Racing big names set for Taif Season’s penultimate meeting

TAIF: Star names are on show for the penultimate meeting of the Taif racing season, and none are bigger than multiple Grade 1 winner Tilal AI-Khalediah (Saudi Arabia), who heads the field for the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Cup at King Khalid Racecourse.

The final two races on Friday both carry purses of $266,000 and are open to Purebred Arabian horses, with the Listed Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Cup over 2,000 meters and the Group 3 King Faisal Cup over the shorter 1,600 meters.

Tilal AI-Khalediah, trained by Nasser Mutlaq and ridden by Adel Alfouraidi, has twice shone on Saudi Cup night with victories in the 2023 Obaiyah Arabian Classic and in this year’s Group 1 renewal of that race.

He will make his first start since his second in Dubai’s Kahayla Classic last April.

The 15-time winner towers above his rivals with chief opponents appearing to be last week’s winner and former stablemate Turki Al-Khalediah II (Saudi Arabia) and the hattrick-seeking Bint Ghaliat Al-Khalediah (Saudi Arabia) — both trained by Mousa Almasaodi.

Almasaodi also holds strong claims in the Group 3 King Faisal Cup, restricted to 3-year-olds, as he sends out the top-rated filly Gista (France) who is unbeaten in two runs, and the mount of Fahad Alfouraidi takes on the reopposing Wshmih Alsraya (Saudi Arabia) under Abdullah Alsaedi.

Also in the lineup are the once-raced and unbeaten pair of Monsieur De Faust (France) and RB Next OF Kin (US) who will be ridden by Alfouraidi and Abdullah Alhussain respectively.

Friday’s main supporting event is the $18,660 Okaz Cup Sponsored by Boutique Group over 2,000 meters with many of the 13-strong field having done battle already this season.

Trainer Nicolas Bachalard’s pair of the Alexis Moreno-ridden