Group 3 Ministry of Defense Cup Headlines Riyadh Action

Motathabetah wins in Riyadh in the Abdullah bin Ibrahim Aba Alkhail Award March 7

Credit: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia // Ali Al-Abdullah

Motathabetah seeks fifth career success

Wednesday November 5, 2025:

Group race action returns to Riyadh this weekend and three of the country’s leading owners are represented in a select field for the SAR165,000 Ministry of Defense Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Friday.

Just a trio of runners will contest the Group 3 event over 1600m with the highest-rated by some margin being the White Stable of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz & Sons representative, Motathabetah (KSA) for jockey Camilo Ospina and trainer Ahmed Mohamoud.

The three-year-old filly has been a star for connections winning four of her seven starts and was last seen romping away to win by over 12 lengths in the Abdullah bin Ibrahim Aba Alkhail Award race in March.

Owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah takes her on with his Thamer Aldaihani-trained colt Falah Zain (KSA), who landed all three of his starts in Taif this summer including the JCSA Sprint Cup under regular rider Muhammad Aldaham.

The Ministry of Defense Cup field is completed by the Red Stable of Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdulaziz’s Mutafef (KSA), but Alex Moreno’s mount has ground to make up on Falah Zain having been fourth to him in the Taif Sprint Cup before resuming with success here three weeks ago.

There are two standout races on Saturday, both carrying purses of SAR150,000 and the highly-tried Power Of Beauty (IRE) for champion jockey Adel Alfouraidi heads 11 runners for the 1600m Public Security Cup.

He takes on Tuwaiq Cup second, Waqtuk (USA) who will bid to improve on his third-placed effort three weeks ago in the hands of Luis Morales, and he again clashes with Aldaihani’s Final Destination (GB) having been behind him on three occasions in Taif and in the Tuwaiq.

The other SAR150,000 event is the Riyadh Region Governorate Cup for local-bred fillies and mares over 1400m in which Taif Cup runner-up Fallat Kheir (KSA) makes a quick reappearance for the White Stable after landing last week’s Sulaiman Alhasan Award race.

Abdullah Alfairouz’s mount takes on seven-times winner Merba Alaez (KSA), who will go to post under Abdullah Alsaedi, with one of the most interesting opponents being the Faris Alfatouh-trained Ana Khalejyah (KSA) after she lost her four-run unbeaten career record in a leg of February’s International Jockeys’ Challenge.

Saturday’s final event is a Listed race for Arabian filles and mares over 1600m and 14 runners will chase the SAR120,000 prize with the returning Dim Albahr (KSA) and prolific winner Nawahel Alkhalediah (KSA) the pick on ratings.

Eighteen have been declared for Saturday’s second race, a 1200m open, and they include the unexposed Zefzef (USA) who was second in the 1351Turf Sprint Trial last season when in the care of American Jimmy Jerkins and he has his first start for new trainer Sami Alharabi.

Taking him on are Riyadh Dirt Sprint fourth Halaa (USA) for the White Stable and 1351 Turf Sprint Qualifier winner Maylan (GB) who is one of three in the race for the Aldaihani/ Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah combination alongside Transferred (IRE) and Alotaibi (IRE).

The pick of Thursday’s 12-race card is the eighth over 2000m and the Red Stable runner Mazyuna (IRE) is one of the leading chances under Alfouraidi in the open contest worth SAR120,000 for fillies and mares.

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