Richest race in the world: Benbatl is Godolphin's great big hope at Saudi Cup

Best in the business will fight for a slice of $20 million prize pool at the the King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh

Benbatl was third at the Saudi Cup, and in the absence of the winner and runner-up, will be favourite at the Dubai World Cup. Pawan Singh / The National 

The stage is set for the biggest horse racing spectacle in the world – the $20million (Dh74m) Saudi Cup at the King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh on Saturday.

With an undercard worth a further $9.2million prize fund across seven races, it is going to be big day for the sport in the kingdom.

In all, 14 jockeys, 12 trainers and 12 owners will be fighting to be first on the Saudi Cup roll of honour.

Godolphin, the Dubai racing operation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, are among them.

They have entered Benbatl and Godolphin's trainer Saeed bin Suroor was forthright of their objective.

“It would mean a lot for us to win,” the Emirati said. “It is the first ever Saudi Cup and the first big international race in Saudi.

“It is a very important race and would be important for us to see him run well and win. He has been a very good Group 1 horse for us and very versatile. I’m very happy with him and I think he will give a good run.”

Benbatl has not put a foot wrong in the build-up to the richest horse race in the world.

The six-year-old son of Dubawi has been impressive on his two warm-up victories at the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan.

The Saudi Cup is his toughest test yet. It’s not just for Benbatl but all 14 challengers lining-up for a slice of the prize fund with $10m going to the winner.

Benbatl’s preparation has been near perfect. He won the Group 2 Singspiel Stakes by four and three-quarter lengths on the turf in his first run for the season at the Dubai World Cup Carnival’s Week 2 on January 9.

The next big test for Benbatl was his debut on the dirt surface over the 1,800m distance, same as that of the Saudi Cup .

He came up with another convincing run, easing to a two-length triumph over Military Law with the 2019 Dubai World Cup runner up Gronkowski a further six and three-quarter lengths down in third in the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 on February 6.

That performance was enough for the winning connections to sign up for the Saudi Cup.

“It was really great to see Benbatl win that easily,” Bin Suroor said after his first start on the dirt.

“We know he is a special horse from what he has done on the turf. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed (Vice President and Ruler of Dubai) made the decision to run him on the dirt, just to see how he would handle it. It was a good decision from the boss.”

There appears to be some good fortune as well for Benbatl in the lead-up for the Saudi Cup.

Benbatl has a gate three draw and that’s an ideal position to be for a horse that loves to stay with the early pace.

The British champion jockey Oisin Murphy, who has ridden him in 10 of his 21 starts, is back on the saddle after replacing Christophe Soumillon who was on board in his last two victories.

Benbatl is the highest rated horse (125) in the field with McKinzie (123) and Maximum Security (122).

The Godolphin horse has 11 victories from his 21 career starts. That includes three Group 1 prizes across three continents – the Dubai Turf at Meydan, the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis in Germany and the Ladbrokes Stakes in Australia.

Joining Benbatl from the Emirates are Satish Seemar’s North America and Salem bin Ghadayer’s pair Gronkowski (Frankie Dettori) and Capezzano (Mickael Barzalona), an impressive winner of the Group 3 Firebreak Stakes at Meydan on February 13.

The five American entries include Jason Servis-trained Maximum Security and Bob Baffert’s pair McKinzie and Mucho Gusto.

Maximum Security has won six of his eight career starts and was runner up once. The only blip in his career came when disqualified for interference after crossing the finishing line first in the Kentucky Derby.

McKinzie has won seven times, including four Group 1s, and placed second six times in 14 starts.

The other two American entries are Steve Asmussen’s Midnight Bisou and William Mott’s Tacitus in the silks of Saudi Prince Khalid Abdullah’s Juddmonte Farms Inc.

Representing Europe is Aidan O’Brien’s Magic Wand (Ryan Moore) while Chrysoberyl (Soumillon) and Gold Dream (Christophe-Patrice Lemaire) carry the Japanese hopes.

Completing the field are Great Scot and Mjjack both locally trained by Abdullah Mishrif and Sami Al Harabi.