Taif Derby Prep takes center stage at King Khalid Racecourse
The ninth event on the 10-race card has assembled a field of 15 with Faal Khair bidding to continue on an upward curve following a successful season in Riyadh, peaking with his effort in the 2000 Guineas on Jan. 25.
Camilo Ospina's mount is one of two in the race carrying the white stable colors of the Sons of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, and both he and Jeddah Beach are trained by Ahmed Mohamoud.
Mhalhal, representing Kuwaiti owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Al-Malek Al-Sabah, trainer Thamer Al-Daihani and Saudi Cup International Jockey Challenge-winning rider Mohammed Al-Daham, was another improver last season and is out to cement his claims on the Taif Derby on Aug. 23.
Race 10 is the Taif Derby Cup Preparatory for Arabian horses, also staged over 1600m, and features a couple of highly rated individuals including Wasib (FR) from the Safwat Aladyat Stable, trained by Abdulaziz Al-Mosa and ridden by Naif Al-Anazi.
He will clash with HM Al Nasrallah (FR), trained by Salem Al-Ruwais and ridden by Abdullah Al-Hussain, in the 12-strong field with the mare having just her second start since finishing seventh in the Group 1 Al Mneefah Cup on Saudi Cup weekend.
Also on Saturday is the preparatory round for the Taif University Cup, over a distance of 1400m, and sees the quick reappearance of the Sami Al-Harabi-trained Saodad (KSA) after he finished fourth last week with Adel Al-Fouraidi taking over in the saddle.
The main event on Friday's program is the Makkah Almokarramah Reg. Gov. Cup Prep over 1600m where Al-Dihani again looks to hold a big chance with Uncle (GB), who was a Listed winner earlier in the year and ran eighth in the G2 1351 Turf Sprint.
One of his main rivals will be Tuwaiq Cup second Waqtuk (USA) for Al-Fouraidi and trainer Abdulaziz Al-Mosa, while Nicolas Bachalard sends out Henry Q under Alexis Moreno for owner Prince Saud Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz.
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