2026 Saudi Cup Entries and Odds

$20M Saudi Cup runs Saturday, February 14

The Saudi Cup race - a one-turn dirt oval event held at King Abdulaziz Racetrack, Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia - is worth US $20M and will again attract the finest thoroughbreds and top jockeys from around the globe.

2000 Guineas Victor Mhally Lands Saudi Cup Start

Jan 17 - 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.

The success in the SAR1,500,000 feature at King Abdulaziz Racecourse was part of a Ferreira four-timer and capped a terrific day for the rider who, along with trainer Thamer Aldaihani and owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah, also won the 2000 Guineas again, this time with Al Haram (IRE).

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.

And the owner-trainer-jockey combination could have another superstar on their hands given Al Haram's devastating success in the SAR465,000 2000 Guineas sponsored by J Event.

The three-year-old had won both of his previous starts over the 1600m trip but took his form to a new level to qualify for the USD$1.5million G3 Saudi Derby.

Al Haram was slightly slowly away and found himself at the rear of the field leaving himself with a huge task ahead, but he found generously for pressure and surged through the field to win in monstrous fashion by seven and a quarter lengths.

Maestro Du Croate (FR) ran well to be third last week and got off the mark at the seventh attempt under Camilo Ospina to take the SAR165,000 G3 Al-Dareyah Cup sponsored by STC.

Nijinski Al Maury (FR) looked to be going best turning in but the Bassim Almousa-trained four-year-old found more under an inspired Ospina, and after an almighty tussle collected by one length to qualify for the USD$2million G1 Obaiya Arabian Classic.

Ospina also took the SAR165,000 Riyadh Dirt Sprint Qualifier sponsored by Nova as his Min Shan (KSA) led home a one-two for the White Stable of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz & Sons.

Over three lengths separated Min Shan from the Mickael Barzalona-ridden Jeddah Beach (USA) at the line, with the winner completing a hat-trick over the 1200m trip to land a gate in the USD$2million G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint.

One of Ferreira's other winners came as Thayaf (KSA) maintained his unbeaten record with a fourth career victory in the domestic G1 King Abdulaziz Cup, while Christophe Soumillon landed back-to-back wins aboard Wanaameen (KSA) as they followed up last month's success in the domestic G1 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup.

Forever Young (JPN) features among top-class nominations for blockbuster Saudi Cup 2026

January 2 - Title holder on course to clash with top-level winners from United States and Japan in world's most valuable race

Defending champion Forever Young (JPN) heads a stellar list of names put forward for this year's Group 1 $20 million Saudi Cup, which will take place at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Saturday 14 February, 2026.

The two-day meeting, which begins on February 13, has attracted 57 individual thoroughbred Group or Grade 1 winners in its entirety and 14 Purebred Arabian Group 1 winners. The nominations, spread among 22 different countries, will be competing for total prize-money of almost $40 million.

Officially rated the joint-top dirt horse in the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings, Forever Young has been successful on both his two previous visits to Saudi Arabia, winning the 2024 Saudi Derby before his gallant performance in the world's most valuable race last year.

Yoshito Yahagi's superstar, last seen winning the Breeders' Cup Classic, could face a major challenge over the 1800m from the United States. Former Classic champion White Abarrio (USA) and Preakness Stakes victor Journalism (USA) have been entered along with rising stars Nysos (USA), the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile hero, and Magnitude (USA), who beat a smart field in the Grade 2 Clark Stakes last time.

Further strength in depth from Japan could be added by W Heart Bond (JPN), the mare who won the recent Champions Cup as well as Diktaean (JPN) and Mikki Fight (JPN). They were first and second in the Tokyo Daishoten, the race used previously as a launchpad by Forever Young.

Sayyah (USA), impressive in the recent Listed The Crown Prince Cup, and Star Of Wonder (USA), who claimed the Listed King Faisal Bin Abdulaziz Cup in late December, are among a number of promising Saudi Arabian-trained horses looking to secure a spot in the signature race.

This year's Neom Turf Cup sponsored by HOWDEN has been upgraded to Group 1 status, making it the first ever top-level turf race staged in the jurisdiction, and the purse has been increased to $3 million.

Charlie Appleby and Godolphin's Rebel's Romance (IRE), the winner of nine top-level races all around the world and a former Breeders' Cup title-holder, is set to extend that extraordinary record in the 2100m showdown. The likes of Bahrain International Trophy scorer Royal Champion (IRE) and Aidan O'Brien's multiple Group 1-placed The Lion In Winter (IRE) could be up against him.

The Group 2 $2.5 million Red Sea Turf Handicap sponsored by Longines draws the cream of international stayers. Both Japan's Durezza (JPN) and Joseph O'Brien's Irish star Al Riffa (FR) have been given entries for this race and the Neom Turf, while last year's fourth Presage Nocturne (IRE) has improved again for Alessandro Botti.

This year's Group 2 $2 million 1351 Turf Sprint sponsored by SHG could be an absolute cracker with entries headed by Jose d'Angelo's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint sensation Shisospicy (USA) and Europe's leading sprinter and Royal Ascot winner Lazzat (FR).

Similarly, the Group 2 $2 million Riyadh Dirt Sprint has drawn the cream of the international speedsters including Book'em Danno (USA) and Shisospicy's Breeders' Cup-winning stablemate Bentornato (USA) from the United States and two incredible talents from the United Arab Emirates in Bhupat Seemar's prolific Tuz (USA) and last year's Dubai Golden Shaheen winner Dark Saffron (USA) for Ahmad Bin Harmash.

Khamal (CHI), stylish winner of the Group 1 Premio Derby Nacional in Peru in late November, is among the jet-setting entries in the Group 3 $1.5 million Saudi Derby sponsored by ZOOD Realty.

The card on Friday 13 February includes the International Jockey Challenge while the $500,000 Saudi International Handicap sponsored by LUCID has attracted potential runners trained as far afield as Bahrain, Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway, Oman, Qatar and Spain.

There are two Group 1 races for Purebred Arabians across the weekend. The main turf event, the US$1.5 million Al Mneefah Cup sponsored by Ministry of Culture was taken in brave fashion in 2025 by RB Kingmaker (USA) and Helal Alalawi's grey is set for a return visit.

The $2 million Obaiyah Arabian Classic, the principal event on dirt, was won spectacularly last year by the decorated Tilal Al Khalediah (KSA), who could feature again in a strong field from around the Gulf region.

Alalawi has entered not only RB Kingmaker but HM Alchahine (FR), who was a commanding winner over his third-placed stablemate in the Group 1 HH The President Cup in Abu Dhabi last time.

HRH Prince Bandar Bin Khaled AlFaisal, Chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia said:

"This is only the seventh time we have staged The Saudi Cup meeting and it has already delivered countless memorable races and performances.

"With the nominations we have received for this year, we can be sure that the spectacular racing will continue. It is wonderful to see such a collection of both familiar and new names from all around the world due to be involved at King Abdulaziz Racecourse next month.

"We are delighted and honoured that so many people have chosen to aim their horses for the 2026 Saudi Cup races and, on behalf of everyone at the JCSA, I would like to extend our gratitude to those owners and trainers.

"Year-on-year, thanks to the vision of our leadership, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister - may God protect them - The Saudi Cup has evolved into The Kingdom's key sporting and social event.

"It has been especially pleasing to see the races recognised by the international authorities, too. The Saudi Cup has held Group 1 status since 2022 but we will now be staging our first ever Group 1 race on grass, the Neom Turf Cup, after its consistent level of performance.

"The Saudi Cup meeting is not only about world-class racing; it is a celebration of the horse as well as the culture and the hospitality of The Kingdom. The list of nominations only increases the excitement and we look forward to welcoming connections and racing fans alike next month for an event that has quickly made a huge impact on the global calendar."

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