TAIF: King Khalid Racecourse is set for a packed weekend of racing with 2000 Guineas winner Mhally (GB) facing several familiar rivals in a field of 12 assembled for the $106,000 Taif Derby on Saturday.

A significant purse is on offer for the final two events, with another $106,000 prize purse attached to the concluding Taif Arabian Derby for Purebred Arabians, which sees prep winner Wared Al-Sengar (KSA) take on nine opponents over 1600m.

Mhally, trained by the in-form Thamer Al-Daihani for Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Al-Malek Al-Sabah, will be making his seasonal debut having beaten several of the field in last season’s 2000 Guineas held in Riyadh on Jan. 25, an effort which was franked by his third to Golden Vekoma (USA) in the Saudi Derby the following month.

Jaarif (USA) was just a half-length behind Mhally in the 2000 Guineas and will be making his first start under Khaled Al-Mimoni for trainer Abdullah Al-Monif, with the fourth home that day, Faal Khair (USA), also in the lineup for the White Stables of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz and Sons.

Camilo Ospina, who blitzed his rivals in the Taif Jockey Championship with six winners last weekend, will again be aboard for trainer Ahmed Mohamoud following their comeback second in the trial for this at the beginning of the month, with the Mohammed Al-Daham-ridden Mhalhal (USA) third on that occasion and a second representative for Al-Daihani.

A fascinating addition to the field is Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdulaziz’s Bernard Shaw (USA) after his debut in the country last weekend for the Red Stable.

A $1.8 million yearling, the mount of Fahad Al-Fouraidi for trainer Hadi Gharawi was sixth on his first outing and joined connections having won one of his four starts for the legendary Aidan O’Brien in Ireland.

Trainer Mustafa Al-Mosa’s Wared Al-Sengar (KSA) is top-rated in the Taif Arabian Derby under Mohammad Al-Hubail and clashes again with the placed horses from the trial — runner-up Abdulaziz Al-Mosa’s Wasib (FR) and third home HM Al-Nasserallah (FR) for Bassim Al-Mousa.

Also in the field is Lacy Des Vialettes (FR), winner of the King Faisal Cup last season, but bidding to improve on her comeback seventh earlier this month. She goes post under Al-Mimoni for Al-Mosa.

The four-year-old won the first four races of her career before finding the company too hot on Saudi Cup day and running down the field in the Group 1 Obaiyah Arabian Classic.

Sixteen runners have been declared for the Taif University Cup Local Bred Horses Open over 1400m and they include four for the Red Stable headed by Riyadh Dirt Sprint fifth Saodad (KSA), who has worked his way back into form in two Taif outings this campaign.

Friday’s feature is the 1600m Makkah Al-Mokarramah Reg. Gov. Cup in which Al-Daihani has a strong hand with Tuwaiq Cup fourth Final Destination (GB) and Uncle (GB), who does battle once again with Nicolas Bachalard’s Henry Q (USA) after they fought out the finish for the prep here on Aug. 1.