Taif Season 2023 Meeting 29 (Fri 11th Aug)

Taif Summer Racing

Welcome to King Khalid Racecourse, Taif

Meeting 29, Friday August 11, 2023

RACEDAY OFFICIALS

Chief Executive Officer:

- Ziad Saad A. Almogren

Chief Racecourse Officer:

- David Mackinnon

General Supervisor of Taif Racing:

- Khalid B. Alashri

Racecourse Operations Director:

- Waleed AlShelil

Registration Director:

- Yousef AlBhaijani

Stewards Committee

- Mr Mukhled I Alotaibi - Mr Mansour M Alghatani (Chairman)

- Mr Fahad D Aldosari - Mr Abdullah I Alabdulwahab

Stipendiary Stewards

-Mr Rion Hitchener

-Mr Benjamin Cooke (Deputy (Chief Steward) Chief Steward)

-Mr Harsh Vardhan Jodha (Steward)

Vets:

- Waleed Alsanab

Clerk of Scales:

- Senhat Alsahaly

Judges:

- Hani Altowairqi

- Abdul Hakeem AlMutawa

- Mohammed Alwahabi

RACE SCHEDULE

Meeting 29, Friday August 11, 2023

King Khalid Racecourse, Taif Gates open: 2:30pm

Enjoy Taif Summer Racing

Be Our Guest At King Khalid Racecourse

Each June the Saudi Arabian racing industry shifts its focus from the capital Riyadh to the summer holiday venue of Taif.

With a programme of weekend racing and family entertainment from June to October, an evening at the races offers our guests music, award winning cuisine, raffles, competitions and all the thrills of the on-track racing action.

With free entry and walk-in restaurants as well as five-star hospitality options available, visitors to the races can enjoy a unique meal with a view from our exclusive Nadb Al Nadi building, located on the first turn of picturesque King Khalid Racecourse, or get up close and personal to galloping racehorses from the running rail accessible via the public concourse.

For the discerning racing fan, the Taif programme offers the chance to see the equine stars of tomorrow in action. Saudi Arabia’s most famous jockeys and trainers base themselves in Taif during the summer where they build towards the season’s Major Cups and it is all captured on live television and beamed to homes all around Saudi Arabia and the region.

For more information around Taif Summer Racing please check out our ticketing packages at: tickets.jcsa.sa/taif-season

TRACK INFORMATION

TA’IF SEASON RACING CALENDAR 2023

HOW TO READ THE RACECARD

The racecard is your guide to all the action at the racecourse. In the racecard you will find all the runners and riders listed, as well. as information relating to the age, breeding and equipment for each horse.

OWNERS - THOROUGHBRED

OWNERS - ARABIAN HORSES

TRAINERS

JOCKEYS

Racing Preview

Welcome back to King Khalid Racecourse for our 29th meeting of the season. A mixture of maiden races and handicaps precede the two SAR150,000 feature races, the Alhada and Ministry Of Transportation Cups, on today’s nine-race card. The action begins with a maiden over 1200m. Faisal Mohammed A Al Qahtani’s FMQ Stables had an impressive debut winner last week and many eyes will be on their debutant Albaron, a nicely bred son of Mehmas. Almotahed, a son of Bobby’s Kitten, is also well worth watching on debut. Another maiden follows, this time over a trip of 1400m. Abdurahman Alotaibi’s debutant Golden Dream is of interest on debut with Wigberto Ramos booked to ride. However, Daahi finished very strongly for third on debut over 1200m recently and this step up in trip looks likely to bring out more improvement from the son of Klimt. Race three is our first handicap of the day, for 0-60-rated horses over 1400m. Not much separates the 18 runners here and recent form could prove vital. Sahm Nayef is the only recent winner in the field, after scoring over this trip just last week. Mohammed Alsumairy’s three-year-old filly won with a good bit in hand there and could make it two wins in two starts. Next up is an Arabian Horses handicap, also for horses rated 0-60 and run over 1400m. Most of these have had plenty of chances to win races, but Raghad H.S. lines up here for only her third start, having improved on her debut to finish third over this trip last time out. Keep an eye on the only debutant in the field, E S Tawash, too. Our fifth race is a 1600m maiden for locally-bred two-year-olds. None of the 18 runners have won in the past but Hadaabah and Zaezae’ah bring the best form after both improving on their respective debuts to both finish third on their last starts. A debutant to watch is the Camilo Ospina-ridden Aesaa. Arabian horses rated 60-75 line up over a trip of 1600m in race six. Bahar Zakhir is a fairly consistent four-year-old colt who has finished in the frame on three of his six starts so far this season. Last time out he was a winner over 2400m, but drops significantly back in trip here. While he has finished second over this trip in the past, it may count against him, and Shibl Nemr – also a winner last time out, but over this trip – might be the one to take advantage. Race seven is a handicap for locally-bred horses over 2000m. Mustadam finished a close-up fifth on his recent reappearance over 1400m, and judging by the way he hit the line that day, this step up in trip looks set to suit. Our penultimate contest is the valuable Alhada Cup, run over 1400m for fillies and colts aged three or older. Qahraman was a winner on one of his two starts last season and Lucas Gaitan’s runner is one to watch on reappearance. However, the winner may come from Taj Alaelya’a and Hoot Alqorain, who have both won twice this season from three and four starts respectively. The former has the better draw in stall five and should appreciate this drop back in trip after finishing second last time out over 1600m. The Ministry Of Transport Cup – over 2000m for fillies and colts aged three and upwards – brings the curtain down on a fine day of racing. Abdulaziz Almosa’s Yazdad Heybah finished a good third in the Ta’if Flower Festival Cup last month and looks the one to beat on ratings. He may face a challenge from December though, a gelding that has won twice and placed twice from four starts this season and now steps up to 2000m for the first time, which is likely to bring about further improvement.

Races

Races

2 Year Old

First

Second

Third Fourth Fifth Track Record

First Second Third Fourth Fifth Track Record

Horse Name: Al Ssayd

Prize

First Second Third Fourth Fifth Track Record

Name:

Start Time 06:15

2 Year Old

Prize

First

Second

Third Fourth Fifth Track Record

Horse Name: Shokran (USA)

1:40.24

Local Bred horses Maiden

Horse Name: Mutwakel Alklediah

Local Bred Horses Handicap 0-65

+3 Year Old

Prize

First

Second

Third Fourth

Fifth Track Record

Horse Name: Dr. Noaymaa

Horse Name: Al Ssayd

Ministry of Transportation Cup

Prize

First

Second

Third Fourth Fifth Track Record

Horse Name: Dr. Noaymaa

Start Time 08:15

Ministry of Transportation Cup

Year

Prize

First

Second

Third Fourth Fifth Track Record

Horse Name: Dr. Noaymaa

Horse Name: Al Ssayd

Local Bred Horses Handicap 0-65

+3 Year Old

Prize

First

Second

Third Fourth Fifth Track Record

Horse Name: Dr. Noaymaa

Horse Name: Mutwakel Alklediah

Start Time 06:15

2 Year Old

Prize

First

Second

Third Fourth Fifth Track Record

1:40.24

Local Bred horses Maiden

Horse Name: Shokran (USA)

Arabian Horses Handicap 0-60

+4 Year Old

Prize

First Second

Third Fourth Fifth Track Record

1:23.60

Horse Name: Mutwakel Alkaldiah

First

Second

Third Fourth Fifth Track Record

Horse Name: Al Ssayd

2 Year Old

Second

Third

Fourth Fifth Track Record

لوﻷا

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