The King’s Cup is contested over 2,400 meters at Riyadh’s King Abdulaziz Racecourse at Janadriah.  Oliver Peslier has the return engagement on Amor De Pobre, while Wigberto Ramos gets a leg up on Kharimes, who was last in the 2009 Dubai World Cup (G1).  Both horses are trained by Jerry Barton, who managed his first Dubai Carnival win of 2010 with So Shiny last Friday.  Sebastian Madrid partners the former winner, Muller, and it appears Christophe Soumillon gets the mount on field event. 

On the undercard, former UAE Derby participant Lelah Dorak attempts to position himself for a return trip to Dubai in the King’s Cup for Saudi bred runners, and it is indeed notable that Ted Durcan will fly to Riyadh for the mount.  Durcan also rides Qiyadiyah for trainer Badr Al Subiah in a different race.  Qiyadiyah was defeated by Waasemah, who ran Thursday in the UAE 1000 Guineas (Listed).

The Saudi contingent that visits Dubai has been better than ever and this seems to have the making of another good renewal for the highlight of the Saudi racing season.

Winner of the 2009 Chilean Derby over the same distance, Amor De Pobre was announced as a likely DIRC runner but could end up running back in the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup in advance of a Dubai World Cup night engagement.  Posted below is the video of Amor De Pobre winning the Chilean Derby in February 2009.

Owned by Prince Sultan Al Kabeer and trained by Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) winner Jerry Barton, Amor De Pobre is a 5-year-old son of Santa Anita Handicap (G1) winner Stuka. 

Joe Louis (racing as Kharimes) was a disappointing seventh, beaten more than 13 lengths.

Three prominent Dubai racing alums to contest the 2,400 meters event are Deem (pictured below), winner of the Cape Verdi (G3) over eventual Dubai City of Gold (G2) victress Front House, and Muller (racing as Alsaqeer), fourth home in the 2009 Dubai World Cup (G1).  Joe Louis, 13th in the Dubai World Cup, also holds an entry in the field of 16, and will have regular rider Wigberto Ramos in the irons.  The son of Lode narrowly defeated Muller in the 2009 renewal of the Crown Prince Cup. 

Duque De Enghien, fifth in the 2005 UAE Derby (G2) and Amor de Pobre (racing as Shibl Noofa, a Group One winner in Chile) complete a four-horse Jerry Barton trained entry, which includes the aforementioned Deem and Joe Louis.  Olivier Peslier, Barton’s main rider at the upcoming DIRC, will ride Amor de Pobre.

Kieran Fallon has a mount in the Crown Prince Cup when he partners former Luca Cumani stalwart Military Cross in a competitive heat.

So Shiny surprised the public when winning the UAE 1000 Guineas (Listed) over Earth Living and a hampered Devotee, who bounced back to take the UAE Oaks (Listed) with Earth Living once again second.  Before coming to Dubai, So Shiny prepped for a campaign in Saudi after three juvenile starts in her native Argentina. 

On Dubai World Cup night, three Saudi challengers contested the Dubai World Cup (G1) with the Neil Bruss-trained duo Paris Perfect and Muller running crackers in third and fourth while Barton’s Joe Louis never gained traction on the deep, tiring, speed-favoring dirt and came home 13th.  Lelah Dorak was a decent fifth in UAE Derby for trainer Badar Resaque while Don Renato took his second consecutive third placing in the Godolphin Mile (G2).  Needless to say, the Saudi owned racing contingent sent to Dubai in 2009 was the best it has ever been. 

As a result, it seemed appropriate to check in on their preparations for some possible ships to Dubai for the 2010 Dubai International Racing Carnival or Dubai World Cup meetings.  

Muller (pictured directly below), racing in Saudi as Alsaqeer, scored a one length victory in the Minister of Defense and Aviation Cup (KSA-G3) on November 6 in what was arguably a field of weaker competition for the winner of the 2009 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup (G1).  Sebastian Madrid was aboard for the winning ride, carrying the red silks of Prince Faisal bin Khalid bin Abdulaziz.

Joe Louis, racing as Kharimes, third in the 2009 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup, was victorious over Paris Perfect  in a 2,000 meter contest on 19 November.   Earlier on the card in Riyadh, Lelah Dorak was victorious in a one mile affair for 3-year-olds at.  This son of Freequent seemed to have run his UAE Derby in the paddock, becoming quite unruly and rearing throughout the walking ring before he was led to the course.  Trained by Badar Resaque, Lelah Dorak could be pointed to the Godolphin Mile (G2) in his 4-year-old campaign.  

Most recently on December 11, both Deem and Muller were surprised by Himah, a 4-year-old filly by Blue Burner in the 2000 meters of the Minister of Petroleum & Mineral Resources Cup, defeating the classy runners by 5 1/4 lengths. 

DubaiRaceNight.com will keep an eye on the Saudi results and forward those as the season gradually moves towards it apex on 27 March.

The picture below is of Muller, galloping past.  Dawn was just breaking and it was darker than the image appears.  Of course, I wasn’t going to use a flash to disturb the horse, but this was the image I was able to capture. 

All of the Saudis are in with a legitimate chance, this year.  As one astute observer mentioned to me today – “they don’t come to Dubai to finish last, they will send a horse only if they have a shot.”   DON RENATO and Zakocity went third and fourth last year in the Godolphin Mile and the former will attempt the feat again. 

DEEM, a front-running winner in the Cape Verdi (G3) over FRONT HOUSE, grabbed a work on Tuesday as well and will stretch out to 12 furlongs in the Dubai Sheema Classic.  Front House defeated males when sent off to a rousing Dubai City of Gold (G2) win on Super Thursday and helped Deem’s form in so doing - even still when considering Deem finished fifth behind longshot My Central in the Balanchine (G3), behind Front House who was second that day.  Below, Deem glares by the early morning hours.

I stood next to trainer Badar Resaque around 5:45 A.M. when his pair of AL MORHIJ and LELAH DORAK went by in darkness.  Finding and confirming form on these horses can often be difficult, but it is worth noting that Al Morhij is at least to be respected in the Godolphin Mile.  He landed the Equestrian Club Award at Riyadh’s Al-Janadriah completing 1600 meters (8 furlongs) in 1:35.29, winning by six lengths; I’ve been told that this was the fastest mile of the season in Saudi.  His stable mate, Lelah Dorak, is the second winningest horse of the season from Saudi and certainly warrants consideration, if at least for minor awards, in the UAE Derby.

Click HERE: 2009 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup