Riyadh review | Panthalassa pounces for Japan in Saudi Cup

The Bob Baffert-trained Country Grammer was narrowly denied in the world’s most valuable race 12 months ago when ridden by Flavien Prat, before providing Dettori with a fourth Dubai World Cup success at Meydan a few weeks later.

Following a readying win in California on Boxing Day, the six-year-old returned to Riyadh as one of two leading contenders for the Baffert team along with multiple Grade One winner Taiba – but Panthalassa set a strong gallop from the off at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse and could not be reeled in.

Trained by Yoshito Yahagi and ridden by Yutaka Yoshida, Panthalassa dead-heated in last year’s Dubai Turf with Lord North who earlier in the day had landed a far less lucrative Winter Derby at Lingfield.

Such was the pace Panthalassa set, Baffert’s pair were under pressure before the home turn and it briefly looked like it could be a Japanese one-two-three-four with a trio of compatriots chasing Panthalassa up the straight.

But Dettori conjured a storming late rally out of Country Grammer, with the line coming just too soon as he was narrowly denied once again.

Elite Power is a special winner for Dettori in Dirt Sprint

Frankie Dettori brought Elite Power with a devastating run down the centre of the track to win the Riyadh Dirt Sprint.

Slightly taken off his feet in the early stages, the Eclipse Award winner engaged overdrive inside the final two furlongs and ran out a wide margin scorer.

Winner of the Breeders’ Cup Sprint last time out, Elite Power was simply in a different league to his rivals – but this was a poignant success for Dettori.

He was sporting the silks of the famous Juddmonte operation, founded by the late Saudi prince Khalid Abdullah and worn to many big-race wins by Dettori on the likes of Enable and most recently in the Dewhurst on Chaldean.

“The first word that comes to mind is ‘aeroplane’,” said Dettori of the Bill Mott-trained five-year-old.

“As soon as I asked him to get a little bit closer he just took off and the race was over.

“The Abdullah family has been so good for the sport and I love the colours. It’s given the locals something to cheer about.”

Mostahdaf powers to Neom Turf Cup victory

John and Thady Gosden’s Mostahdaf turned the Neom Turf Cup into a procession in Riyadh.

The race was supposed to see George Boughey’s Royal Ascot winner Missed The Cut announce himself on the world stage as part of the Saudi Cup undercard, but for the second time on a trip away from home he fluffed his lines.

Slowly away under Oisin Murphy, he had to circle the field to get a handy position but by the home turn he had little left to give, fading into fourth.

Mostahdaf, on the other hand, was always in the perfect spot under Jim Crowley.

Last seen finishing stone last in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe on soft ground, he was much more at home on a quicker surface and fairly bolted up, with Dubai Future seven lengths back in second.

Thady Gosden said: “He was obviously drawn down there on the inside and had a lovely draw. Jim broke well and gave him the perfect ride round as well.

“The pace was slow and we had a really nice spot on the outside. It was bit messy in behind us and we were luckily out of trouble and he sent him at the perfect time and he’s picked up well in the straight.

“He didn’t really enjoy swimming in the Arc – it was a much faster surface here today and he really enjoys that. He has a low action and enjoyed flicking off the top of it.

“We put this plan together after last year, we thought he was the sort of horse who would be suited to races like this. There is a huge attraction to come to the Middle East now and we thought this would suit him well for the start of the year.

“His last race was obviously the Arc, but prior to that was in the September Stakes against useful horses and he quickened up quite well that day on a sounder surface. He’s a versatile horse who is pretty comfortable in terms of trip. We’ll talk to the owners and see if we take him to Dubai next month.”

Of Missed The Cut’s run, Boughey said: “Oisin had a split-second decision to make whether to go forward or back and through no fault of anyone’s, he’s probably ended up having to go further than the others.

“But that’s racing. He’s probably run fractionally below his best form, but he’ll be back. There are a lot of options for him, we’ll just see how he is tomorrow.”

Murphy said: “He had a wide trip – jockey error. It’s a shame, he tried.”

Bill Mott’s Casa Creed was just touched off in the 1351 Turf Sprint by the Japanese-trained Songline 12 months ago and he had to settle for second behind another Far East runner this time in Bathrat Leon.

Fourth to Baaeed in the Sussex Stakes, Bathrat Leon won the Godolphin Mile last year and over this seven-furlong trip he was able to be ridden very aggressively.

Yoshito Yahagi is no stranger to winners on the global stage, and Bathrat Leon clung on desperately for success.

Richard Hannon’s Happy Romance finished just out of the places, in front of stablemate Lusail.

Yahagi said: “The tactics were to be in front. He was given a very good ride, I think. The course was perfect for him. Ryusei Sakai, my stable jockey, he is very up and coming at the moment. It is a big win for him.

“He travelled well and it was a very good plan. He stays that trip well. We will go to Dubai now.”

There was a local winner of the Saudi Derby when Commissioner King narrowly got the better of Frankie Dettoti on Bob Baffert’s Havnameltdown.

Winning jockey Luis Morales said: “He gave me everything. The way he had been working over the last few days and weeks, we knew we had a good chance. He just kept improving.

“I got a good trip and at one stage I thought I was going to win, then Frankie’s horse kept coming back.

“But we got there and it is a great feeling to win for all the local fans. He’s a local horse and it is great to do it.”

Asked how special it was to beat Frankie Dettori in a finish, he added with a smile: “After the finish line, I knew we’d won. But you know Frankie. When riding against him, he’s sometimes a pain! But he is a legend.”

Dettori was philosophical and said: “I spoke to Bob and he said try to nurse his speed. I tried to save as much as I could. We got into a duel, but unfortunately in the last 50 yards, he had enough.”

There was to be no fairytale comeback for 2021 Ascot Gold Cup winner Subjectivist who finished well down the field behind Silver Sonic in the Red Sea Turf Handicap in Riyadh.

Now trained by Charlie Johnston, Subjectivist was undoubtedly the leading stayer in Europe when adding Ascot’s showpiece race to his win in Dubai a few months prior.

However, he picked up a tendon injury and was off the track for over 600 days before this return on the Saudi Cup undercard.

Joe Fanning – himself only recently back from a long-term injury – attempted to dictate but he could never get away from the field and soon after turning into the straight he was beaten.

Silver Sonic, trained in Japan by Yasutoshi Ikee and ridden by Australian Damian Lane, burst clear and while Ian Williams’ Enemy briefly threatened, he was no match for the grey close home.

Ebor winner Trawlerman, trained by John and Thady Gosden, also failed to land a blow.

“He’s a good horse and good stayer and the race unfolded well for him,” said Lane.

“I was obviously very happy to follow Subjectivist. Trawlerman on my outside was just giving me a little bit of grief – he was getting in on me a little bit and I just knew I needed some luck at some stage. When the run presented itself, he was too strong.

“I think the Tenno Sho in Japan is next on the cards. I’m back to Australia for a few weeks then off to the Dubai Carnival, hopefully.”

Asked if he would be coming to Britain at any stage, he quipped: “For the right offer, for sure!”

Richard Kingscote, who rode Enemy, said: “With the track riding as it is, I wanted to get a bit handier than in Dubai. To be fair he did everything really well. He got a good, smooth run round the bend to get out and challenge, but the winner picked up extremely well.”

Johnston said: “He had to light him up from that draw a bit and he would have been keen, regardless. That was made worse by what he had to do early.

“We will see if he comes out of it in one piece, but he will probably go to the Sagaro or the Henry II, just lower our sights closer to home. I would say he won’t go to Dubai now.

“We knew what we are asking him to do was a big, big ask, but at the same time, where do you take the horse that won the Ascot Gold Cup last time out?”

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