Emblem Road lands $20 million Saudi Cup in major win for kingdom

Dubai World Cup the next target for Quality Road colt after victory on Saturday

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  Wigberto Ramos rode Emblem Road to victory in the Saudi Cup at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday, February 26, 2022. Getty

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  Emblem Road, under jockey Wigberto Ramos, won the $20m Saudi Cup. AP

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  Wigberto Ramos celebrates winning the Saudi Cup on Saturday. Getty

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  Trophy presentation of the Saudi Cup at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh. Getty

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  Emblem Road, under Wigberto Ramos, won the $20m Saudi Cup. AP

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  Hadi De Carrere, ridden by Olivier Peslier, during the Obaiya Arabian Classic. Reuters

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  Olivier Peslier, riding Hadi De Carrere, won the Obaiya Arabian Classic. Getty

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  A spectator at the Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse. Getty

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  Christophe Lemaire receives the trophy after winning the Longines Red Sea Turf Handicap with his horse Stay Foolish. Reuters

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  Spectators at the King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh. Reuters

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  Christophe Lemaire riding Songline won the Turf Sprint. Getty

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  A spectator at the Saudi Cup 2022. Reuters

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  Jockey Ronan Thomas reacts after winning the $1 million Al Mneefah Cup. AP

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  A racegoer at the King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh. AP

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  Jockey Ronan Thomas reacts after winning the International Handicap on Lauderdale. AP

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  A racegoer watches the parade ring at the King Abdulaziz Racetrack. AP

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.