King Khalid Racecourse in Taif will stage a competitive renewal of the SAR150,000 Alhada Cup on Saturday, with 14 runners declared for the 1400m contest and Aez Alkhatir (KSA) among the leading contenders as he returns to action after a strong Saudi Cup weekend performance.
Alhada Cup Taif 2026
The three-year-old, trained by Homoud Alshamari and ridden by Fahad Alfouraidi, finished runner-up in the Sarawat Cup on February 13 and will be looking to build on that effort when stepping back up to a distance where he has already tasted success. Aez Alkhatir previously won over 1400m in Riyadh at the end of January.
Aez Alkhatir will line up as the highest-rated runner in the field, facing six rivals who recently competed in the Al Hada Cup Prep Open at Taif. That race produced a strong form line, with Toufan Najd (KSA) securing victory and once again meeting the horses who filled the places behind him, including Ana Aljonubiyah (KSA), Azmaat (KSA), Samat Almuhamadih (KSA), Alfrindad (KSA) and Wayak (KSA).
The Alhada Cup at Taif brings together a quality group of Saudi Arabian contenders, with several runners carrying proven credentials into the weekend feature.
Another horse attracting attention is Nayaad (KSA), representing the Red Stable of Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz. The four-year-old has won two of his four starts and arrives after a successful performance in a conditions race earlier this season.
The ninth race on Saturday’s card will feature an SAR120,000 Arabian Horses Open over 1400m. Nirehazz (FR) and Angad Al Khalediah (KSA) return after competing in the Group 1 Obaiyah Arabian Classic at the end of last season, where they finished 10th and 12th respectively behind the now-retired First Classs (USA).
Dananeer Al Khalediah (KSA), an experienced eight-year-old mare with 14 domestic victories to her name, is another notable runner. She has not raced in Saudi Arabia for three years but returns with valuable experience, having also finished seventh in the 2023 Obaiyah Arabian Classic. She will begin her comeback in race two, an Arabian Mares Open over 1400m.
Friday’s main event is the SAR120,000 AlShafa Cup Prep over 2000m, where the Red Stable holds a strong hand with Al Abjar (IRE), Moore’s Law (USA) and Motafared (USA). They face competition from Faal Khair (USA), representing the White Stable of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who finished third in last year’s Taif Derby and also won the UK Cup.
Meblesh (IRE) adds further interest to the race. Trained by Abdullah Alsidrani for owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah, the runner was previously prepared in the United Kingdom by Richard Hughes and recorded four starts in Riyadh last season, including a third-place finish in Round Four of the International Jockeys’ Challenge under Flavien Prat.
American import Havildar (USA) also enters with a promising profile after only six domestic appearances, including a runner-up finish behind the highly regarded Thundersquall (GB) in the Listed King Abdulaziz Racetrack Champion.
The weekend programme at Taif features several proven performers and emerging talents, with the Alhada Cup expected to provide another important test for Saudi Arabia’s leading runners.
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