Yahagi says Panthalassa has speed to win Saudi Cup for Japan

RIYADH: Trainer Yoshito Yahagi believes Panthalassa has the necessary speed required over the King Abdulaziz track to win The Saudi Cup for Japan.

Having trained four of the six Group race winners on Saudi Cup night in 2022, Japan will run 20 horses at this year’s meeting, including six of the 13 runners in the world’s most valuable race, The Saudi Cup.

Globetrotting trainer Yoshito Yahagi, who plundered last year’s Group 3 Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap, will this year field Panthalassa in the $20 million main event. The six-year-old son of Lord Kanaloa’s six career wins have all come on turf so far, but Yahagi is excited about the switch to dirt.

“Panthalassa ran on the dirt once at Nakayama back in 2020 and he was well beaten. However, I think going anti-clockwise around one turn is more suitable for him,” explained Yahagi.

“One of the most important things is the dirt surface at King Abdulaziz as well. The dirt surface at racecourses in Japan is very different. In order to handle the dirt track at King Abdulaziz well, horses are required to have good speed, and Panthalassa has that.”

Commenting further on Japan’s success at the meeting, Yahagi said: “The Saudi Cup meeting in February is one of the most important meetings in the calendar. The timing is good for Japan, where the season finishes at the end of December, and I believe it will be a very important race meeting for all Japanese trainers in the very near future.”

Yahagi is also set to field Continuar in the Group 3 Saudi Derby presented by Boutique Group, a race that the trainer believes could act as a stepping stone to the Kentucky Derby.

“Continuar was an impressive winner of the Cattleya Stakes and still had energy to spare,” said Yahagi. “I think