Rowan Ward
If you enjoy betting on horse racing, make sure to get in on the action Saturday, February 25 for the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1)! The race covers 1,800 meters (about 1 ⅛ miles) on the dirt at King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh, and the huge purse means it always draws a great mix of top dirt horses as well as turf horses who want to test their versatility for life-changing spoils.
The Saudi Cup is one of the newest traditions in world horse racing. It has been run just three times before, and just earned international Group 1 status in 2022. However, the huge purse means that it has drawn a top-class field every year, and 2022 is no different.
The race is an exciting betting opportunity especially since horses from all over the world can win. American contender Maximum Security crossed the wire the first year, British runner Mishriff won in 2021, and then Saudi local Emblem Road shocked the world in 2022. Keep reading to find out who will join this list, and where you can bet them online!
Where to Bet the Saudi Cup
The first step to a profitable Saudi Cup day is signing up for the best online sportsbook. Choosing the right sportsbook ensures a fun and trustworthy betting experience. There are many options, but our online betting experts have written reviews of your best sportsbook options. They can help you make the right choice quickly and with confidence!
Every sportsbook we recommend has the basics: trusted deposit and cash-out features, a smooth user interface, and market-leading odds on racing and sports. Each site also offers incentives like sportsbook sign-up bonuses, betting rebates, and referral benefits. Taking a few minutes now to pick the best bonuses for your betting style can mean hundreds or even thousands of dollars in extra bankroll!
Saudi Cup Horses and Odds
This is the official field for the 2023 Saudi Cup in wagering number order, with trainers, jockeys, and post draws.
- Panthalassa (Yoshito Yahagi / Yutaka Yoshida) – Betting Number 7
- Taiba (Bob Baffert / Mike Smith) – Betting Number 10
- Crown Pride (Koichi Shintani / Damian Lane) – Betting Number 3
- Scotland Yard (Moutaib Almulawah / Victor Gutierrez) – Betting Number 9
- Sunset Flash (Naif Almandeel / Aseel Alarhani) – Betting Number 13
- Jun Light Bolt (Yasuo Tomomichi / Ryan Moore) – Betting Number 6
- Remorse (Bhupat Seemar / Tadhg O’Shea) – Betting Number 8
- Emblem Road (Moutaib Almulawah / Alexis Moreno) – Betting Number 4
- Vin de Garde (Hideaki Fujiwara / Mickael Barzalona) – Betting Number 11
- Country Grammer (Bob Baffert / Frankie Dettori) – Betting Number 2
- Lagertha Rhyme (Naif Almandeel / Ricardo Ferreira) – Betting Number 12
- Geoglyph (Tetsuya Kimura / Christophe Lemaire) – Betting Number 5
- Cafe Pharoah (Noriyuki Hori / Joao Moreira) – Betting Number 1
Keep in mind that the betting numbers and post positions in Saudi Arabia differ; this is unlike in North America, but common in the rest of the world.
These are the odds at the top of the market for the 2023 Saudi Cup field. Betting the race online is better than betting at the track since online sportsbooks offer fixed-odds betting on many major races. That means you can lock in odds the moment you bet, instead of having to wait for post time to see your odds. So, when you see something you like, you can bet with confidence!
 |  |  |
|
| Taiba | +185 | +185 | +185 |
| Country Grammer | +350 | +350 | +350 |
| Jun Light Bolt | +800 | +800 | +800 |
| Crown Pride | +1200 | +1200 | +1200 |
| Scotland Yard | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Emblem Road | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
| Cafe Pharoah | +1400 | +1400 | +1400 |
Free Saudi Cup Picks
You have your betting account set up. Now, it’s time for the most fun part of all: meeting the horses and finding out who to bet in the 2023 Saudi Cup!
Saudi Cup Win Candidates
The horses who are certain to get the most betting action include the pair of Bob Baffert shippers, Country Grammer and Taiba. Country Grammar is the stronger win candidate. His midpack style suits King Abdulaziz Racecourse nicely, he proved last year with his good second that he can handle the footing, and he should be significantly fitter coming into this year’s edition than last year.
Taiba has the talent to find the exotics, perhaps, but a win seems like a lot to ask. He has only raced once against older horses. Furthermore, he has a lot of speed, a style that does not play as well in Saudi Arabia as in the United States. Especially with Japanese speedster Crown Pride there to keep things hot early, this is a difficult assignment.
Among the deep contingent from Japan Jun Light Bolt will probably take money, especially off his victory over Crown Pride in the Champions Cup (G1). However, he has yet to ship internationally and Japanese dirt form does not translate overseas often enough to back him here.
Strong Exotics Candidates
There is almost always a longshot Saudi who blows up the tote in this race. Last year it was Emblem Road, though he doesn’t have quite as much form heading into this year’s edition to take him at the undoubtedly shorter price.
Lagertha Rhyme is the most intriguing Saudi local in this year’s edition. Though she was second to Sunset Flash last out, the extra distance plus the likely sharper pace mean she should get a perfect setup. Scotland Yard is another attractive local; he has won three straight since moving from the United States to Saudi Arabia, and turning back from his last-out win over 2,000 meters, he should be perfectly fit for this.
Among the Japanese contingent, Geoglyph is getting an interesting career reboot. He is trying dirt for the first time; though he has struggled a bit lately, he has strong back class, good stamina for the 1,800m distance, and the son of Drefong has very nice breeding for switching to the dirt. At a price, he could find the exotics.
Saudi Cup Free Picks
You have your online betting account at one of our recommended sites, and you have gotten to know the field. Now, it’s time to get betting! Here are the best bets for Saturday’s 2023 Saudi Cup:
- $20 to win – #2 Country Grammer
- $10 each-way – #12 Lagertha Rhyme
- $1 exacta key – #2 Country Grammer with #9 Scotland Yard, #12 Lagertha Rhyme
- $0.50 trifecta key – #2 Country Grammer with #5 Geoglyph, #9 Scotland Yard, #12 Lagertha Rhyme
- $0.20 superfecta key – #2 Country Grammer with #5 Geoglyph, #9 Scotland Yard, #10 Taiba, #12 Lagertha Rhyme
