RIYADH: Ancestral Land (GB) was a sprinting success story last season and reemerges for a new campaign by heading a full-field of 20 runners in Saturday’s $40,000 (SR150,000) King Khalid University Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse.
The Red Stable of Prince Faisal Bin Khalid Bin Abdulaziz is well represented in the 1,400 meter event with three runners and the mount of Nawaf Al-Mudiani is by far the pick, having left Clive Cox in the UK before registering four wins in Riyadh last term.
His final success came with a comprehensive victory in the Dirt Sprint Qualifier in January before finishing sixth to the Breeders’ Cup winner Straight No Chaser (US) in the Group 2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint on Saudi Cup weekend.
The six-year-old will also be having his first outing for Sultan Bin Jalal having formerly been in the care of US conditioner Jimmy Jerkens.
His main dangers would appear to be Luis Morales’ mount Love De Vega (IRE), who was also progressive last season — finishing third in the 1351 Sprint Qualifier — and has his first start since winning in March, along with the Adel Al-Fouraidi-ridden Power Of Beauty (IRE), who was eighth in the Riyadh Dirt Sprint.
Saturday also features two stand-out races for three-year-olds and Camilo Ospina takes the mount of November’s impressive winner Zanaat (KSA) for the White Stable of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz in the $40,000 Ministry of Sports Cup for fillies over 1,800 meters.
The equivalent race for colts and geldings is the 1,600 meter $40,000 Saudi Broadcasting Authorities Cup for which 17 will go to post, and Tuwajeri (IRE) is top-rated for jockey Muhammad Al-Daham, trainer Thamer Al-Daihani and owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Al-Malek Al-Sabah.
A competitive Open over 1,800 meters worth $32,000 rounds off Saturday’s card in which Al-Fouraidi and the Red Stable have an excellent chance with Painters Palette (IRE), who bids to follow up a recent five-and-a-quarter length victory.
Friday’s action is dominated by The Primary Champion of the Racecourses Sponsored by The JCSA — which are a series of three different races and sit alongside the Prince Fahad Bin Jalawi Cup and the Prince Abdullah Bin Jalawi Cup. All are worth a valuable $80,000.
The former is over 1,200 meters for older horses and has a field of seven headed by two highly-rated runners in Al-Daihani’s Muqtahem (IRE), who bids for a fifth win on the bounce, and Red Stable runner Zefzaf (US), who got back to winning ways on Dec. 19.
The latter race is for three-year-old fillies over 1,400 meters and features Sioux Perfect (IRE), who left Andrew Balding in the UK to join trainer Nawaf Al-Daihani and built on her underwhelming debut to score last weekend.
A maximum field has been declared for the Primary Champion of the Racecourses for four-year-old fillies over 1,800 meters topped by Ableekh (KSA) and Okht Saham (KSA), while 16 have been declared for the Purebred Arabian version of the Primary Champions race over 2,000 meters open to both sexes.
Top rated in that are Al-Komndaan (KSA) and Midhass (KSA), while Nijinski Al-Maury (FR), Saif Barzan (KSA) and Al-Kaaser (FR) are the standouts in the all-aged event over 1,800 meters.
Ancestral Land heads King Khalid University Cup
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Ancestral Land heads King Khalid University Cup
- Progressive sprinter will be among field of 20 on Saturday at King Abdulaziz Racecourse
Salama smashes course record with sensational 60 at Madinaty
- Spaniard cards 10-under-par round with 9 birdies and a chip-in eagle to lead by four in Egypt
CAIRO: Spain’s Juan Salama fired a sensational 10-under-par course record of 60 to take a four-shot lead after the opening round of the Egypt Golf Series.
Salama’s stunning round at Madinaty Golf Club bettered the previous record of 63 and included nine birdies and a chip-in eagle on the par-five ninth — his final hole of the day after the field started on the 10th.
The Spaniard, who finished runner-up to Jack Davidson in last week’s play-off at Address Marassi, dropped his only shot of the day on the eighth hole, meaning a par there would have given him the magical 59.
“It was definitely an early start today — I was up at 3:45 a.m. stretching, breakfast at 4:30, and we arrived at the course around 5:30, so I was warming up in the dark, which was pretty crazy,” said Salama.
“But it actually went really well. I love being first out because the greens are perfect with no footprints and the ball rolls beautifully. The conditions here at Madinaty Golf Club have been fantastic all week.
“I made nine birdies with just one dropped shot, and on the last hole I really fancied the chip-in for eagle. My personal best round is nine under, so I went for it and it paid off. I feel like my game has been in a really good place the last couple of weeks. I’ve been working hard, my family has been a huge support, and my wife keeps me very disciplined, so it’s nice to see that work paying off.”
Last week’s winner Jack Davidson is the closest pursuer after a six-under 64 that included seven birdies and just one dropped shot at the par-five 13th — his fourth hole of the day.
“It was a similar situation to last week, chasing Juan Salama again, but I’m really happy with six under,” said Davidson. “The wind made it tough at times, but I managed to hole a few nice putts and keep the momentum going after last week’s play-off win.
“The up-and-down on eight was a big moment. It’s one of the hardest holes on the course, so saving par there and going on to make birdie at the last was huge. With an early tee time tomorrow, hopefully we get slightly better conditions and fresher greens.”
Four players currently share third place at five under par: Argentina’s Gaston Bertinotti, Wales’ Owen Edwards, Germany’s Tim Tillmanns and Italy’s Ludovico Addabbo, who sits second in the MENA Golf Tour Rankings.
“It was a great round, to be honest. I played really solid,” said Bertinotti. “The course was playing pretty tough — really firm and fast, especially on the downhill shots — and the wind picked up after the fourth hole, which made things even more challenging.
“The wind makes the course a lot more challenging. There are holes where you can be hitting three clubs less than normal from the rough because the ball just doesn’t stop downwind. Both nines are tough in different ways. On the front you hit more drivers, and on the back there are a lot of demanding iron shots, especially with the par threes and the water in play.”
Rankings leader Chris Wood is absent this week as he competes in the Qatar Masters on the DP World Tour, and with Addabbo well placed heading into round two, there is an opportunity to close the gap at the top of the standings.
The Egyptian contingent found the windy conditions challenging but took plenty of positives from the experience of competing against the international field.
“Conditions are pretty tough with the wind,” said Ahmed Morgan, who carded an 81. “When I played this course on the Asian Tour without wind it was much easier, but with these conditions there are some really demanding holes. The greens are very fast, so it’s difficult to hold them, which makes knocking it close to the pin the key this week.”
Amateur Abdelrahman El-Defrawy echoed those sentiments after his opening 78.
“It was pretty tough out there with the wind, but the course itself is in great condition,” he said.
“The wind was probably the biggest challenge, especially with judging yardages between clubs. But that’s all part of the experience — playing under this kind of pressure is something I’ll take a lot from going forward.”
