The 2023 Saudi Cup sees over 14,000 entries from 22 countries

DUBAI: The 2023 Saudi Cup has attracted over 1,400 entries, with horses from 22 countries looking to participate at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh from Feb. 24 – 25.

Participants, which include 600 entries from overseas, are seeking a share of the $35.35 million prize. The two-day meeting will see horses from Japan, US and UAE dominate the entries and a strong representation from the UK, Ireland, Argentina, France, and Germany.

Five Group 3 races feature at the two-day meeting, alongside the world’s most valuable race, the $20 million Group 1 Saudi Cup (1800m).  “Once again we’re delighted with the depth of the international entries, from 22 different countries across five continents, which goes to show the reputation and global standing The Saudi Cup meeting has quickly established after just three years,” said Tom Ryan, Racing Advisor to the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia. Emblem Road (USA), the locally-owned and trained winner of the 2022 Saudi Cup, is set to defend his title.  A second win for Emblem Road would make him the highest earning Thoroughbred in history with $20.2 million, ahead of Australian wondermare Winx who totalled $18.3 million by the end of her career.

A total of 47 Group 1 winners could be set to take part in the competition, including 2022 Saudi Cup runner-up and 2022 Dubai World Cup winner, Country Grammer (USA), and Taiba (USA), a three-time Grade 1 winner. The UAE has the second-highest rated entry for The Saudi Cup in the shape of Charlie Appleby’s Rebel’s Romance (IRE), an impressive winner of the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf when last seen.

Meanwhile, Japan’s bid for a first Saudi Cup could be led by the Yoshito Yahagi-trained Panthalassa (JPN) and Tetsuya Kimura’s Geoglyph (JPN). Jun