Riyadh Racing Season 2026 will begin at King Abdulaziz Racecourse this weekend, with Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah preparing a strong team for the opening two days on Friday and Saturday, October 16 and 17. The new season will run until April 17, 2027, and will include the prestigious Saudi Cup meeting on February 5 and 6.
The opening weekend will feature competitive fields across several distances, with leading contenders from the Alsabah colours, Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz’s Red Stable and the White Stable of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz expected to feature prominently.
One of Saturday’s main attractions will be the opening 1200-metre event, worth SAR 120,000, which will attract a field of 18 runners. Alsabah will be represented by Transferred (IRE) and Muqtahem (IRE), with the latter returning to the distance at which he secured victory in the same race last year.
Muqtahem will enter the new campaign with an encouraging record. After winning the opening event last season, he followed up with victories in his next two starts before finishing third behind American raider Imagination (USA) in the Group 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint. He will again be partnered by Muhammad Aldaham.
The gelding will arrive after another victory in Taif and a third-place finish in a conditions race on September 19. Transferred, who finished eighth in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint, placed second in the same Taif contest, giving the Alsabah team two runners with recent form to consider.
The Red Stable will provide strong opposition through Ancestral Land (GB), Amphius (GB) and Amichi (IRE). Ancestral Land will return to action for the first time since finishing eighth in the Dirt Sprint Qualifier in January, while Amphius and Amichi will add further depth to the stable’s challenge.
Riyadh Racing Season 2026: Tahzeem Leads Saturday’s Major Contenders
Saturday’s final race will feature another Open event over 2000 metres, carrying SAR 120,000 in prize money. A full field of 20 runners will contest the race, with the Red Stable’s Tahzeem (KSA) among the leading contenders under Ricardo Ferreira.
The six-year-old will arrive after a productive couple of seasons. He ended the previous campaign with victory in the domestic Group 3 JCSA Board of Directors Cup before adding the Asian Racing Federation Cup to his record on Saudi Cup night, where he was partnered by Flavien Prat.
The Red Stable will also field Tawee Alsahil (KSA) and Ibn Laboun (KSA), while the White Stable will send out four runners. Their team will be headed by Min Mithlaha (KSA), who will make her first appearance since finishing fourth in the opening round of the International Jockeys’ Challenge last February.
Alsabah will also have a strong opportunity in Saturday’s ninth race, a 1600-metre Open worth SAR 90,000. Threatening (IRE), a two-time winner in Taif following his arrival from the United Kingdom, will represent the owner after finishing third behind Power Of Beauty (IRE) in last month’s King Khalid Racecourse Championship.
The stable will also field Mhalhal (USA), who will seek a fourth consecutive victory. The Red Stable will have three representatives, including Riyadh Angel (IRE) and Bernard Shaw (USA), both of whom finished well behind Threatening in their previous meeting.
Alsabah Team Also Targets Friday Success
The Kuwaiti owner will have opportunities to make an early impact on Friday’s programme, led by top-rated Misaaeel (KSA) in the local-bred fillies and mares Open. Muhammad Aldaham will take the ride in the contest, although the distance listed in the supplied press note will require confirmation before publication.
Western City (USA) and Pretty Flag (IRE) will also represent Alsabah in race 10, a 2000-metre Open worth SAR 120,000.
The race will include another notable contender in Direct Security (IRE), who will return after finishing eighth in the Group 1 Howden Neom Turf Cup. The runner previously finished second in the Listed Prince Khalid Abdullah Cup, the qualifying contest for that Group 1 event.
With established performers returning, progressive runners stepping into new campaigns and several leading stables represented across the card, Riyadh Racing Season 2026 will begin with a competitive weekend at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. The opening meetings will provide an early indication of the horses to follow as the campaign builds towards the Saudi Cup meeting in February.
Riyadh Racing Season 2026 will open at King Abdulaziz Racecourse with Muqtahem, Threatening and Tahzeem among the notable runners, while Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah and the Red Stable will field strong teams across the opening weekend.
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