Emblem Road, trained by Mitab Almulawah in Saudi Arabia in the silks of Prince Saud bin Salman Abdulaziz, outclassed an elite international field to win the $20 million Saudi Cup on Saturday.
The four-year-old Quality Road colt broke last of all in the field of 14 and travelled wide before launching a sustained challenge under jockey Wigberto Ramos to win from Country Grammer and Midnight Bourbon by half a length and a length and a half, respectively.
Having won his biggest career prize, Emblem Road took his record to seven wins from nine starts for local trainer Almulawah, who also scooped fourth with 2019 Chester Cup winner Making Miracles.
“The kingdom has gone crazy today, we have to party everywhere,” assistant trainer Hisham Albulwahed said.
“To put our names on the Cup, that's an amazing thing for the kingdom and for us. We started from the beginning of the season and worked hard to get to this point and today we won. It means so much to us.”
The Dubai World Cup, which is one month away, is now a potential target for the winner of the world’s richest thoroughbred prize.
“The Dubai World Cup, why not? We can do it like today,” Albulwahed said when asked if next month’s Dubai World Cup is on the radar.
Mishriff, winner of the race 12 months ago, was one of the first horses to come under pressure from his draw in stall 14 and was a beaten horse before turning for home and eventually finished last.
The Japanese horses bagged four of the seven thoroughbred prizes on the Saudi Cup card but neither TO Keynes nor Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Marche Lorraine were able to land a blow.
Godolphin’s pair Magny Cours and Real World also struggled, finishing 10th and 11th respectively.
