New York handler Jerkens takes ‘big jump’ to Saudi Arabia

New York handler Jerkens takes ‘big jump’ to Saudi Arabia
Jimmy Jerkens set to train for HRH Prince Faisal bin Khalid bin Abdulaziz’s ‘Red Stable’ operation. (JCSA)h
Short Url
Updated 08 June 2023
Follow

New York handler Jerkens takes ‘big jump’ to Saudi Arabia

New York handler Jerkens takes ‘big jump’ to Saudi Arabia
  • Veteran Jimmy Jerkens discusses move to train for country’s leading owner
  • Jerkens has two Breeders’ Cup successes on his resume, winning the 2005 Breeders’ Cup Mile with Artie Schiller and the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile with Corinthian

RIYADH: Jimmy Jerkens will take charge of his first runners as a trainer in Saudi Arabia as early as next week. The New Yorker has agreed to train for 2022’s leading owner, Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz.
Jerkens will be responsible for some of the jurisdiction’s top horses at the prince’s Red Stable.
Jerkens has two Breeders’ Cup successes on his resume, winning the 2005 Breeders’ Cup Mile with Artie Schiller and the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile with Corinthian. He also trained the 2009 Florida Derby winner Quality Road, who coincidently is the sire of 2022 Saudi Cup winner Emblem Road, and multiple Grade 1 winner Shaman Ghost.
Over the past couple of years, Jerkens has been struggling for winners, but speaking on the emergence of the opportunity, he said: “Joel Rosario’s agent, Ron Anderson, called me and told me that the Red Stable were looking for a trainer for the upcoming season.
“He said: ‘I know you’ve been struggling for the last couple of years, and I don’t know what your prospects are here, but I put your name out there and they looked up your resume and they’re extremely interested.’
“I didn’t think much about it, and he called me again. The more I thought about it, the better it looked compared with the prospects I had coming back to New York.
“It’s expensive to operate back home in New York, especially if you don’t have the volume and the quality. It had just turned into a never-ending expense.
“A few years ago, you could afford to be a bit more patient and sit around and wait for things to happen, but you can only charge so much, and I couldn’t really afford to wait anymore.
“If you’ve not had any running and winning, you’re dead. It crept up on us, financially, and how long can you afford to be irresponsible like that? You’ve got to look at it realistically, but I didn’t want to give up training.”
Jerkens said his new role will give him a chance to work with “some decent horses and not worry so much about the other side of it.”
The Taif racing season, which got underway last Thursday, runs until October, and Jerkens is expecting to take charge of his first runners as early as next week.
“There’s a lot to get used to, but everyone’s been supportive,” said Jerkens. “My first full day of being responsible for the horses provided to me will be the Sunday after the opening three days of racing at Taif.
“I’m getting horses from two different trainers and we’re moving to an isolated spot on the other side of the racecourse; all the other outfits are grouped together further away from us around the track.
“I’ve got plenty to learn, as all the race classifications are different from how they are at home. As soon as I know the horses I have and what their aims are, I’ll know how to approach them training-wise.
“I think the horses, as a whole, look terrific and they’re getting great care. Those are my first impressions, and those impressions are always the ones that stick in your mind. I’m happy with how everyone operates over there and the respect they have for the horses.
“It’s a big jump now, no question, but I’ve got a lot of support and a lot of good help, so it shouldn’t take long.”
The season at Saudi Arabia’s premier track in Riyadh will begin shortly after the end of the Taif season and includes the world’s most valuable race meeting, the two-day Saudi Cup event.


Saudi Arabia grab 2nd gold medal at 19th Asian Games

Saudi Arabia grab 2nd gold medal at 19th Asian Games
Updated 03 October 2023
Follow

Saudi Arabia grab 2nd gold medal at 19th Asian Games

Saudi Arabia grab 2nd gold medal at 19th Asian Games
  • 20-year-old athlete Issa Ghazwani wins 800-meter race
  • Kingdom’s team increase medal tally to 2 golds, 2 silvers, 1 bronze

HANGZHOU: Saudi Arabia’s team collected their second gold medal at the 19th Asian Games after 20-year-old athlete Issa Ghazwani won the 800-meter race on Tuesday.
Ghazwani triumphed in a time of 1 minute, 48.05 seconds in Hangzhou, China, beating Indian contender Mohammed Afsal, who came in second in 1:48.43, with Hussein Al-Farsi, of Oman, third.
Tuesday’s gold means the Kingdom’s team have now increased their medal tally to five: two golds, two silvers and a bronze.
Saudi Arabian boxer Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi left the competition after losing to his North Korean opponent in the quarterfinal of the 51 kg category.
The Green Falcons basketball team were eliminated after losing 76-57 against Jordan in the quarterfinals.
The basketball team had qualified for the knockout stages after finishing second behind the Iranian team in Group One, which also included Kazakhstan and the UAE.
Saudi weightlifter Mahmoud Al-Hamid was eliminated from the competition after finishing seventh in the 73 kg category.
Al-Hamid lifted 147 kg in the snatch and 180 kg in the clean and jerk, but his total of 327 kg was not enough to secure qualification for the next stage.


Golf stars swing into Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor ahead of Aramco Team Series presented by PIF

Golf stars swing into Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor ahead of Aramco Team Series presented by PIF
Updated 03 October 2023
Follow

Golf stars swing into Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor ahead of Aramco Team Series presented by PIF

Golf stars swing into Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor ahead of Aramco Team Series presented by PIF
  • The ATS competitions take place from Oct. 6 to Oct. 8.
  • Chinese star Muni ‘Lily’ said: “I love playing in the Aramco Team Series. I played it once two years ago in Spain”

HONG KONG: Top professional women golfers were welcomed on Tuesday at Hong Kong’s iconic Victoria Harbor ahead of the Aramco Team Series presented by PIF at Hong Kong Golf Club later this week.
The ATS competitions take place from Oct. 6 to 8, a media statement said.
Set against the Hong Kong skyline on a traditional red-sail Chinese boat were world No. 3 Jin Young Ko, of South Korea, Chinese star Muni ‘Lily’ He, 2023 Solheim Cup star Carlota Ciganda, of Spain, Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan and multiple-Ladies European Tour winner Anne van Dam, from the Netherlands, who all immersed themselves in the city’s bustling surroundings ahead of the event.
Muni He said: “I love playing in the Aramco Team Series. I played it once two years ago in Spain, and it was so much fun, so I’m very excited to be back, especially in Hong Kong, a place very close to where I’m from.”
The competition brings together 28 teams, each comprised of three professional golfers and an amateur player, in a team competition that runs alongside an individual stroke play event.
Over the course of three days, players will vie for a total prize fund of $1 million, setting a record as the largest fund ever assembled for a ladies’ professional golf tournament in Hong Kong.
It also promises an unparalleled week of golfing brilliance and entertainment for fans of all ages, the statement said.
Tickets are available for purchase online via the official distributor Ticketflap.
General admission tickets are free for Friday and priced at HK$150 (about $20) for Saturday and Sunday. Meanwhile, admission is free throughout the weekend for those under 18.
ATS is proud to be an “M” Mark event that helps to enhance the image of Hong Kong as Asia’s sports events capital.
The “M” Mark is awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee and symbolizes signature events in the territory’s sports calendar.


Mohamed Tolu wins third Saudi Arabia medal with shotput silver at Asian Games

Saudi Arabia’s Mohamed Tolu won the Kingdom’s third medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou on Sunday.
Saudi Arabia’s Mohamed Tolu won the Kingdom’s third medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou on Sunday.
Updated 03 October 2023
Follow

Mohamed Tolu wins third Saudi Arabia medal with shotput silver at Asian Games

Saudi Arabia’s Mohamed Tolu won the Kingdom’s third medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou on Sunday.
  • Abdullah Abkar qualifies for 200m final with 20.59 in semifinal
  • Mixed results in athletics, kurash, football, weightlifting, archery

LONDON: Saudi Arabia’s Mohamed Tolu won the Kingdom’s third medal at the Asian Games in Hangzhou on Sunday after taking silver in the shot put competition.

There was further track and field success for Saudi Arabia after Abdullah Abkar qualified for the final of the 200 meters by winning his semifinal in 20.59 seconds.

In the 3,000-meter steeplechase final, Badr Al-Omrani finished eighth in 8 minutes, 49.19 seconds, and teammate Wasim Al-Farsi ended twelfth in 9:09.27.

In the 1,500-meter final, Faez Al-Subayi finished seventh in 3:42.14 and teammate Raed Al-Jadaani ended eighth in 3:42.52.

Abdulrahman Al-Mousa, Mansour Alawi, Abdulaziz Al-Rawdha and Bilal Al-Awadhi qualified for the round of 32 in the men’s archery competition. In the women’s competition, Shaden Al-Marshod and Sara bin Salum qualified for the round of 32.

Also on Sunday, the Kingdom’s footballers were eliminated after losing to Uzbekistan 2-1 in the quarterfinals.

Uzbekistan opened the scoring in the second minute followed by another strike in the 24th minute.

In the second half Mohammed Maran grabbed a goal for the young Green Falcons in the 65th minute, but it was not enough to get back on level terms.

Saudi Arabia’s Wedian Al-Muwallad was knocked out of the kurash competition, in her first international appearance, after losing to her Uzbek opponent in the quarterfinals.

Seraj Al-Sulaim is also heading home early after only managing to secure eighth place in the 61 kg weight category with a lift total of 286 kg.


Athlete Yousef Masrahi claims Saudi Arabia’s 1st gold at 19th Asian Games

Athlete Yousef Masrahi claims Saudi Arabia’s 1st gold at 19th Asian Games
Updated 30 September 2023
Follow

Athlete Yousef Masrahi claims Saudi Arabia’s 1st gold at 19th Asian Games

Athlete Yousef Masrahi claims Saudi Arabia’s 1st gold at 19th Asian Games
  • Saudi pole vaulter Hussein Al-Hizam wins first bronze in Asian Games with a jump of 5.65m
  • Hamoud Al-Elwani qualifies for long jump finals with 7.46m leap in first group semifinals

HANGZHOU, China: Saudi athlete Yousef Masrahi has claimed the Kingdom’s first gold medal at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou with victory in the 400-meters final on Saturday.
The Asian record holder won with a time of 45.55 seconds, repeating his victory in the 17th Asian Games in Incheon in 2014 when he won Saudi Arabia’s first gold medal in the same race.
Saturday’s victory marks Masrahi’s third medal in Asian Games. He won his first bronze in the 400-meters in Guangzhou in 2010 before winning gold in Incheon in 2014.
“The support of the Saudi audience was a great incentive for me to achieve the gold medal. I thank my parents for their support. I also thank my national coach Hamdan Al-Bishi, who worked hard to prepare me for this edition for over a year,” Masrahi said following his victory.
He also thanked Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee president, and his deputy Prince Fahd bin Jalawi for their support for Saudi sports.
Saudi pole vaulter Hussein Al-Hizam won his first bronze medal in the Asian Games with a jump of 5.65 meters on Saturday.
Al-Hizam said he is confident his Saudi teammates will win more medals in the remaining days of the Games, being held in Hangzhou in China.
Athletes Raed Al-Jedaani and Faisal Al-Subaiei qualified for the finals of the 1,500-meters race. Al-Jedaani finished first in the semifinals with a time of 3:51 minutes, while Al-Subaiei finished fourth with a time of 3:56 minutes.
Hamoud Al-Elwani qualified for the finals of the long jump with a 7.46-meter jump in the first group semifinals.
Injury forced sprinter Nasser Mahmoud to pull out of the 100 meters semifinals. His teammate Abdullah Abkar finished fourth with a time of 10.21 seconds.
In the 10,000 meters, Tareq Al-Omari finished seventh with a time of 28:46 minutes.
In the hammer throw final, Mohammed Al-Dubaisi finished 10th with a throw of 65.95 meters, while his teammate Mohammed Al-Zayer finished 12th with a distance of 62.5 meters.
Basketball:
The Saudi basketball team defeated the UAE 74-67 in the first group and qualified for the second round after finishing second behind Iran in first group. Iran defeated Kazakhstan 86-60. Each group’s first two teams will qualify in addition to the top four teams that rank third.Asian 


Kingdom’s Youssef Masrahi qualifies for 400-meter final at Asian Games

Kingdom’s Youssef Masrahi qualifies for 400-meter final at Asian Games
Updated 29 September 2023
Follow

Kingdom’s Youssef Masrahi qualifies for 400-meter final at Asian Games

Kingdom’s Youssef Masrahi qualifies for 400-meter final at Asian Games
  • Asian record holder finishes second in semifinal in 45.64 seconds
  • Abdullah Abkar, Nasser Mahmoud through to semifinals of 100-meters

HANGZHOU, China: Saudi athlete Youssef Masrahi has qualified for the final of the men’s 400-meters at the 19th Asian Games.
The Asian record holder secured his place in the medal race after finishing second in his semifinal at the Olympic Stadium on Friday in a time of 45.64 seconds. Japan’s Sato Fuga won the race in 45.56.
Masrahi took the gold medal in the 400 at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, where he also broke the Asian record with a time of 44.46.
His teammate, Mazen Alyassin, failed to qualify for the 400 final after coming home fourth in his semifinal in a time of 46.13.
Meanwhile, Saudi sprinter Abdullah Abkar made it through to the semifinals of the 100-meters after finishing fourth in his heat in a time of 10.30. He will be joined by teammate Nasser Mahmoud, who qualified in 10.50.
Esports
The Kingdom’s esports team of Abdulrahman Al-Fahad, Abdulrahman Al-Aroui, Khaled Al-Abdulaziz and Ahmed Al-Qahtani have been eliminated from the Games after losing in the last 16 of the Peace Elite contest.
Boxing
Boxer Mohamed Al-Sabhi was also eliminated from the Games after losing to his Uzbek rival on a judges’ decision in the last 16 of the 80 kg category.
Table Tennis
The Kingdom’s Azam Alaam and Khalid Al-Shareef were knocked out of the table tennis doubles competition after losing 3-0 to their opponents from Chinese Taipei in the last 16.
Fencing
The Saudi fencing team of Ahmed Al-Hussein, Khalifa Al-Umairi, Jawad Al-Daoud and Faisal Aabid were also eliminated on Friday, after going down by 45-43 to Japan in the quarterfinals of the epee category.
Golf
The Kingdom’s golfers ended their second round on Friday, with Othman Al-Mulla shooting 70, Ali Al-Sekhi 71, Faisal Al-Salhab 72 and Saud Al-Sharif 73.