Trackwork Notes – Wednesday February 11, 2026
Image: Best Green at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, February 10, 2026.
Credit: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia /Erika Rasmussen.
JACOBSON BANISHING ANY BIG-RACE WORRIES
David Jacobson's Banishing (USA), one of the American squad for the Group 1 USD$20m Saudi Cup, took a turn among the 9am contingent on the dirt track on Wednesday. The G2 Charles Town Classic Stakes winner jogged for a lap and a half before breezing around 400m.
“He's as good as he's ever been, maybe even a little bit better. I don't know what happened but he really seems to like it out there,” Jacobson said. “He's on a roll and we expect a very big race.”
Jacobson unearthed Banishing for $80,000 in a Fasig-Tipton Sale in 2024 and he has since reached millionaire status with his earnings. Sharaf Mohammed Al Hariri, who is also involved in The Saudi Cup runner Rattle N Roll (USA), has recently bought into the 6-year-old.
“He loves to run,” added Jacobson. “He doesn't need to do much work in the morning because he's been doing it all in the afternoon. He's very fit and I liked running in the Pegasus [finished sixth] and this just seems to be setting up perfectly. When a plan comes together, it's always a good thing.
“I don't know if he can win the race but I definitely know he's going to turn in a good performance and I love the one-turn mile and an eighth, it would be an unusual race in the United States, and hopefully it's an advantage.”
It is a rarity for Jacobson to be fielding a major international runner, for all that he is a prolific trainer of winners.
“It's a dream,” he said. “I'm living in the dream and I'm just going to keep it going as long as I can.”
--------------------------------
DE MIEULLE SEEKING FUTHER INTERNATIONAL GLORY
The $500,000 Saudi International Handicap Presented by LUCID has proven to be a successful target for Qatar-based French trainer Alban de Mieulle.
In 2022, he scored a memorable one-two in the 2100m race, with Lauderdale (IRE) finishing three-quarters of a length ahead of King Shalaa (FR). Clearly not content to be left with that defeat, King Shalaa returned in 2024, seizing the opportunity and went on to register a decisive victory.
“We came first and second in the International Handicap in 2022, which was really important for us,” De Mieulle said. “Whenever you go abroad it’s important. The Saudi Cup meeting was still young and we wanted to show our support. It was a really good day as we not only won the race for Mohammed bin Hamad Khalifa Al Attiyah, but we also won the Purebred Arabian race on turf."
He returns this Friday with the Wathnan Racing-owned 5-year-old Supercooled (IRE), who is going to try and follow in the hoof steps of his former stablemates.
“He is in very good form and worked really well,” the trainer said. “Since he finished third in Turkey in September last year, he has run three times in Qatar. He made his seasonal reappearance on November 13 in a 1600m race that was just too short for him. I then ran him again over 1600m on December 13, he finished like a rocket but again the distance was a bit too short for him.
“The last time, he ran over 2000m and unfortunately found himself blocked on the rail. He came with a run but the jockey was forced to take him back with nowhere to go. He finished sixth but was not ridden out and everyone could see that he would have won the race very easily.
“I’m quite confident but he has to carry 59.5kg and I don’t really know how good his opponents are. It’s a very interesting handicap and I’m hopeful that he will produce a very good performance."
As in 2022, the French trainer is also saddling a runner in the G1 $1.5m Al Mneefah Cup Presented by Ministry of Culture, a 2100m turf race for Purebred Arabians, which he won in 2022 with First Classs (USA). This time he is counting on the mare RB Mary Lylah (USA), who is also sporting the colours of Wathnan Racing.
“She is much better than her last race indicates and I think she will run well,” the trainer said.
“I’m quite confident and I just hope that everything will go well. Last time, when she finished third, she found herself a little bit too far back early in the race. However, I think it’s a competitive race.”
--------------------------------
TANAKA AIMING HIGH FOR THE GREEN
Ryusei Sakai, who has competed in the G3 $1.5m Saudi Derby Presented by ZOOD Realty for three consecutive years including a victory aboard Forever Young (JPN) in 2024, will be on board on Best Green (JPN) for Junji Tanaka this time around.
The son of Smart Falcon (JPN) has shown consistency with four consecutive wins and finished third in the Zen-Nippon Nisai Yushun at Kawasaki in December, a points race for the Kentucky Derby. He had a fast workout on the dirt track on Wednesday.
“He has continued to do well since arriving here,” Tanaka said. “His coat looks excellent and he’s in a condition that gives us confidence.
“Sakai rode him in his workout this morning and I believe he was able to grab a good feel for the horse. Hopefully, everything will go smoothly from here and we can head into the race without any issues.
“He had one piece of work in Mombetsu, Hokkaido and another blow at the quarantine facility before he left for Saudi Arabia, and he clocked very good times on both occasions, so I told Sakai to let him go easily today. As instructed, he wasn’t asked for anything, no whip, and I thought it was a pleasing piece of work.”
--------------------------------
MAN DELIGHTED TO REPRESENT HONG KONG ON BIG STAGE
Self Improvement (AUS) completed a successful voyage to Seoul last September when winning the G3 Korea Sprint and the Manfred Man-trained sprinter is in fine form ahead of his quest for the G2 $2m Riyadh Dirt Sprint Presented by Saudi National Bank.
Man flew in to Saudi Arabia to watch Self Improvement step out on to the dirt track at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Wednesday and the former jockey and leading Hong Kong trainer was pleased with what he witnessed.
“The horse is good, everything is fine, he was moving very well and he satisfied me,” Man said.
“He arrived here on February 6 and he just did a light gallop today, there is no need for any more fast work with the race on Saturday.”
Self Improvement got the better of Chikappa (JPN) when causing something of a surprise in Korea last September and he faces stiff opposition on Saturday. He is following the example of Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior (IRE), who ran such a gallant race in last year's Saudi Cup.
“The race is quite strong and stronger than Seoul but all we can do is try our best. It is exciting as it is our first time in a Saudi Cup race,” he said. “This is a great racecourse and we’ve come here to try the race and feel very happy to represent Hong Kong.
“Romantic Warrior is one of the quickest horses in the world and my horse won a G3 in Korea so they are a different type of horse. It is hard to say he has a good chance but I hope he will come quite close and we will try our best.”
***ENDS***