American stars eye Saudi Cup glory against last year’s winner Mishriff

American stars Mandaloun and Midnight Bourbon are set to renew their rivalry at the $20 million Saudi Cup in Riyadh later this month.

The pair clashed in last month’s Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes at Fair Grounds when Mandaloun came out on top by three-quarters of a length.

Now they will go head-to-head again in the world’s most valuable race, run over 1,800 meters on the dirt track at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Saturday Feb. 26.

The Louisiana Stakes was Mandaloun’s first run since he was awarded the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth Park in July, when Hot Rod Charlie was disqualified for impeding Midnight Bourbon after passing the winning post a nose in front.

A setback prematurely ended the Kentucky Derby runner-up’s three-year-old season, and his trainer Brad Cox believes he is still improving ahead of his trip to Saudi Arabia for the world’s most valuable fixture.

“Mandaloun ran a really big race at Fair Grounds in the Louisiana Stakes. It was his first run in a while, and he appears to have come out of it in great order. He had a good workout on Sunday morning,” Cox said.

“He seems to have moved forward from three to four. If he moves forward again, he’s going to be tough in the Saudi Cup.

“I always thought he was a Grade 1 horse, so it was important for us and for Juddmonte to try to win a Grade 1 with him and add him to the stallion roster,” he added.

“Obviously, he was awarded the Grade 1 in the Haskell Stakes. Out of the Haskell he just wasn’t quite right behind, and we just gave him the time he needed.”

Cox said Mandaloun had come back “bigger and stronger,” a view backed by Florent Geroux, who rode him and said he found him to be a “more polished” horse mentally. 

Cox said: “I think the