Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz will have a powerful presence in Saturday’s SAR150,000 Almaseef Cup at King Khalid Racecourse in Taif, with three runners heading a full field of 18 for the 2000-metre feature.
King Khalid Racecourse Taif races will feature a strong line-up of established performers and returning runners across the weekend.
Among the leading contenders is Hafedhk Allah, an eight-year-old trained by Fahad Saad. The runner caught attention during the International Jockeys’ Challenge on The Saudi Cup weekend when partnered by Hollie Doyle before returning to action on July 24 and winning the Almaseef Cup Prep by two and a half lengths.
Ahmed Alazhari will take the ride on Saturday, with stablemate Tawee Alsahil also representing the same connections under Carlos Henrique. Tawee Alsahil arrives seeking a third consecutive victory, while Yemken completes the three-runner team and makes a first appearance since November.
The White Stable of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz will also have four runners in the final race of the programme. Wakeed, to be ridden by Rayan Altoairsh, stands out on the figures, although the runner has not raced since winning the domestic Group 3 Ministry of Justice Cup in November 2024.
The race immediately before the feature will be the SAR150,000 Shubra Cup over 1200 metres, where 18 runners have been declared. The Red Stable again has three representatives, including Jahdoon, who arrives after winning the Taif University Cup Prep, and Makthorh, returning after finishing a narrow second in a February round of the International Jockeys’ Challenge.
Kawafill is another notable name in the field. The previous Sprint Championship Fillies Open winner has been away from competition since a four-length success in the King Abdulaziz Racetrack Champion in Riyadh at the beginning of the year.
Falah Zain will also command attention after winning the trial for the Shubra Cup. The four-year-old, trained by Abdullah Alsidrani and ridden by Muhammad Aldaham, subsequently finished third behind Jahdoon on August 1.
Earlier on the card, race five will see Cacofonix contest an Open over 1400 metres. Trained by Abdulrahman Alfehaid, the French import has already shown useful form in two Riyadh appearances, finishing second behind Zefzaf in December before taking fifth behind the same rival in the 1351 Turf Sprint Qualifier.
Friday’s principal contest will be the SAR150,000 Taif Flower Festival Cup over 2000 metres. Mustahsan, representing the White Stable, will attempt to extend a productive spell after recording two victories in Riyadh in January.
The same connections will also be represented in the SAR150,000 Um Alqura University Cup over 1600 metres by Nowafaa, a course-and-distance winner.
Al Khansaa, the trial winner for that contest, returns alongside Dance Desire, who finished runner-up in the trial. Dance Desire represents the partnership of trainer Abdullah Alsidrani and Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah and enters the race after a progressive campaign last season that ended with victory in the domestic Group 3 Japan’s Cup.
That combination will also saddle Gharamy, a recent runaway winner and runner-up in the Japan’s Cup, while Pretty Flag, third in last year’s corresponding event, adds further depth to the field.
Race eight on Friday will be another SAR150,000 contest over 1600 metres, with the Red and White Stables each supplying three runners. Tahzeem is arguably the most recognisable name among them, making a first appearance at Taif after winning the Asian Racing Federation Cup Local Handicap on Saudi Cup night.
With several established performers returning from breaks and a number of recent trial winners stepping into competitive company, the Taif programme will offer a strong test of current form. Saturday’s Almaseef Cup, in particular, will bring together a sizeable field with Hafedhk Allah, Tawee Alsahil, Yemken and Wakeed among the runners carrying considerable expectations.
No finishing order is available at this stage, as the races are scheduled for Friday and Saturday.
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