A year after stamping himself as the best of his generation in the Saudi 2000 Guineas, Mhally (GB) proved he belongs on the biggest stage once again, booking his return ticket to the 2026 Saudi Cup with a gritty win in the Group 3 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.

The SAR1.5 million feature over 1800 metres showcased Mhally’s toughness and familiarity with the Riyadh circuit. Ridden with confidence by an in-form Ricardo Ferreira, the colt dug deep inside the final furlong to repel Ameerat Alzamaan (GB), with Joel Rosario throwing everything at the challenge but coming up three-quarters of a length short. It was the kind of performance that underlined Mhally’s stamina and competitive edge, qualities that earned him a placing in the Derby on Saudi Cup night last year and now put him back in line for a shot at the USD$20 million Saudi Cup on February 14.

The victory also capped a memorable afternoon for Ferreira, who rode a four-timer on the card and continued a powerful partnership with trainer Thamer Aldaihani and owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah. That same trio doubled up in the 2000 Guineas, this time with Al Haram (IRE), a three-year-old who announced himself as a serious contender for the Group 3 Saudi Derby in devastating fashion.

Al Haram’s win was as striking as it was emphatic. Slowly into stride and buried at the back early, he looked to have given himself an impossible task. Instead, he unleashed a withering run, slicing through the field under pressure and drawing away to score by seven and a quarter lengths. It was a performance that transformed promise into genuine expectation and suggested the owner-trainer-jockey combination may have another headline act on their hands.

Elsewhere on the card, Maestro Du Croate (FR) finally broke through at the seventh attempt, building on a solid third the previous week to land the Group 3 Al-Dareyah Cup under Camilo Ospina. Ospina was at the centre of another dramatic moment later when Nijinski Al Maury (FR) found extra late in a fierce stretch battle to secure the Obaiya Arabian Classic qualifier, edging home by a length and earning a place in the USD$2 million Group 1 contest.

Ospina completed a notable double when Min Shan (KSA) dominated the Riyadh Dirt Sprint Qualifier, leading home a one-two for the White Stable of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz & Sons. The margin, just over three lengths from Jeddah Beach (USA), reflected Min Shan’s authority as he completed a hat-trick at 1200 metres and sealed his berth in the Group 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint.

Ferreira’s day extended beyond his feature-race success as well. Thayaf (KSA) preserved a perfect record with a fourth straight victory in the domestic Group 1 King Abdulaziz Cup, while Christophe Soumillon kept his own momentum rolling aboard Wanaameen (KSA), the pair backing up last month’s win with another top-level success in the domestic Group 1 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup.

Credit: Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia //Ali Abdullah Alzenaidi