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Mishriff marches to Saudi Cup Glory
The John Gosden trained Mishriff (IRE), who is named after his owner Prince A A Faisal’s best friend, went one better than his second place finish in last year's Saudi Derby when he caught Charlatan (USA) in the final 100m to win the US $20 million The Saudi Cup, the world's most valuable race. Ridden by the 21-year-old Irish jockey David Egan, he beat the Bob Baffert trained Charlatan by a length, with Great Scot (GB) finishing a further six and a half lengths back in third. Drawn wide, the 4-year-old son of Make Believe got himself into a good position behind the leading pair of Charlatan and Knicks Go (USA), who set a good pace. Launched in the final bend, Mishriff picked up the grey Knicks Go, who would eventually finish in fourth position, fairly easily and then went after Charlatan. Big-race rider Mike Smith was hard at work on Charlatan but could do nothing against a determined Mishriff, who covered the 1800 metres on the King Abdulaziz dirt track in 1:49.59. Egan, who is the retained jockey of Prince Faisal, had not been able to partner the colt when he lifted the Prix du Jockey Club - the French Derby - in June last year, because of travel restrictions due to Covid-19 and was obviously delighted to win this important race. His father John Egan, himself an accomplished Group 1 winning jockey, was there to witness his son’s greatest success.
Jockey David Egan said: "Unbelievable. I've been dreaming all my life of winning a race like this. Obviously it is the highest thing I will win for a while now; the Saudi Cup is the richest race in the world. I'd like to thank Prince Faisal, Mr Gosden, all of his team, Thady is here, Ted Voute - there are so many people to thank, and Mishriff most of all. He's the champion. "I'd like to thank The Saudi Cup for putting on such a great event in these tough times and for making everything as Covid-safe as we could all be. I'm just delighted to get back on Mishriff and win for all the team. "Last year Mishriff was always a horse who seemed to jump slow; maybe it was just through immaturity. Last year in the Saudi Derby he jumped slow behind the Japanese horse to finish second - I thought to myself that if he had jumped on terms he nearly would have won last year. But he's matured throughout the year and Mr Gosden had him primed for today. He looks a million dollars - well, 10 million dollars! "He's been training well on the track; he seems to enjoy the track here and has been very relaxed in the mornings. He jumped very well today - as good as the two American horses. I squeezed him on for the first 50 yards and I was actually surprised how well he went, through the back straight I was on Mike Smith's (rider of Charlatan) heels and he was really taking me into it. I got pressed on the rail when we started turning and that was the only worrying sign I had, when they started quickening whether I was going to get back rolling again, but once we turned into the straight he picked up. "Once he ran second here last year I am sure it was on the Prince and Mr Gosden's minds to come here. He had such a good season in Europe last year and this is in Prince Faisal's back garden, it's where he lives, so it was a no-brainer. He's taken on top-class horses from all round the world and proven how good he is. "Maybe it's just me, it hasn't quite sunk in - with that amount of prize-money on offer, it's a huge deal, but going into the race I didn't feel the pressure - it was just like going out for a normal race. Once you pass the line it starts to sink in and you realise what a big deal it is. Loads of people have put a lot of hard work and time into this horse, and to be able to repay them all is great. "My dad (John Egan) is helping out with the Bahrain horses and riding for Fawzi Nass in the mornings, so it is very special to have him here. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be the rider or the person I am today. He's done everything he can to help me in my career, pushed me and trained me hard. This one's for him."
Trainer John Gosden said:“Full marks to my team. I’m here in Newmarket. His owner/breeder always wanted him to come back for The Saudi Cup. He ran well here last year and through the year except for at Ascot on bottomless ground – he didn’t like that ground. Otherwise he has a superb record. The team here did a very good job with him through the winter and then Thady (Gosden, son and assistant trainer) and the team did a great job out there. "I think there are very few horses that can switch surfaces like that. I would have to say enormous thanks to the whole of the Saudi Jockey Club for putting on such an amazing day’s racing. The turf track is superb – I was blown away by how good it was when it had only been laid down a few months before when I was there last year. And I have always been told by the top American jockeys and by Frankie Dettori that this is the best main dirt sand track in the world, and I think that is very much proven today that a turf horse can actually switch to it. So many of the tracks are too loose with horrible kickback, but this is a very good test for the thoroughbred.” Asked whether Mishriff will be asked to stretch out to 2400m this summer in Europe, Gosden added: "He will stay. I think in the end he nailed them because he could go the pace and then see it out to the end, and that was a hard-run mile and an eighth. We’ll see. Thady will come back with his reports and we will discuss it all with Prince Faisal and take it a step at a time after a flight like that and training through the winter. We’ll see how he is when he gets back before we make any grand plans." Ted Voute, representative of owner Prince Faisal: "He was raised on the farm, Prince Faisal bred him. I bought the sire Make Believe as a foal for him. He's bred the family all through the years and it means a lot to him. He was named after his best friend after he died. It's amazing." The Saud Cup Media Group Welcome to Arabian Horse Intl
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