Taif Arabian Derby Hopefuls Star on Saturday

Image: Gista wins at Taif on September 25, 2025. Credit: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia / Ibrahim Almuzini.

GISTA HEADS FIELD OF 18

Thursday July 30, 2026 – Lightly-raced Gista (FR) will aim to lay down a marker for bigger targets next month by seeing off 17 rivals in the feature SAR120,000 Taif Arabian Derby Prep at King Khalid Racecourse on Saturday.

The Musa Almosa-trained four-year-old scored twice here last season over shorter trips but shouldn’t have any issue with the 2000m distance having finished fourth over slightly further in the Al-Mneefah Qualifier in Riyadh last January.

Her main danger appears to be the Abdulrahman Alfarhan-trained Nawaf Goodah (KSA) whose sole success in six starts came over this trip in Riyadh last November, with the pair clashing ahead of the SAR350,000 Taif Arabian Derby on August 22.

Jockey Mohammad Alhubail, trainer Abdullah Alsidrani and owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah field the key player in the 17 runner SAR85,000 Taif Derby Prep with Tuwajeri (IRE). The colt is clear on official ratings having won twice last season in minor company before running second to Al Haram (IRE) in the 2000 Guineas and then sixth to that stablemate in the Saudi Derby.

The Taif University Cup Prep over 1400m for older horses is the other trial on Saturday and the Red Stable of Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz’s Jahdoon (KSA) holds leading claims under Fahad Alfouraidi having registered four consecutive wins last term, and he rounded off his campaign with a second in the Ministry of Media Cup.

First Line (KSA) would be a big danger for trainer Bassim Almousa if stripping fit on his first outing for 12 months, while last week’s Shubra Cup Prep Open winner is another key player in the Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah silks.

Saturday’s race eight, a Local Bred Fillies Open over 1600m, has attracted some smart sorts with the White Stable of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz responsible for Aeadat (KSA), who recorded 10 wins on the spin culminating with success here last September, along with Fallat Kheir (KSA) who was last seen running fifth under Oisin Murphy in the Asian Racing Federation Cup on Saudi Cup day.

Also on Saturday, regular sparring partners Baseq And Bake (USA) and Jade De Faust (FR) again do battle and appear as part of a cast of 13 in race three – an Arabian Horses Open over 1200m.

The Makkah Almokarramah Regional Government Cup Prep Open is Friday’s feature over 1600m and Alsidrani has a strong hand on the race with three runners in the Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah colours including Final Destination (GB) who last seen chasing home Murphy aboard Michael Scofield (USA) in the Listed Tuwaiq Cup.

**ENDS**

The White Stable also unleash one of their stable stars on Friday with filly Jeddah Beach (USA) making her return to action in race eight. The four-year-old faces 17 rivals in the Open over 1400m with last year’s Taif Derby heroine having her first outing since finishing second in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint Qualifier in January.