Riyadh Racing Returns
Image: Muqtahem wins at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on October 18, 2025.
Credit: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia / Ibrahim Almuzini
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NEW SEASON BEGINS AT KING ABDULAZIZ RACECOURSE
Thursday October 15, 2026: Owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah could be set for a prominent showing as racing returns to Riyadh and King Abdulaziz Racecourse this weekend with his colours set to well represented over the two days.
The new season, which runs until April 17, 2027, and includes The Saudi Cup meeting on February 5 and 6, sees a high-quality field of 18 go to post for the first race on Saturday in which in the Alsabah silks will be carried by both Transferred (IRE) and Muqtahem (IRE).
The latter landed the same 1200m SAR120,000 event 12 months ago on his seasonal return, and after scoring on his next two outings he rounded out the campaign by taking third to American raider Imagination (USA) in the Group 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint.
Muhammad Aldaham’s mount has since won in Taif and was last seen finishing third in a conditions event there on September 19, with stablemate Transferred – eighth in the Dirt Sprint – a place ahead in second spot.
The Red Stable of Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz field the main opposition to that pair with Ancestral Land (GB) having his first start since running eighth in the Dirt Sprint Qualifier in January, and he is joined by Amphius (GB) and Amichi (IRE).
Saturday’s finale is another Open worth SAR120,000 over 2000m for which a full field of 20 have been declared, with Red Stable responsible for the top-rated Tahzeem (KSA) under Ricardo Ferreira.
The six-year-old has been most progressive over the last couple of seasons and rounded out last term with success in the domestic Group 3 JCSA Board of Directors Cup before taking the Asian Racing Federation Cup on Saudi Cup night under Flavien Prat.
Red Stable also send out Tawee Alsahil (KSA) and Ibn Laboun (KSA) while the White Stable of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz have a quartet of runners headed by Min Mithlaha (KSA), who has her first start since running fourth in Round 1 of the International Jockeys’ Challenge last February.
Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah also has excellent claims in Saturday’s race nine – an Open over 1600m worth SAR90,000 – as he is represented by two-times Taif winner and UK import Threatening (IRE), who finished third in last month’s King Khalid Racecourse Championship behind Power Of Beauty (IRE).
His colours will also be carried by the hat-trick seeking Mhalhal (USA), while Red Stable have three runners including Riyadh Angel (IRE) and Bernard Shaw (USA) who were both well adrift of Threatening last time out.
The Kuwaiti owner also has big chances on Friday with top-rated Misaaeel (KSA) under
Muhammad Aldaham in the local-bred filly and mare Open over 14000m, and with Western City (USA) and Pretty Flag (IRE) in race 10.
That 2000m Open worth SAR120,000 also feature the top-rated Direct Security (IRE) who last started when eighth in the Group 1 Howden Neom Turf Cup and was previously second in the qualifier for that – the Listed Prince Khalid Abdullah Cup.
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