TAIF: Star names are on show for the penultimate meeting of the Taif racing season, and none are bigger than multiple Grade 1 winner Tilal AI-Khalediah (Saudi Arabia), who heads the field for the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Cup at King Khalid Racecourse.
The final two races on Friday both carry purses of $266,000 and are open to Purebred Arabian horses, with the Listed Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Cup over 2,000 meters and the Group 3 King Faisal Cup over the shorter 1,600 meters.
Tilal AI-Khalediah, trained by Nasser Mutlaq and ridden by Adel Alfouraidi, has twice shone on Saudi Cup night with victories in the 2023 Obaiyah Arabian Classic and in this year’s Group 1 renewal of that race.
He will make his first start since his second in Dubai’s Kahayla Classic last April.
The 15-time winner towers above his rivals with chief opponents appearing to be last week’s winner and former stablemate Turki Al-Khalediah II (Saudi Arabia) and the hattrick-seeking Bint Ghaliat Al-Khalediah (Saudi Arabia) — both trained by Mousa Almasaodi.
