RIYADH: Saudi International Handicap winner Gran Descans (GB) will have his first start since scoring on The Saudi Cup weekend in the feature $40,000 (SR150,000) Eastern Governance Region Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Saturday. The UK import will have Camilio Ospina aboard in the weekend’s final event over 2,400 meters, having been ridden by French ace Mickael Barzalona when scoring for the White Stable of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz & Sons back in February. White Stable holds a strong hand with top-rated Sayyah (US) also declared and the 4-year-old bids for a fourth consecutive win having last been seen landing the Red Sea Turf Qualifier in January. Irish Direct Security, second in the Prince Khalid Abdullah Cup and eighth in the Group 1 Howden Neom Turf Cup itself, bids to bounce back after an underwhelming start two weeks ago, while the Red Stable of Prince Faisal bin Khaled bin Abdulaziz relies on Irish pair Arpenteur and El Jabartee. The preceding race is the $40,000 Asia Cup for fillies and mares over 1,400 meters, in which White Stable again has leading claims with the Ospina-ridden Nowafaa (Saudi Arabia), who has won six of her 11 starts. The former Taif Cup Fillies winner arrives on the back of a striking success in a conditions race at the same venue in August. Owner Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah’s Misaaeel (Saudi Arabia) was over six lengths adrift in second that day and reposes under Muhammad Aldaham, with White Stable also represented by King Khalid Racecourse Championship runner-up Fallat Kheir (Saudi Arabia). Kawafill (Saudi Arabia) was only fifth on that occasion but has some pedigree after winning the King Abdulaziz Racetrack Champion stakes race in January. Friday’s feature is the $40,000 Almadinah Almonawarah Region Governorate Cup over 2,400 meters in which White Stable again could dominate with course-and-distance winner Almaqam (Saudi Arabia). Ospina’s mount took the Al-Jouf Region Governorate Cup by nearly 13 lengths in January but has not raced since finishing 12th in the Asian Racing Federation Cup Local Handicap on The Saudi Cup undercard. White Stable’s Mana’aeh (Saudi Arabia) was only ninth in the Al-Jouf Region Governorate Cup and reposes having landed a Taif Handicap in August, while Ashj’aa (Saudi Arabia) should also be competitive as a former course-and-distance winner in the Prince Saad Bin Abdulrahman Bin Faisal Cup who was last seen in the International Jockeys’ Challenge in February. Nine runners have been declared for the juvenile $40,000 King Khalid Military Academy Cup over 1,600 meters, in which Taif Cup Prep and JCSA Contribution winner Trankeelo (Saudi Arabia) bids to take his career haul to three wins in four starts.