Racing Preview

We are delighted to welcome you to King Khalid Racecourse for the second meeting of the new 2023 Ta’if season. An exciting card of nine races is in store, featuring two valuable Arabian horses’ handicaps and a locally bred horses’ handicap. Kicking off the day’s action is a two-year-old maiden over 1200m, in which innermost-drawn Maestro Pro, from the stable of Ghaith Alghaith and ridden by Adel Alfouraidi is a notable debutant.

Following that is a locally bred horses’ handicap, again over 1200m. Ghaith Alghaith has another good chance with two runners in this race, fillies Danty and Saffa’ha, who should both run good races. Camilo Ospina’s ride, Mostaeseyh, goes well fresh and could bounce back from last season.

The third race of the day, the last over 1200m, is for horses who have won between one and three races and is worth SAR125,000. Numerous ex-UK winning horses feature in the line-up, including Consensus De Vega, a daughter of Lope De Vega and a previous winner over 1600m. She may be one to watch if she can handle the shorter distance.

Next is a locally-bred horses’ maiden over 1400m. Abdulaziz Aldowesh’s Ro’ya Alkareem improved for stepping down to this trip last season and could be in with a chance of winning now with the benefit of experience.

A locally-bred horses’ handicap follows, again over 1400m. Four-year-old Worldly colt Taj Alaelya’a could be expected to build on a promising last season, now equipped with a tongue strap and with Adel Alfouraidi in the saddle.

The sixth race is an open over 1400m. In The Storm, a colt by Harry Angel who failed to strike for Archie Watson in the UK and thus far in Saudi Arabia, may be able to improve and surprise in his three-year-old campaign, now equipped with a tongue strap and cheek pieces.

The first of two Arabian horses’ handicaps comes next, this one over 1400m and worth SAR 100,000. A four-year-old ready to rise through the ranks is Kafou Athbah, the charge of Mohammed Alnafjan. The son of On Risk Al Maury is already the winner of a race and looks set to build on that performance.

The second and more valuable Arabian horses’ handicap is our penultimate race, again over 1400m but this time worth SAR135,000. On the back of four good performances last season and three placings, Mishal Elketayeb may be able to take advantage of both his youth and a small field of six to overcome his outermost draw and secure a win.

The day’s racing closes with a locally-bred horses’ handicap over 1600m, worth SAR145,000. Despite carrying four kilograms more than his highest-weighted rival, Mohammed Alsubaie’s Theqatee outclasses the field by some way and, with a draw in stall one a major advantage, she should be able to build on last season’s win over this trip. She’s gone well fresh in the past and looks capable of making a fast start to the new Ta’if season.