:10, NEOM TURF CUP (Presented By HOWDEN)-G1, $3,000,000, NH/SH4yo/up, 2100mT

Field: Alohi Alii (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), Bolide Porto (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}), Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchesters {Ire}), Galen (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}), Phantom Flight (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), Royal Champion (Ire) (Shamardal), Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}), Silawi (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Yamanin Bouclier (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), Direct Security (Ire) (Sioux Nation), Survie (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}).

TDN Analysis: Shin Emperor made every yard in winning this when contested at Group 2 level last year, but has not been close in four starts since and looks vulnerable here. Royal Champion was outclassed in last year's G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes, but won the G2 York Stakes and defeated Galen in the G2 Bahrain International Trophy either side of a third to Delacroix (Dubawi) in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes. Alohi Alii was midfield in last year's G1 Satsuki Sho, but was impressive in taking out the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville in August and will appreciate these quicker underfoot conditions, having finished well down the field in a soft-ground renewal of the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe when last seen.

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia, post time: 19:50, RED SEA TURF HANDICAP (Presented by Longines)-G2, $2,500,000, NH/SH 4yo/up, 3000mT

Field: Presage Nocturne (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Tabletalk (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Epic Poet (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Sons And Lovers (GB) (Study Of Man {Ire}), Struve (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), Tennessee Stud (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Burdett Road (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}), Espoir Avenir (Fr) (Montmartre {Fr}), Vermicelles (Jpn) (Gold Ship {Jpn}), Real Dream (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Tarriance (GB) (Frankel {GB}).

TDN Analysis: Tabletalk is all set for Riyadh glory and was not disgraced when runner-up in the Listed Chester Stakes in August. Trainer Tom Clover is bullish on the son of Camelot, who has to contend with a duo of Joseph O'Brien runners, not least Group 1 winner Tennessee Stud. Group winner Sons And Lovers also represents O'Brien. Japan is always a danger when shipping to the Middle East and fields multiple group hero Struve and the multiple group-placed Vermicelles.

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia, post time: 18:25, 1351 TURF SPRINT (Presented By Qiddiya City)-G2, $2,000,000, NH/SH 4yo/up, 1351mT

Field: Annaf (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), Comanche Brave (Ire) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Fortune Time (Jpn) (Greater London {Jpn}), Geography (Jpn) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}), Lazzat (Fr) (Territories {Ire}), Love De Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), Marvelman (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), Panja Tower (Jpn) (Tower Of London {Jpn}), Reef Runner (The Big Beast), Shin Forever (Complexity), Zefzaf (Mo Town), Zio Jo (Nyquist), Time To Dazzle (Not This Time).

TDN Analysis: Panja Tower is aiming to give Japan back-to-back victories in this race after the 2025 tally of Ascoli Piceno (Daiwa Major). The G1 NHK Mile Cup hero last year is coming off a fifth-place effort Down Under in The Golden Eagle. Annaf, a winner of the 2024 edition of the 1351 Turf Sprint returns to the scene of his greatest triumph. Placed in the G1 King's Stand Stakes of 2023, the seven-year-old entire has to contend with multiple Group 1 winner Lazzat, who was second in the G1 British Champions Sprint Stakes in the autumn. For the U.S., GII Eddie D Stakes winner Reef Runner steps up after a tally in the Listed Jannus Stakes.

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia, post time: 17:40, RIYADH DIRT SPRINT (Presented By Saudi National Bank)-G2, $2,000,000, NH/SH 3yo/up, 1200m

Field: American Stage (Into Mischief), Colour Up (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), Don Amitie (Jpn) (Asia Express), Echo Point (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Imagination (Into Mischief), Just Beat The Odds (Munnings), Lovesick Blues (Grazen), Muqtahem (Ire) (Soldier's Call {GB}), Royal Zabeel (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Self Improvement (Aus) (Deep Field {Aus}), Transferred (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), Yamanin Cerchi (Jpn) (Four Wheel Drive), Gabby's Sister (Jpn) (Apollo Kingdom).

TDN Analysis: Straight No Chaser (Speightster) landed this prize in 2025, and the Americans are back for more with Bob Baffert's Imagination (Into Mischief). The son of Into Mischief was second in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint last autumn. GIII Elite Power Stakes hero Just Beat The Odds makes his first start away from the East Coast in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint. A consistent sort, he's been on the board for all barring one of his 13 starts to date. Yoshito Yahagi saddles American Stage, who was second in last year's G3 Mahab Al Shimaal. UAE regular Colour Up has a brace of stakes victories to his name and carries five group placings.

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia, post time: 17:00, SAUDI DERBY (Presented By ZOOD Realty)-G3, $1,500,000, NH/SH 3yo, 1600m

Field: Acknowledgemeplz (Bucchero), Al Haram (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), Best Green (Jpn) (Smart Falcon {Jpn}), Cielo Di Roma (Fr) (Romanised {Ire}), Keiai Agito (Jpn) (Espoir City {Jpn}), My World (Essential Quality), Obliteration (Violence), Satono Voyage (Jpn) (Into Mischief), Shayem (Ire) (King Of Change {GB}), Tuwajeri (Ire) (Phoenix Of Spain {Ire}), Union Security (Maximum Security), Very Connected (Connect), Wonder Dean (Jpn) (Dee Majesty {Jpn}), Tokai Ma Cherie (Jpn) (Drefong).

TDN Analysis: All eyes here should be trained upon Satono Voyage, who looks to give Japan a fourth win in the event in its seven-year history. Unblemished in three runs on the dirt, he most recently validated odds-on favouritism in the Cattleya Stakes (conditions) going Tokyo's one-turn mile Nov. 29. If he stays the trip, 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard and last-out listed romper Obliteration can be in the thick of this, as can My World, whose victories in the Nashua Stakes and Jerome Stakes in New York have come over a one-turn mile. Saudi Arabia's Al Haram will try to make it four-from-four lifetime, having whooshed home in the local 2000 Guineas on Jan. 17.

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia, post time: 16:20, TUWAIQ CUP (Presented By SHG)-Listed, $1,000,000, NH/SH4yo/up, 1800m

Field: Akfeek (Macho Uno), Alaham (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}), Bernard Shaw (Into Mischief), Carracci (Quality Road), Final Destination (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}), Havildar (Arrogate), Lionel (Authentic), Michael Scofield (Tiz The Law), Power Of Beauty (Ire) (Slade Power {Ire}), Riyadh El Ezz (Demarchelier {GB}), Sa'aeid (Munnings), Scotland Yard (Quality Road), Wadaatak Allah (Hard Spun), Waqtuk (Not This Time), Webinar (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), Wootton'sun (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Ya Dar (Fr) (Cracksman {GB}), Gharamy (Ire) (King Of Change {GB}).

Saturday, Al Rayyan (Doha), Qatar, post time: 16:15 p.m., H. H. THE AMIR TROPHY (Presented By Longines)-G2, $2,500,000, NH/SH4yo/up, 2400mT

Field: Byzantine Dream (Jpn) (Epiphaneia {Jpn}), Deep Monster (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), El Cordobes (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), GIavellotto (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}), Goliath (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}), Lion's Pride (GB) (Roaring Lion), Satono Glanz (Jpn) (Satono Diamond {Jpn}).

TDN Analysis: Some 51 weeks ago, Byzantine Dream ran out a ready winner of the G3 Red Sea Turf Cup Handicap in Riyadh and is the top-rated galloper here in a field short on numbers but high on quality. Last year's G2 Prix Foy hero makes his first start since a sound fifth in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Godolphin took last year's running with the globetrotting Rebel's Romance and Charlie Appleby sends in US Grade I winner El Cordobes, who was last seen finishing third in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf in California Nov. 1. Fourth in the Arc, Giavellotto fell a half-length short of repeating in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase, with Goliath a half-length adrift in third. Satono Glanz returns looking to improve on his third-place effort from last year's contest.

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