Saudi Cup double win is aim of top UK horse trainer

Saudi Cup double win is aim of top UK horse trainer
Holloway Boy won the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot on his racecourse debut in June for Karl Burke and Danny Tudhope. Supplied
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Updated 20 February 2023

Saudi Cup double win is aim of top UK horse trainer

Saudi Cup double win is aim of top UK horse trainer
  • Karl Burke targeting $1.5m and $2.5m races
  • On undercard of the $20m main contest


RIYADH: Top UK trainer Karl Burke is planning a two-pronged raid on the glittering Saudi Cup next year.

Based in Yorkshire, Burke is preparing both Holloway Boy and Al-Qareem for the world’s most valuable race meeting on Saturday Feb. 25.

Holloway Boy is being aimed at the $1.5 million Group 3 Saudi Derby, while Al-Qareem has the $2.5 million Group 3 Red Sea Turf Handicap as his target.

Both races will take place on the same evening as the $20 million Group 1 Saudi Cup, the world’s richest race, at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh.

Classic hopeful Holloway Boy became the first horse for 26 years to win at Royal Ascot on his debut when landing the Chesham Stakes at British Flat racing’s most prestigious meeting in June.

Although he failed to add to that victory in four races later in the season, he finished in the first three in all of them, including when third in the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy at Doncaster in October.

Burke is plotting a path to the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May with the son of Ulysses and he believes the timing of the Group 3 Saudi Derby, run over 1,600 meters on the dirt track, perfectly fits into his plans.

“It was always in my mind to give him a prep run before the 2000 Guineas. If we go out to the Saudi Derby, it still gives us the guts of two months into the Guineas,” he said.

“Timewise, it’s ideal and the prize money is huge. As long as he’s fit and well at the end of January, I would imagine that’s where we’ll go.

“He’s a horse with a lot of ability. He showed that again in the Vertem Futurity at Doncaster when he probably should have been second. The winner, Auguste Rodin, is obviously a very useful horse,” he added.

The dirt surface is one unknown for Holloway Boy but Burke is confident it will not be a problem. He believes he has the right action for dirt, and he was impressed when he saw King Abdulaziz Racecourse firsthand in February at this year’s Saudi Cup.

“I went out for the big meeting earlier this year — some of my owners invited me out there. I was very impressed with everything.

“The jockeys reported the dirt track was very horse friendly compared to some others. The kickback wasn’t as severe, so it helped put it in our minds to give Holloway Boy a chance around there.

“I wouldn’t be keen to run him on ‘normal’ dirt but, from what I saw myself and listening to the jockeys, it’s a very kind surface in Saudi.

“Mishriff obviously went out there and won the Saudi Cup in 2021, so it’s proven to be friendly to the European horses so to speak.”

In a dual assault on racing’s most valuable meeting, Burke is preparing smart staying prospect Al-Qareem to join Holloway Boy in Saudi Arabia.

He progressed from handicaps to land a French Group 2 over 3,000 meters at Longchamp in October, having finished fourth behind subsequent St. Leger winner Eldar Eldarov in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.

He has the Group 3 Red Sea Turf Handicap as his Saudi target. With $2.5 million in prize money on offer, Burke sees it as an opportunity not to be missed. “It’s huge money and a horse like Al-Qareem would go there with a chance. If he couldn’t win, he’d have a chance of picking up some big place money.

“He’s come back in and he’s cantering away steady at the moment. We’ll pick his work up now to Christmas and he’ll work through January. If he’s in good shape at the end of January, we’ll aim him at the Red Sea.

“That’s the plan in our heads at the moment but there is a lot of training to go into him over the next six weeks. When we get to the end of January, we’ll make a firm decision. I’m very pleased with him at the moment.

“We’d hope he could develop into a Cup horse next season. He’s shown a good level of form and he’s only a three-year-old. He’s only a baby really.

“He’s a big-framed horse, so he can strengthen and step up again next year. He’s obviously got to prove it yet but that’s the type of horse we’re hoping we can turn him into.”

This will be the fourth year of the Saudi Cup meeting and Burke is keen to be involved in the fixture. “With the huge prize money on offer, it’s going to make every racing jurisdiction around the world take notice,” he said. “The Japanese were unbelievably strong there last year and I’m sure they will be again this time. You’d be mad not to take notice of the Saudi Cup meeting.”


NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team looking to build on Season 3 opener

NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team looking to build on Season 3 opener
Updated 3 min 39 sec ago

NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team looking to build on Season 3 opener

NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team looking to build on Season 3 opener
  • Emma Gilmour, Tanner Foust finished Saudi Desert X Prix with 14 points in 7th place

RIYADH: As the championship’s 10 teams got behind the wheel at the Season 3 opener, NEOM McLaren Extreme E looked to pick up where they left off with a podium finish at the Season 2 finale in Uruguay.

The 3.4-kilometer course of the 2023 Desert X Prix in NEOM provided the first of the challenges in what promises to be the most tightly fought season to date.

A hectic Qualifying 1 on Saturday saw McLaren’s Emma Gilmour and Tanner Foust experience a frustrating start to their Season 3 campaign. Albeit running in P3 in Qualifying 1, the driver pairing ultimately finished fifth in the first session, suffering a Switch Zone penalty as they also adjusted to the course.

Bouncing back with a stronger performance in qualifying, the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team finished their heat in third place. It was not enough to escape the Redemption Race, however, as the team finished sixth in the overall qualifying standings – one spot short of a place in the grand final.

Having won the Crazy Race in spectacular fashion at last year’s Desert X Prix, Foust and Gilmour were no strangers to battling it out against the best of the rest in NEOM.

Foust enjoyed a great start to the series’ first ever Redemption Race, but multiple incidents including Nasser Al-Attiyah’s ABT CUPRA XE car rolling over the top of Foust’s ODYSSEY 21, saw the race red flagged.

In the chaos, Heikki Kovalainen had taken the lead for JBXE, but as the race resumed Gilmour used her ENOWA Hyperdrive to close the gap on Hedda Hosas and overtake the JBXE driver as NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team won the Redemption Race and secured valuable championship points.

Foust said: “We certainly didn’t disappoint on the extreme side. We started off with some pretty aggressive set-up changes due to the lack of track time we have in this series. We unfortunately lost a bit of time in the process in Qualifying 1, but then showed good pace for the rest of the day.

“The team were fantastic, repairing the car, enabling us to improve, and we won the Redemption Race making us the best of the rest.”

Round 2 offered a chance to use the momentum from that race win for a better qualifying stint, with plenty of racing and points opportunities still on the table in NEOM.

Sunday was another challenging day for the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team, with fourth and third-place finishes in their respective qualifying heats meaning the team narrowly missed out on Round 2’s grand final.

Running in second and fighting for points once again in the Redemption Race, Foust and Gilmour nearly gained an all-important two championship points from the Continental Traction Challenge as they pushed hard for another Redemption Race win.

Closing out their weekend with second place in Round 2’s Redemption Race saw the NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team come away from Saudi Arabia having accrued a total of 14 points and in seventh place in the championship standings.

Gilmour said: “It was a slightly frustrating day and it’s a shame that we have not come away from this Desert X Prix with more points.

“In motorsport though, you can always have worse weekends. Considering where we were at the start of the weekend, and the progress we had to make, I think we did well.”

The Neom McLaren Extreme E Team will be looking to hit the ground running at the next Extreme E round in Scotland on May 13 and 14.


Ronaldo’s words of praise sprinkle stardust on ‘competitive’ Saudi Pro League

Ronaldo’s words of praise sprinkle stardust on ‘competitive’ Saudi Pro League
Updated 48 min 55 sec ago

Ronaldo’s words of praise sprinkle stardust on ‘competitive’ Saudi Pro League

Ronaldo’s words of praise sprinkle stardust on ‘competitive’ Saudi Pro League
  • Back in Portugal for first time since Riyadh move, Al-Nassr player lauds standard of football in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: It is a sign that a league is a significant one that when foreign players go back to their home countries for international duty, comments to their native media about the leagues where they play football and the clubs they are at make headlines around the world.

Unsurprisingly, it helps when that foreign player is Cristiano Ronaldo. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner signed for Al-Nassr at the end of December and looks to have enjoyed his time in Saudi Arabia so far, scoring nine goals in eight league games for the title-chasing club.

For the first time since arriving in Riyadh, the 38-year-old is back in Europe and preparing with Portugal for two 2024 European Championship qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. Given that Ronaldo moving to Mrsool Park was a huge deal, it is natural that local journalists have been asking the former Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Juventus star what the Roshn Saudi League is like.

He said: “I think you should look at the (Saudi Pro League) in a different way. I’m not going to say that the league is a Premier League, that would be a lie.

“But it’s a very competitive league that I’m positively surprised by, a very balanced league and good teams. I am sure that in the coming years the league will be ... the fourth, fifth, or sixth most competitive league in the world,” the attacker added.

It has made headlines around the world. Some newspapers and websites said that the claim was “bold,” while others talked of it being “astonishing.”

There may have been some eyebrows raised but here was one of the best players ever and currently the most famous (he has 564 million followers on Instagram, more than any other person in the world) talking in positive terms about football in Saudi Arabia. Only the biggest leagues in the world can dream of such exposure.

Cynics would say that it is in the interests of players to be complimentary of football in the country in which they play and the club that pays their salary but there is a long history of the opposite happening.

There have been many times when stars have gone home to play World Cup qualifiers and have said something negative about club coaches, team-mates, or food back in the place where they are employed.

When it upsets people back at their clubs then the time-honored excuse is that the player was misquoted or the comments were taken out of context.

Kim Min-jae, now with Napoli, once had to back track quickly when he appeared to question the level of defending among his Beijing team-mates when back home in Korea.

Obviously, the reverse is much more pleasant for coaches, team-mates, and fans to hear. Praise always goes down well. The first part of Ronaldo’s comments were clear for all to see and hard to dispute. The league is competitive.

Just look at Al-Hilal. The Blues are the most successful team in Saudi Arabian and Asian history and in February defeated the champions of Africa and South America to book a FIFA Club World Cup final with Real Madrid. The 5-3 defeat against the European giants was an exciting spectacle for fans and won respect for the losers from those watching on every continent.

Just a few days later, the Riyadh giants were booking a place in the Asian Champions League final in February with a 7-0 thrashing of Al-Duhail of Qatar in the semi-final. Al-Hilal are currently in fourth and desperately trying to stay in touch with the top three.

Al-Shabab in third, Al-Nassr in second, and Al-Ittihad, currently in pole position, are three of the top teams in Asia and there is strength going all the way down the league. Indeed, Al-Faisaly in the second tier, reached the knockout stage of the 2022 Champions League.

Whether the league could become one of the top six in the world will be seen in the future. For now, it is a matter of debate, but it is a debate that league officials would love to see happen in Europe and elsewhere. This is one of the benefits of signing famous foreign players.

There are plenty of top foreign players in Saudi Arabia who play for international teams. In the next few days, there could be four facing each other in the same game. Al-Wehda’s Abderrazak Hamdallah and Mounir Al-Mohammadi of 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco will take on Brazil in a friendly on Saturday and the following Tuesday, the Atlas Lions take on Peru with Andre Carrillo of Al-Hilal and Christopher Gonzalez from Al-Adalah.

The likes of Ahmed Hegazi and Tarek Hamad of Al-Ittihad are regulars for Egypt, Al-Shabab goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu is South Korea’s No. 1, and there is also Grzegorz Krychowiak who was with Poland at the World Cup.

As more international players and coaches come to Saudi Arabia, more of them can see a thriving and competitive league with talented local players, who showed what they are made of at the World Cup, and can then go home and spread the word.


Azooz & Jude, Saudi Motorsport Company partner in awareness campaign

Azooz & Jude, Saudi Motorsport Company partner in awareness campaign
Updated 23 March 2023

Azooz & Jude, Saudi Motorsport Company partner in awareness campaign

Azooz & Jude, Saudi Motorsport Company partner in awareness campaign
  • The cartoon is supported by an activity book and an online interactive challenge for children to test their skills and knowledge
  • Using the story of Azooz & Jude, teachers introduced children to the world of motorsport

JEDDAH: The Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) has partnered with Dream Rock Entertainment to produce an educational children’s community program to spread awareness about motorsport in the Kingdom.
Dream Rock Entertainment, a children’s content company and creators of the children’s YouTube channel Azooz & Jude, released a story and cartoon series titled “Azooz and Jude Go to the Race” as part of the partnership.
The cartoon is supported by an activity book and an online interactive challenge for children to test their skills and knowledge. The program includes a roadshow visit to disability centers, where children can see Formula One cars up close and wear helmets to learn about safety measures in racing.
“Dream Rock Entertainment’s team knew how to reach our audience and get the message out there in a way that truly captured the hearts and minds of the youth. This collaboration has proven to be a great success in reaching thousands in our local community and beyond. We look forward to bringing more excitement about motorsport,” said Sara Bughdadi, SMC community engagement leader.
To generate excitement among young fans and their parents in both Arabic and English, as well as reach a new generation of bilingual children, SMC conducted a six-week roadshow across schools in Jeddah.
Using the story of Azooz & Jude, teachers introduced children to the world of motorsport. SMC teams distributed more than 2,000 activity books to schools and centers, while the YouTube cartoon was promoted across the social media channels of both Azooz & Jude and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Saudi Motorsport Company to produce this educational cartoon series,” said Sara Ashmemry, co-founder of Dream Rock Entertainment.
“This collaboration brings together the community in a way that makes it possible to create a cartoon series that not only entertains, but also educates young fans about the world of motorsport,” said Alanoud Alhejailan, CEO of Dream Rock Entertainment.
Both founders of Dream Rock Entertainment said that as a team, they were thrilled to have collaborated with the Saudi Motorsport Company. The partnership gave them the opportunity to bring Azooz & Jude to life, which was a challenging but exciting project, they added.
“With hard work, dedication and passion, we were able to deliver this project in less than three months,” said Ashmemry.
“We are grateful for the opportunity we had, and we are proud of what we achieved together. We look forward to future collaborations that showcase our commitment to excellence,” Alhejailan added.


Adidas launches all-new Saudi Arabian Football Federation home, away jerseys

Adidas launches all-new Saudi Arabian Football Federation home, away jerseys
The home jersey embodies the country’s growth, vitality, and prosperity with a touch of gold-like accents. supplied
Updated 23 March 2023

Adidas launches all-new Saudi Arabian Football Federation home, away jerseys

Adidas launches all-new Saudi Arabian Football Federation home, away jerseys
  • Green home jersey inspired by palm tree featured in national emblem
  • Women’s national team kit features unique design variation in week they receive first ever FIFA world ranking

Riyadh: Adidas has kicked off its partnership with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation with the official launch of the national team’s home and away jerseys.

Inspired by the palm tree featured in the national emblem, the home jersey embodies the country’s growth, vitality, and prosperity with a touch of gold-like accents, adding elegance and a premium feel that will standout both on and off the field.

The women’s national team will be wearing a slightly different jersey to the men’s, with the home kit featuring a unique variation of the same palm tree-inspired design.

It coincides with the women’s team achieving another major milestone by becoming an official FIFA-ranked nation for the first time in their history, further showcasing the federation’s commitment to the growth and development of women’s football in the Kingdom.

The jerseys celebrate Saudi Arabia’s relationship between culture and football. supplied

The white away jersey features dark green sleeves inspired by the country’s flag, with the iconic adidas three stripes in gold. Both jerseys celebrate Saudi Arabia’s relationship between culture and football.

Working together toward a common goal and vision, adidas cements the launch of the new kits with its Weaved as One campaign, which pays homage to the fabric of Saudi culture while simultaneously highlighting themes of unity within football communities and beyond.

The campaign film follows men’s national team players Mohammed Al-Owais, Hassan Tambakti, Hattan Bahebri, and Abdulelah Al-Amri and women’s national team players Farah Jefry, Al-Bandari Mubarak, and Dalia Adel as they journey through Riyadh to present the official jersey to members of diverse communities that make up the DNA of Saudi heritage and sports culture.

From the camel herding community of northern Riyadh who have dedicated their lives to one of the oldest sports in the nation, to the women making waves at the forefront of the motorsports and rally racing industry, and finally the city’s passionate gaming and e-sports enthusiasts – each community was presented with the opportunity to be among the first to wear the jersey as a symbol of togetherness.

The kit launch is the first in a four-year partnership between adidas and the SAFF at a time when football continues to grow at all levels throughout the country.

The jerseys celebrate Saudi Arabia’s relationship between culture and football. supplied

The men’s team performed on the world’s biggest stage with their 2-1 win over Argentina at the FIFA World Cup, while the under-23 team won the 2022 Asian Cup while conceding zero goals.

Last year also saw the establishment of three new age groups (U-16, U-18, and U-19) as part of the Kingdom’s investment in establishing a clear player pathway to the first team.

In addition to the women’s team being a FIFA-ranked nation for the first time, the growth of women’s football will be further enhanced through the introduction of a U-17 team.

Both the home and away kits feature sweat-wicking, moisture-absorbent technology, and specially placed breathable mesh inserts. The range is also made using 100 percent recycled materials.

Bilal Fares, adidas General manager MENA, said: “Inspired from the Kingdom’s national emblem, the palm tree, we have ensured that the design of the jerseys embody the country’s goals and growth.

“Through our partnership, we strive to support the federation’s strategy to enhance access to sports for the country and support emerging talents.

“As we celebrate the intrinsic relationship between Saudi culture and football, it’s a collection that I’m hoping players and fans can wear with huge pride, on and off the pitch,” Faris added.

The jerseys celebrate Saudi Arabia’s relationship between culture and football. supplied

On the arrival of the new Green Falcons kit, SAFF President Yasser Al-Misehal, said: “We’re extremely proud to usher in this new era for Saudi football with the famous three stripes of adidas emblazoned upon our men’s and women’s national team kits.

“They are a symbol of unity and inspiration, and to see our men, women, boys and girls players, and fans wearing it as one – side to side, shoulder to shoulder – is exactly how football should be.

“In adidas, we have a partner that places equal importance to the women’s national team, which reflects how we operate at the federation. Together we are excited to continue building on the strong momentum of Saudi football across both the men’s and women’s game, while inspiring millions of young footballers along the way,” Al-Misehal added.

The home and away jerseys will be available on adidas.com and at select adidas retailers from March 23.


Red Bull to launch new football tournament in Riyadh

Red Bull to launch new football tournament in Riyadh
Updated 22 March 2023

Red Bull to launch new football tournament in Riyadh

Red Bull to launch new football tournament in Riyadh
  • Red Bull Four 2 Score will kick off on March 31 with national finals on April 8

RIYADH: Riyadh is set to host Saudi Arabia’s first Red Bull Four 2 Score — a new 4x4 football competition — from Friday, March 31, with national finals following on Saturday, April 8.

The Saudi leg of the Red Bull Four 2 Score championship is part of a series held across different countries in preparation for the world finals that will be hosted in Germany later this year.

The championship, organized in partnership with Red Bull MOBILE, is centered around football matches for teams of four, giving amateur players the chance to showcase their skills in a special competition format.

The all-new tournament comes with a twist that will see each goal doubled in the first and last minute of the 10-minute matches.

The teams of four with one substitute will battle it out in qualifiers from March 31 to April 5 at Koora Park stadiums in Riyadh, in the hope of making it to the national final on April 8.

There will also be a women’s national final held in parallel with the sixth day of the men’s qualifiers on April 5.

The winners of the Saudi final will travel to Germany, where they will be hosted by Red Bull Leipzig and face winning teams from more than 25 countries in a bid to bag the world title.

The rules and concept of the tournament are designed to allow participants to experience Red Bull’s power football philosophy first hand.

In the first and last 60 seconds of the games, teams get goals doubled and there are no breaks or goalkeepers, just the need to score when it matters. Male and female players between the ages of 16 and 35 can participate in the tournament.

Saudi football fans can now register through Red Bull’s official website.