The $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) is Saturday, Feb. 14, at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and US Racing is publishing profiles of all the contenders.
The 4-year-old winner of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup (G3) last month to qualify for the $20 million Saudi Cup may seem to have no chance against some of the world’s top horses, but his resume is worth checking out.
The England-bred Mhally has excelled over King Abdulaziz Racecourse, the site of Saturday’s Saudi Cup. He’s won seven of his 12 starts over the track, with two seconds and a third. He’s won three of his last four races, and in 2025 ran third in the Saudi Derby (G3).
His regular rider, Ricardo Ferreira has the call again from post 13 in the field of 14 going 1 1/8 miles (1,800 meters), the same distance he won at in Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup. Many of his wins have come at 6 furlongs to a mile, but the gelding brings some longshot intrigue here even though he’s up against it against the likes of favorite Forever Young, Nysos, Nevada Beach and Bishops Bay.
A nice resume for a horse that races in Saudi Arabia, but this is too deep a dive. However, a minor wager across the board on a super longshot might be worth the investment.
Notes: Purchased for $45,738 at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up Sale 2024 ... Ferreira, born in Portugal, started his riding career in Spain before moving on to Saudi Arabia in 2022 ... Aldaihani, a relatively new name on the Saudi training circuit, also sends out Tuwajeri in the Saudi Derby on Saturday.
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
