Shin Emperor

Champion juvenile. Derby winner. Last out G1 Osaka Hai hero Croix Du Nord is hunting his fourth Group 1 in Sunday's Tenno Sho (Spring), and, if he pulls off victory in the 15-horse field, the son of Kitasan Black will have emulated his Classic-winning sire. A two-time winner of Japan's longest top-tier contest at 3200 metres in 2016/2017, Kitasan Black claimed seven victories at the highest table. Croix Du Nord tries the 3200-metre trip for the first time on Sunday and will partner with Yuichi Kitamura. If he pulls it...

Forever Young (Real Steel) was a surprise name among a star-studded list of 24 entries for the G1 Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. The GI Breeders' Cup Classic and dual G1 Saudi Cup hero would be having his first start on turf if lining up at Ascot for trainer Yoshito Yahagi, who is now a regular presence on the world stage with victories in Dubai, America, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong. Whilst Yahagi is still waiting for his first success in Britain and Ireland, he did...

Jockey Ryusei Sakai, who rode Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}) to a narrow third-place effort in the 2024 GI Kentucky Derby and has since piloted him to four top-level victories, has picked up the ride on G2 UAE Derby winner Wonder Dean (Jpn) (Dee Majesty {Jpn}) for this year's Run to the Roses on May 2, NetKeiba reported Saturday. Sakai, who turns 29 on May 31, will also renew his partnership with Forever Young owner Susumu Fujita's Shin Emperor (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the GI Old Forester Bourbon Turf...

At an unspecified date in the future Saudi Arabia will have a brand new racecourse at Qiddiya City, which will eventually host the Saudi Cup, according to an announcement made earlier this week. But for now the world's richest race belongs in Riyadh. Development has continued apace at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, which has now been in operation for 24 years. Much has changed, even in the short history of the Saudi Cup, both to the infrastructure at the racecourse and in the status of some of the contests. The Saudi...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- It's what sport is all about, isn't it? Choosing your team and rooting for them, through good games and bad times.  The fleeting nature of the careers of some racehorses can make it harder to be a fan, but not if you pick Team Yahagi. For a start, there is a good chance that Yoshito Yahagi will turn up at a major meeting almost anywhere in the world with at least one horse. In Riyadh, a city which has become a happy hunting ground for the...

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia, post time: 20:40, SAUDI CUP-G1, $20,000,000, NH/SH4yo/up, 1800m Field: Banishing (Ghostzapper), Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo), Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), Haqeet (Arrogate), Luxor Cafe (American Pharoah), Mhally (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev), Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach), Nysos (Nyquist), Rattle N Roll (Connect), Star Of Wonder (Uncle Mo), Sunrise Zipangu (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), Thundersquall (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance), Ameerat Alzamaan (GB) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}). TDN Analysis: Forever Young will be a prohibitive favourite to become the first to go back-to-back in the world's richest race....

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia, post time: 20:40, SAUDI CUP-G1, $20,000,000, NH/SH4yo/up, 1800m Field: Banishing (Ghostzapper), Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo), Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), Haqeet (Arrogate), Luxor Cafe (American Pharoah), Mhally (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev), Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach), Nysos (Nyquist), Rattle N Roll (Connect), Star Of Wonder (Uncle Mo), Sunrise Zipangu (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), Thundersquall (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance), Ameerat Alzamaan (GB) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}). TDN Analysis: Forever Young will be a prohibitive favourite to become the first to go back-to-back in the world's richest race....

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia, post time: 20:40, SAUDI CUP-G1, $20,000,000, NH/SH4yo/up, 1800m Field: Banishing (Ghostzapper), Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo), Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}), Haqeet (Arrogate), Luxor Cafe (American Pharoah), Mhally (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev), Nevada Beach (Omaha Beach), Nysos (Nyquist), Rattle N Roll (Connect), Star Of Wonder (Uncle Mo), Sunrise Zipangu (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), Thundersquall (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Tumbarumba (Oscar Performance), Ameerat Alzamaan (GB) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}). Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia, post time: 19:10, NEOM TURF CUP (Presented By HOWDEN)-G1, $3,000,000, NH/SH4yo/up, 2100mT Field: Alohi Alii...

Sunday, Tokyo, Japan, post time: 15:40, JAPAN CUP-G1, ¥960,400,000, 3yo/up, 2400mT Field: Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Croix Du Nord (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}), Cosmo Kuranda (Jpn) (Al Ain {Jpn}), Deep Monster (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Sunrise Earth (Jpn) (Rey De Oro {Jpn}), Ho O Biscuits (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits), Danon Beluga (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), Calandagan (Ire) (Gleneagles {Jpn}), Seiun Hades (Jpn) (Silver State {Jpn}), Struve (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn}), Admire Terra (Jpn) (Rey De Oro {Jpn}), Yoho Lake (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), Brede Weg (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}),...

The Howden Neom Turf Cup, one of the highlights of the Saudi Cup meeting, has been upgraded to Group 1 status ahead of next year's running. Meanwhile, global insurance broker Howden has extended its partnership with the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA) for a further three years, taking the race sponsorship to 2028.   The addition of the Howden Neom Turf Cup to The Saudi Cup's line up of Group 1 races now takes the tally of top flight contests on the day to three, with a glittering undercard including...

Susumu Fujita's Shin Emperor has been ruled out of the upcoming G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe next month due to a respiratory illness, trainer Yoshito Yahagi posted on X. A Group 2 winner in Saudi Arabia and a Group 3 winner in Japan, the full-brother to 2020 Arc hero Sottsass will target the G1 Japan Cup in November, a race he finished second in last year. Third in the 2024 G1 Irish Champion Stakes, he ran sixth in the 2025 edition of the race. The post read, "Shin Emperor...

Tom Marquand has been confirmed as the partner of Goodwood Cup hero and ante-post favourite Scandinavia (Justify), who is set to head a field of seven in Saturday's G1 Betfred St Leger. With Ryan Moore on the sidelines and Wayne Lordan suspended, Sean Levey will partner dual Derby hero Lambourn (Australia) and Mickael Barzalona picks up the ride aboard Great Voltigeur fourth Stay True (Galileo). In addition to the Ballydoyle trio, Ireland is represented by Queen's Vase victor and Great Voltigeur runner-up Carmers (Wootton Bassett), who will be partnered by...