Richest races on Earth
THE one-upmanship of showcasing the richest horse race in the world – the £16m Saudi Cup – now takes place at Riyadh on February 29 next year.
The Dubai World Cup at Meydan had set the precedent with $12m up for grabs before the Pegasus World Cup took the took honours at Gulfstream Park in Florida.
But after holding bragging rights for two years, it lost its status to this nine-furlong contest on dirt with prize money going down to 10th place.
As the say ‘put up the money and they will come’ – and they did when the race was launched in London yesterday. All of the heavyweights from the training profession in the country rocked up – Michael Stoute, John Gosden, Willie Mullins, Richard Hannon and William Haggas – along with the man of the moment Frankie Dettori.
Still buzzing after his victory in Saturday’s St Leger with Logician, Dettori said: “I’ve ridden there and find this dirt track the best that I have ridden on.
“There’s kick-back but the horses can face it so you can keep up with speed.
“The horses adapt to it very well – it bridges the gap between dirt and turf horses.” John Gosden, the Father Christmas of Dettori’s gold summer and supplier of his recent Leger winner, gave his support to the race and the meeting that hosts a strong undercard. There is a handicap over just short of two miles, worth $1.5m to the winner, a contest over an extended 10 furlongs, worth $1m, and a sprint over nearly seven furlongs with the same prize money on offer.
“It’s great, the supporting programme is superb,” said Gosden (left, with Dettori). “It’s not just the big race itself.
“It’s an incredible initiative, and a very bold statement. From that point of view, I endorse it completely.
“These races will offer terrific targets for a range of horses – from sprinters to stayers, plus a mile race for three-year-olds which is worth a good deal more than the early Classics.
“It’s very inviting and it could not be more open, in every sense, and I hope to be coming down there with some nice horses.”