As the desert twilight descends over Taif this Saturday, anticipation will reach fever pitch at the King Khalid Racecourse where Meeting 23 of the Taif racing season promises an evening of pure equine adrenaline. With twelve competitive contests lined up across Arabian and Thoroughbred divisions, the October 18 fixture will offer a vibrant showcase of Saudi racing talent, stamina and speed under the floodlights. From maiden hopefuls to elite handicappers every race will echo the rhythm of passion and power that defines Taif’s racing nights. Under floodlights at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, Meeting 23 will deliver a full evening of speed, stamina and story and Saudi racing will be all eyes on the turf and dirt as October 18 unfolds.
The card will open with a mid-afternoon surge of Arabian and local-bred talent and close long after sunset with staying tests that will define early-season narratives. Trainers and jockeys will bring form, fitness and tight finishes will stitch each race into a longer-night tapestry.
R1: The Arabian Horses Open
Start Time: 04:00pm
Distance: 1400m
Total Prize Money: SAR 120,000
Category: for horses four year old and above
Twelve runners will contest the fast-opening sprint, a compact field where speed and positioning will matter from the break. Look for seasoned names to assert themselves  in Taif’s early tempo. Watch for notable contenders like AWAMIR, BASEQM AND BAKE, ICHAN DE BOZOULS and WASIB.
R2: The Arabian Horses Who Won (0-3)
Start Time: 04:25pm
Distance: 2000m Dirt
Total Prize Money: SAR 60,000
Category: For horses four year old and aboveA stiffer test of stamina will follow with sixteen horses stretching out to two kilometres in search of daylight. This race will reward patience and a well-timed move. Some of the standout entries are HAFEED AL KHALEDIAH II, JALMOOD, JOY DE MONTEGUT and MOSTABSIL AL KHALEDIAH.
R3: The Local Bred Horses Maiden
Start Time: 04:55pm
Distance: 1200m Dirt
Total Prize Money: SAR 40,000
Category: For two year old colts, geldings and filles
A big juvenile heat of twenty-two will reveal the raw promise headed into Taif’s sprinting ranks. Expect bright early speed, with several two-year-olds making their first public statements. Amongst the prominent contenders are ABO MAJEED, ADHEHAM, MUSTAHSAN and RAMIRO.
R4: The Local Bred Horses Open
Start Time: 05:20pm
Distance: 1200m Dirt
Total Prize Money: SAR 120,000
Category: For horses three year old above
Five-year-olds to veterans will throw down in a rich local-bred sprint, where class and experience will come to the fore. JAHDOON, the likely pace-setter will face determined opposition from SAODAD and FUT’HAL both known for their mid-race surges while BASOUL’s late burst could turn this race into a photo finish.
R5: The Open
Start Time: 05:50pm
Distance: 1200m Dirt
Total Prize Money: SAR 120,000
Category: For horses aged three and above
A dozen top-tier entries will line up in a truly open affair across the straight mile. Expect a combustible mix of speed and middle-distance pace, a race that will tell you which sprinters will dominate Riyadh for weeks to come. A dozen top-tier entries will line up in a truly open affair across the straight mile. MUQTAHEM’s consistent record makes him a prime threat, MOADHD’s turn of foot remains lethal on fast ground, ALFAISALEYAH’s versatility will be tested and ETISALAT could cause an upset if timing the move perfectly in the final 200 metres.
R6: The Maiden
Start Time: 06:20pm
Distance: 1400m Dirt
Total Prize Money: SAR 40,000
Category: For two year old colts, geldings and fillies
Seventeen youngsters will take on the extra furlong, testing early guile and the ability to handle distance beyond sprint trips. This race will be watched for future staying potential. Seventeen youngsters will take on the extra furlong, testing early guile and the ability to handle distance beyond sprint trips. ALJAW looks the sharpest on debut runs, ALMALAZ should improve from his first outing, ALMUSAMMA may surprise with stamina at the end while SAMID’s smooth stride could see him power home strongly under pressure.
R7: The Handicap
Start Time: 06:50pm
Distance: 1400m Dirt
Total Prize Money: SAR 95,000
Category: For horses three year old and above
Nineteen runners will contest the handicap, offering a tactical evening highlight where weight and timing will shape the final furlong. Expect late swings in the market of form across the field. INDIANA BE’s high cruising speed makes him a threat throughout, MSAYEH could sit in striking range waiting for gaps to open while YUAFIQUK ALLAH and AL ARBED will depend on timing and courage to deliver at the wire.
R8: The Local Bred Horses Handicap
Start Time: 07:20pm
Distance: 1400m Dirt
Total Prize Money: SAR 85,000
Category: For colts, geldings and fillies aged three
Six three-year-olds and challengers will be out to prove speed and progression over the middle sprint distance for local-bred hopefuls. This one will reward crisp early positioning. ALBAAZ ALASH HAB could control the pace early, DABIE is improving rapidly with each start and MUTAFEF has the tactical maturity to stalk and strike, while OKHT SAHAM remains the dark horse capable of producing a late rally.
R9: The Local Bred Horses Handicap
Start Time: 07:45pm
Distance: 2000m Dirt
Total Prize Money: SAR 85,000
Category: For horses three year old and above
Ten stayers will test their staying credentials in a race that will bend and then break across Taif’s long straight. It will be a contest of stamina and racecraft as jockeys choose when to ask for the effort. SIMON’s rhythm over distance gives him a natural advantage, THUNDERSTORM could thrive in a strong pace scenario, MODBECK’s steady improvement is noteworthy and MUHIBUKUM may rise above class expectations if the tempo suits his stride.
R10: The Abdullah bin Ibrahim Aba Alkhail Award (Local Bred Open)
Start Time: 08:10pm
Distance: 1800m Dirt
Total Prize Money: SAR 130,000
Category: For horses four year old and above
Ten quality local-bred performers will chase a significant prize in what will be the card’s blue-rimmed contest for middle-distance specialists. This race will showcase seasoned campaigners and tactical nous. EAJABEE is a proven class act on this surface, HARBI brings depth in closing speed, MARSOOM ALNAYEF has solid form over similar trips while TAHZEEM could inject drama if the leaders clash too early.
R11: The Handicap
Start Time: 08:40pm
Distance: 1800m Dirt
Total Prize Money: SAR 95,000
Category: For horses three year old and above
Seventeen horses will go to post in the penultimate test, where a patient trip and a well-timed sprint will decide the finish. The mix of youth and experience will make for an entertaining closing run. PAINTERS PALETTE could dominate from the front if left unchallenged, NATIONAL GALLERY’s consistency makes him a reliable closer, FAAL KHAIR’s staying power stands out and MASHHUR’s adaptability could make him the night’s tactical star.
R12: The Local Bred Horses Maiden
Start Time: 09:05pm
Distance: 1600m Dirt
Total Prize Money: SAR 40,000
Category: For two year old colts, geldings and fillies
The meeting will close with a deep, youthful mile where twenty runners will try to stamp their names onto the Riyadh scene. This finale will likely produce a future star as green careers take their first step in the winner’s circle. ALKLOTHANI’s schooling runs suggest raw speed, ALMAD’AGI has stamina that could carry him late, BONO’s smooth action suits the distance, and GHOLAM’s closing acceleration could leave a strong final impression under the lights.
When the floodlights dim on Meeting 23, the narrative will already be shifting toward the next chapter, Meeting 24 set for 23rd October at Taif Racecourse where new rivalries and rematches will be on the horizon. Trainers will be back at dawn, jockeys plotting their rides and the horses that shine tonight will quickly become the ones to follow.
For fans who crave the drama of Arabian heritage and the electric pace of modern racing alike, Riyadh’s October 18 program will deliver both spectacle and substance and it will set the tone for the weeks ahead.
For more, stay tuned to RaceBuzz.
