This weekend, the Saudi Cup is run at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. Worth a huge $20 million (£16m), the feature race is part of a meeting worth a total of $38 million.
Some of the world’s best jockeys will be in Riyadh to contest the event, a nine-furlong Group 1 race on the dirt and it’s the choice of surface which annoys purists.
While the top performances in world Flat races so often come on the turf at places like Ascot, York and Meydan, the richest races continue to be run on dirt.
There is a feeling however that it’s up to connections to try something different. John Gosden won the Breeders’ Cup Classic with Raven’s Pass, while last year City Of Troy famously went for the same race. Gosden also won this very event with Mishriff.
On that score, lessons may be learned this weekend from trainer Bhupat Seemar, trainer of Walk Of Stars.
Former Appleby Charge in the Running
Seemar is based at Meydan in the UAE. That was the scene of his Dubai World Cup win last year with the former American-trained Laurel River. Now, he is responsible for a horse Godolphin decided to sell in the shape of Walk Of Stars.
The now five-year-old began life with Charlie Appleby in Newmarket. Making slow and steady progress, the son of Dubawi clearly had talent was sent to the Derby in 2022 in which he finished last.
Reaching a respectable mark of 107, Walk Of Stars didn’t really improve after being gelded. In late 2023 he was sold and sent to be trained by Seemar whith whom he managed a couple of good runs at Group 2 level on the dirt. This January, his form reached a new level.
He made all the running to slightly cosily take down the Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge at his home track and may now be very good value for the Saudi Cup and the upcoming Dubai World Cup.
The question here is, why didn’t his former trainer take this angle?
Dirt Was Always a Valuable Option
Our trainers are all too reticent to head to the dirt. It’s not as though sending Walk Of Stars to this surface was a stab in the dark. He is out of Sound Reflection, a turf race mare but one by Street Cry, the brilliant Dubai World Cup winner also third in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.
Walk Of Stars taking to dirt racing is no surprise. What is a slight surprise, given how brilliant Charlie Appleby is, is that he and Godolphin didn’t try this angle themselves.
Can Walk Of Stars Win the £8m First Prize?
The short answer to that is yes, but it isn’t the most likely result. Walk Of Stars ran to a mark of around 118 at Dubai last time but will need to reach the mid-120’s to be competitive with Forever Young and Romantic Warrior.
There is no way however that his latest run will prove to be his career best, and at around 16/1 he is each-way value in conditions he appreciates.
Anyway, racing fans should watch and admire this race on Saturday rather than scoff at it while watching the mud fly at Kempton and Chepstow.