EMMA-JAYNE WILSON will soon be headed to Saudi Arabia for the Feb. 28 Kingdom Day STC International Jockeys Challenge, featuring seven of the best male and seven of the best female riders in the world, an event that will kickstart Saudi Cup weekend on Friday, February 28, 2020.
The all-star line-up includes Japanese headline grabber Yutaka Take; Italian superstar Frankie Dettori; French sensation Mickaëlle Michel; three-time New Zealand champion Lisa Allpress; 11-time British Classic-winning rider Ryan Moore; four-time Breeders’ Cup-winning Frenchman Olivier Peslier, and compatriot Coralie Pacaut; and, from America, the most successful Breeders’ Cup jockey of all time, Mike Smith.
Other contestants include the USA Grade 1 winner Sophie Doyle, plus the reigning British all-weather champion apprentice Nicola Currie, and the Swiss-born but German-based Pattern-winning rider Sibylle Vogt. Canadian legend Emma-Jayne Wilson, winner of over 1,500 races in North America, completes the line-up alongside two top Saudi Arabian-based jockeys: Adel Alfouraidi and a second local rider that will be decided following the results of this weekend’s racing. Panama’s Wigberto Ramos, the recent King’s Cup winner, had been due to ride but was unable to take up his spot after sustaining a fall on Wednesday.
The Jockeys Challenge, the first of its kind to be held in Saudi Arabia, is the main draw of Kingdom Day, the first of day of Saudi Cup race weekend, and is sponsored by Platinum Partner stc.
Held over four races of an eight-race card, each leg of the Challenge carries a prize fund of US$400,000 while the overall winning jockey stands to land a further US$30,000 winner’s purse.
Prince Bandar Bin Khalid Al Faisal, Chairman of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia said: “We are delighted to welcome some of the best jockeys in the business to compete at the first STC International Jockeys Challenge. Racing is a sport that routinely sees male and female riders compete on a level playing field and we are proud to continue this great tradition at King Abdulaziz Racecourse during Saudi Cup weekend.
“A jockeys’ challenge is always a crowd-pleaser and we think that with seven women and seven men competing over four races, as well as plenty of family entertainment and top class hospitality, we are offering an exciting and unique event to the people of Riyadh and wider Saudi Arabia.”
Jockeys will be assigned horses, prepared locally by Saudi-based trainers, via a draw process held on Tuesday February 25.
The following points will be given to each jockey according to the placing of his or her mount and the ranking of each jockey will be determined by the total number of points earned over the four races.
1st – 15 points
2nd – 10 points
3rd – 7 points
4th – 5 points
5th – 3 points
The jockey with the most points after the four races will be declared the STC Champion Jockey.
Races will be run on the dirt course at Riyadh’s King Abdulaziz Racecourse and will be contested over 1400m (7f), 1600m (1m), 1800m (1m 1f) and 1200m (6f) respectively. The first three legs of the Challenge are for horses aged four-years-old and up, while the final leg is for three-year-olds only.
The STC International Jockeys Challenge reflects the values of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which lays out a programme of targets for diversification and increased sporting participation among Saudi’s young people.
Saudi Cup weekend will consist of 16 races offering total prize money of more than USD$30 million. It will also feature Saudi Arabia’s very first races on a turf track.
The Feb. 29 SAUDI CUP, which is expected to be broadcast on Fox Sports1, has a post time of 12:40 pm Eastern with a 1st race post time of 8 am.
*There have been plenty of Canadian trainers collecting wins this year at U.S.tracks among them Fergus, Ontario-born KERRI RAVEN, who is based at Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver. Raven sets up at Turf Paradise in the winter and has won 5 races in 2020 from 22 starts.
Raven began her training career in 2002 and had her best career season in 2019 with 17 victories. The 47-year-old made the TVG network highlight reel in the fall when she took her first starter to Del Mar, League of Shadows, and watched the gelding win an allowance/optional race at 5 furlongs on the turf at 5 to 1. League of Shadows is owned by George Sharp from California.
Below is the post-race interview with Raven and Sharp:
Other Canadian trainers with multiple wins in 2020 include PHIL HALL from British Columbia, who notched his 6th win of 2020 when George Gilbert’s GRATEFUL PRAISE won a maiden claiming race at Turf Paradise on Feb. 17. The winner, who scored by 12 lengths, was ridden by SAHIN CIVACI, who rode at Woodbine in 2019. This year, Civaci has 13 wins.
GREG TRACY, based in Alberta, has won 5 races this year including wins on Feb. 14 at Sam Houston and Feb. 15 and Sunland Park. The latter winner was former Woodbine runner Invodkawetrust who won her maiden on Saturday.
Alberta’s JAMES BROWN has 4 wins this season including Dontellmyhusband who won at Turf Paradise this past weekend. Brown has over 550 career wins as a trainer.
Woodbine trainer MIKE WRIGHT won two races on the weekend at Tampa Bay Downs to boost his total to 4 in 2020, and he has five winners at the Tampa Bay meeting. Scarlet Bow and Ox Trot won this weekend and each of them have now won twice this season.
*JOSIE CARROLL, a 2-time Queen’s Plate winning trainer, sent out AUBURN HILLS to win his maiden last weekend at Fair Grounds on the grass and the big son of Palace Malice – Timeless Silver by Silver Deputy looks like a prime 2020 Plate prospect. The chestnut 3-year-old was making his fourth career start and was on the grass. He led all the way to win by a head in 1:45.54 for 1 1/16 miles, good for a 75 Beyer Figure.
Auburn Hills was a $225,000 Saratoga yearling in August 2018, bred by Arika Everatt-Meeuse, Tim Meeuse and James and Janeane Everatt in St. Thomas, ON. He is a half-brother to stakes winners Eighty Nine Red and Silver Princess, both sprinters, but his dam Timeless Silver is a half-sister to Plate winner NOT BOURBON.
*Toronto’s JOHN FIELDING, who owns shares in a number of American-based horses including Kentucky Derby contenders Eight Rings and Authentic, is also co-owner of sensational debut winner CHARLATAN, who won at Santa Anita on Feb. 16.
The Bob Baffert-trained colt by Speightstown from the mare Authenticity by Quiet American sped 6 furlongs in 1:08.85 for a whopping 105 Beyer Speed Figure, according to Daily Racing Form.
Charlatan was a $700,000 Keeneland September Yearling and he is also owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Frederick Hertrich, III and Golconda Stables.
*Minshall Farms is the breeder of allowance winner AYE AYE SIR, who won a 5 furlong turf sprint at Gulfstream on Feb. 17 for Ken and Sarah Ramsey and trainer Wesley Ward. A $47,000 Keeneland September yearling, the 3-year-old was third in the Ontario Racing Stakes at Woodbine in 2019 and then won his maiden at Keeneland. He is by Midshipman out of the winning mare Still Searching, who is a half-sister to Woodbine stakes winner Spadina Road.
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