9 minute read
Dawn of a new beginning
Tom Ryan, the director of Strategy and International Racing for the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, chats about February 29th's inaugural running of The Saudi Cup, the richest race in the world
What has the response been to The Saudi Cup from international horsemen?
What has the response been to The Saudi Cup from international horsemen? The response has been overwhelmingly positive and highly encouraging. Racing at the very top level has become an increasingly global sport over the past 40 years, and there was an immediate buy-in from well-known owners and trainers, who were extremely keen to support the race. A lot of thought has gone in to structuring the two-day meeting in order to ensure that it is complementary to the international racing calendar, and the feedback we’ve received indicates there is very much a demand for the event.
Are you pleased with how The Saudi Cup undercard has come together?
There has been no official announcement yet as to the confirmed entries for the other races, but what I can say is that we’re very excited by the level of interest in the supporting races, not just numerically but also in terms of the depth of quality.
It’s probably fair to say that any of the supporting cast of races would be a highlight event on most race days anywhere in the world.
With both Dirt and Turf sprints, a valuable handicap for locally-trained horses, middle-distance and staying Turf contests, a Dirt mile and one of the world’s most valuable races for pure-bred Arabian horses, there is something for everyone and that has been reflected in the level of interest we’ve received from the connections of potential runners.
Why the autumn changes to the race conditions?
Any changes were really more about finessing the race conditions to best serve the requirements of international racing. We believe The Saudi Cup can quickly become established as an integral part of the international racing calendar and, as such, we anticipated there would be minor, organic “tweaks” as our ongoing dialogue with trainers and owners continued.
Is everything going to plan?
There is a keen sense of anticipation as we draw close to the inaugural running of The Saudi Cup meeting, but it’s more excitement than any real nervousness.
We are fortunate enough to have an experienced and dedicated team behind the race. It seems unreasonable not to expect a teething problem or two, but that is perfectly normal in an event of this magnitude.
The time-frame was seemingly tight. Did you ever consider moving the event back a year?
Clearly the time-frame has presented its own set of challenges, but there has been nothing we felt we couldn’t overcome. It is an exciting venture and we all just wanted to begin the journey as soon as we could.
How are the horses shipping in?
There is a highly detailed horsemen’s guide on The Saudi Cup website, which covers all technical aspects of bringing a horse to Saudi Arabia to compete in the two-day meeting. All shipping arrangements will be co-ordinated through Luck Greayer Bloodstock Shipping Ltd and its appointed shipping agents, and the entire process aims to be as hassle-free as possible. Flying horses around the world to compete has been commonplace for decades and we don’t anticipate horsemen experiencing any issues.
In addition, it should be remembered that The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia has, with extraordinary generosity, committed to covering the normal costs of return transport by road from the home stable to departure airport, and return air transportation to the country of origin.
What has the role been like for you personally?
It’s a truly exciting prospect. From my standpoint there are very few opportunities in a working lifetime to be so involved in such a bold and imaginative project. To be part of a team that is creating an event of this importance from what was – just a matter of months ago – a blank piece of paper, is a tremendous privilege.
Is there a buzz developing in Saudi Arabia as the event approaches?
Absolutely. The commitment of everyone involved in the project at a local level has helped to create the sense of anticipation I mentioned, and everyone connected with The Saudi Cup feels this more and more in the city as we draw nearer to the race. We are lucky to have an extremely dedicated local team who are all determined to show that top-class international racing is perfectly at home in Saudi Arabia.
Could you give us some detail about the tracks? It is an ambitious plan to install a Turf course in such a short time – is it on target?
Thanks to the hard work and commitment of everyone involved, the Turf track is actually ahead of schedule and we’re very excited to see it in action. The goal was to produce a fair, fast Turf course with a nice cushion and we’re extremely happy with where we are.
As you are probably aware, the Turf facility has been overseen by the STRI Group, who specialise in grass surfaces for sporting events. They are the people responsible for, among many others, Lords’ cricket pitches, the grass courts at Wimbledon, the straight mile at Ascot and pitches at three FIFA World Cup tournaments. The feedback from riders in regard to the main Dirt track has been highly encouraging, and they all seem to agree that the course rides fairly, from on and off the pace, and has very little kickback.
Exercising on King Abdulaziz racetrack
How is your new clerk of the course Michael Prosser settling in to his role?
We are extremely fortunate to have someone of Michael’s talent as part of what is already a very strong team. His skill-set will be instrumental to our success. Michael’s skills as clerk of the course at Newmarket are recognised throughout the global racing industry.
He’s already fully immersed in every aspect of The Saudi Cup project and has been closely involved with the finishing touches to both the Turf course, as well as the other normal clerk responsibilities that he will also assume.
Racing in Saudi has been operating at a high level for some years – his is an opportunity to take it to an international scale
How many racegoers are expected?
The Saudi Cup is a major horseracing event by any standard and, with the high levels of domestic interest, we’re anticipating a good crowd. The level of international interest in the meeting has also been encouraging, something that is helped by the relatively new eVisa system for tourists, which is explicitly designed to simplify the process of visiting Saudi Arabia.
Are tickets for sale online? Yes, tickets for Kingdom Day and Saudi Cup Day are available online at www.thesaudicup.com
What are the facilities for home-based visitors, western visitors and horse connections?
Riyadh is a thriving, modern capital city and, as such, has all the facilities that travellers have come to expect in the 21st century. The King Abdulaziz Racetrack has been hosting top-class racing for many years and its excellent facilities will be very familiar to anyone who has attended a premier racetrack anywhere in the world.
As you’d expect from the level of commitment The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia has given to the entire Saudi Cup concept, the facilities for all horses and their teams are world class – we can’t wait to show them off!
What about the protocol for western visitors coming to the Islamic country?
As previously mentioned, the new eVisa system will make visiting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia a simple process. The Club will also be assisting connections and invited guests directly with their visa applications as part of the comprehensive destination management offering we will have.
Obviously, there are cultural differences, as there are in many countries around the world, and we are confident that visiting racegoers will want to familiarise themselves with the local culture in the same way that they would do before visiting any country. Horseracing is a universal sport that binds its fans together, regardless of their nationality, and we’re looking forward to welcoming all racegoers, no matter where they come from.
Where can visitors find out more about accommodation and visiting Saudi Arabia?
Prospective visitors can find out much more about the broad range of accommodation available in Riyadh by visiting the Saudi Cup website (www.thesaudicup.com), as well as the excellent Visit Saudi portal (https://visa.visitsaudi.com/).
Will there be any locally trained runners in the big race?
There is a trial event in early February from which the two, top-rated local horses will be invited to participate in the Saudi Cup.
Is The Saudi Cup part of a wider strategic plan for the future of Saudi racing and Saudi sport?
I can speak only for the racing side, but we felt there was an opportunity to create a major racing event that would dovetail perfectly between the Pegasus World Cup and the Dubai World Cup while, of course, underlining that racing is an important and long-established part of the sporting landscape in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This is something that is often overlooked. The horse, and horseracing, is central to the ancient culture of Saudi Arabia and, as such, holding an event as prestigious as The Saudi Cup is a kind of homecoming for the sport.
Everyone who knows their racing history appreciate that the original source of every thoroughbred running today is right here in the Middle East. The meeting is intended to be a catalyst for a wider progression of horse racing within the Kingdom both in terms of quality and scale.
Once the meeting is completed, how will you judge if it has been successful?
The Saudi Cup is already a success in terms of its impact on the global racing community. There has been a welcoming and enthusiastic response from the industry at large and, as previously mentioned, the race fits naturally into the international racing calendar. However, clearly, this is year one of what we very much anticipate will become a perennial, and important, race that slowly creates its own illustrious history.
Are there already plans in place for year two and beyond?
The short answer is “yes”! Everyone connected with The Saudi Cup is fully committed to its long-term success, and planning is already underway to achieve those long-term goals over the coming years. However, for this inaugural race, as the saying goes ‘a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’. Step two will begin the morning of the day after on February 30 in Riyadh!
Full steam ahead for The Saudi Cup
