Dettori confirmed for Saudi Cup International Jockeys Challenge

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Frankie Dettori won the 2020 stc 1351 Turf Sprint with Dark Power. (JCSA)
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Caitlin Jones collects her 2022 IJC trophy, alongside Glen Boss, left, and Joel Rosario. (JCSA)
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Updated 20 February 2023
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Dettori confirmed for Saudi Cup International Jockeys Challenge

  • Last year’s winner Caitlin Jones returns, while Joao Moreira and Chantal Sutherland make first trips to Saudi Arabia
  • The Italian will make his 11th seasonal appearance in Saudi Arabia, where he has ridden six winners from 72 rides, on what promises to be his final year in the saddle

RIYADH: Frankie Dettori will compete in the Saudi Cup International Jockeys Challenge (IJC) at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on February 24.

The Italian will make his 11th seasonal appearance in Saudi Arabia, where he has ridden six winners from 72 rides, on what promises to be his final year in the saddle.

Asked what it meant to be invited to ride in the IJC, which is held on the Friday of Saudi Cup weekend, Dettori said: “In my final year as a jockey I want to go to as many places as possible and being able to compete in the IJC at The Saudi Cup is a huge event that I’m delighted to be a part of.

“This will be one of my final chances to share a weighing room with some of the world’s greatest jockeys, and I look forward to seeing who else I’m going to come up against. Joao Moreira has been confirmed, as has last year’s winner Caitlin Jones, so the competition already looks pretty fierce!”

“I know both the dirt and the turf tracks well having ridden in Riyadh quite a lot over the years, and it’s a place I enjoy riding at as it’s very fair and the surfaces are always in great condition. It’s also a great warm-up event for the big Group races on the Saturday, and of course The Saudi Cup itself, which I’d love to win.”

Australian rider Caitlin Jones won last year’s IJC and has been invited back to defend her title.

Speaking about her experience of riding in and winning the IJC in 2022, Jones said: “It’s hard to believe it’s nearly been a year since I rode in the International Jockeys Challenge. It was extra special to ride alongside Glen Boss during his last hurrah and have him standing on the podium with me. That’s a memory I will never forget.

“I hadn’t had much experience on a dirt track, but it was a great surface to race on. You could travel wherever you were and if you were good enough you could win from anywhere. There wasn’t a lot of kickback, it’s an elite surface on every level. They’ve done a wonderful job with it.

“I couldn’t be happier to have been asked to come back and try to retain my title – it would be pretty cheeky if I managed it, wouldn’t it?! I’ll be going out there with every intention of taking it out a second time, but you need a lot of luck with the horses you get drawn. I can’t wait to be back competing in Saudi Arabia again.”

Four-time Hong Kong Champion Jockey, Joao Moreira, is another of the high-profile names to be confirmed to ride in the four-race challenge.

The Brazilian is back in his native land after leaving Hong Kong last year but is planning to ride more internationally in the coming months.

Moreira said: “I’m excited and looking forward to riding in the International Jockeys Challenge. This is a great opportunity for me to ride in a place I’ve never been before, and I wouldn’t miss a chance to ride at a different racecourse and to get that stamp on my CV.

“I’ve heard the infrastructure is good over there and I’ve no doubt that the event they are going to put on will be top-class. Whoever is there, I’m sure they are going to see some great riders doing their best and putting on a very good show.

“Frankie’s just a brilliant rider, he’s the best. Getting the chance to ride with him once again is fantastic.”

The second of the seven female riders to be confirmed is Canadian Chantal Sutherland, who has ridden over 1,200 winners, including three Grade 1s to date, and is set to take her first rides in Saudi Arabia.

Sutherland said: “It’s a huge opportunity which I’m super excited about. I’ve never been to Saudi but it’s always been on the bucket list as I love these jockey challenges. I’ve had a really good year in Florida so far and I can’t wait to head over.

“To ride against the likes of Frankie [Dettori] and Caitlin Jones is a real honor. I know Frankie well and have ridden against him plenty of times — he’s a lot of fun and the crowds always love him. Anyone of us could win it, but I’m going to give it my all – I’d love to come out on top. I was obviously very lucky to come second in the Breeders’ Cup Classic a few years ago, but if I could win the IJC it would top that.

“Racing in Saudi is getting bigger and bigger and everyone I’ve spoken to has been really positive about it. The prize money is absolutely amazing, and I’m really excited to be part of it all.”

The International Jockeys Challenge features four handicap races, each run for $400,000, with a further $100,000 prize fund for the challenge itself.

The jockeys are made up of seven international female riders, five international men and two local men with the jockeys receiving 15 percent of prize money won in each of the four races.

All races will consist of 14 runners and five reserves, with all 14 jockeys riding in each race.

Two races will be staged on dirt and two on turf, with the distances ranging from 1200m to 2100m.


Jeddah’s IPL auction: Vaibhav Suryavanshi becomes youngest player ever to be sold

Updated 43 min 39 sec ago
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Jeddah’s IPL auction: Vaibhav Suryavanshi becomes youngest player ever to be sold

  • Big money flows as Saudi Arabia makes history with first-ever international cricket event
  • It was an electric, record-breaking mega auction which rewrote history, says IPL 

JEDDAH: The big money flowed on Monday as Saudi Arabia made waves with its first-ever international cricket event, hosting the TATA IPL mega auction in Jeddah, a key event in the sport’s global calendar.

The major highlight of day two was Vaibhav Suryavanshi — a left-handed batsman from the east Indian state of Bihar known for hitting long sixes — becoming the youngest player to be sold at the IPL auction — at just 13 years of age.

Suryavanshi was bought by the Rajasthan Royals for $131,000 in the IPL auction at the Abadi Al-Johar Arena in Jeddah.

Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals went head-to-head for his services and eventually the Royals won the fight.

TATA IPL wrote on X: “Talent meets opportunity indeed. (The) 13-year-old Suryavanshi becomes the youngest player ever to be sold at the #TATAIPL auction. Congratulations to the young star, who now joins Rajasthan Royals.”

Rajasthan Royals said on X: “Vaibhav Suryavanshi, all of 13 years old, entering the IPL!”

Hailing from Samastipur, Suryavanshi has already made headlines with his extraordinary achievements on the field.

During the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy season in the Indian domestic league, Suryavanshi made his debut at just 12 years and 284 days against Mumbai.

Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh made his debut at 15 years and 57 days, while legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar started his career at 15 years and 230 days.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s experience found high demand among IPL franchises at the Jeddah event, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru securing his services for $1.275 million.

Other notable deals included Deepak Chahar, who fetched about $1.1 million from Mumbai Indians despite his injury history, and Mukesh Kumar, retained by Delhi Capitals for about $1 million through the RTM card. Lucknow Super Giants also invested heavily, signing Test pacer Akash Deep for about $1 million.

However, some big names, including Kane Williamson, Shardul Thakur, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, and Glenn Philipps, went unsold during the mega auction.

The auction reflected the high demand for players, especially from India. Indian talents got lucrative deals for even its fringe players.

Star Indian player Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in the history of the IPL as Lucknow Super Giants spent a mind-boggling $3.19 million on the wicketkeeper-batter on the first day of the mega auction.

Jeddah’s TATA IPL mega auction saw plenty of twists, turns, unexpected signings and records broken, as the availability of Indian and international stars was greater than ever and all 10 franchises were looking to rebuild their squads.

The marquee event posted on X at its conclusion: “That’s it from the #TATAIPLAuction Arena in Jeddah. It was an electric, record-breaking mega auction, which rewrote history. Look forward to your company in #TATAIPL 2025.”

Franchise owners also took to X to express their great excitement.

One of the owners of Punjab Kings and famous Bollywood actor Preity Zinta wrote: “Day 1, nothing less than A1! Punjab Kings are on fire and ready to soar! #IPL2025Auction.”

On day two, she went on to take advice from fans, and wrote: “So how is the auction going folks? Are our fans happy? If not, any more recommendations/suggestions? Bring it on ! #PBKS #IPLAuction2025.”

Owner partner of Kolkata Knight Riders Juhi Chawla Mehta was excited as she posted on X a video of Jeddah with the caption “Destination Jeddah … IPL auction 2025 #ipl2025auction #IPLAuction #Kolkatknightriders #KKR.”

In another post sharing a video of the auction venue, she wrote: “Getting mega auction ready with our CEO Venky Mysore, and mentor DJ Bravo! @VenkyMysore @DJBravo47.”

The squads of the league’s 10 franchises — Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, ‎Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Sunrisers Hyderabad — were finalized on Monday from a pool of 574 players.

The IPL will enter its 18th season in March next year, and the Red Sea city of Jeddah became an important stop en route.

The names of Dubai, London, Riyadh and Jeddah were touted before the Red Sea city was chosen by the Board of Control for Cricket in India for the marquee event.


Ronaldo delivers another Al-Nassr triumph in Asia

Updated 46 min 16 sec ago
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Ronaldo delivers another Al-Nassr triumph in Asia

  • Al-Nassr on brink of knockout stages after win

RIYADH: Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Al-Nassr triumphed 3-1 at Al-Gharafa of Qatar on Monday to move to the brink of the knockout stages of the AFC Champions League Elite with three group games still to play.

All the goals came in the second half as the Saudi Arabians moved onto 13 points and second place in the group, just two points behind leaders Al-Ahli who earlier won 2-1 at Al-Ain of the UAE.

Al-Nassr made most of the running in the first half but just could not find a way through.

Ronaldo had an early shot saved by Sergio Rico and the Spanish goalkeeper made a diving stop to then push away a shot from the Portuguese star as Al-Nassr pressed again after 19 minutes. 

Soon after it was the turn of Al-Gharafa to go close and Bento had to get down well to save from Wajdi Kechrida at his near post.

Al-Nassr were awarded a penalty just before the half hour as Matias Nani chopped down Sadio Mane on the left side of the area. It looked a clear decision by the referee and Ronaldo put the ball down on the spot ready to shoot his team into the lead before VAR intervened to overrule and keep the game goalless.

Ronaldo had a great chance in the 34th minute but somehow headed Marcelo Brozovic’s left-sided free-kick wide from close range.

It had been a frustrating period for the star and it got worse just before the break as the five-time Ballon d’Or winner had a goalbound shot blocked.

He was determined to put it right, though, and did so within the first minute of the second half. Angelo got to the byline on the right and his perfect cross was met by Ronaldo’s thundering header that flew into the bottom corner to give Rico no chance. 

Two minutes before the hour, Angelo swapped passes with Otavio and then skipped past the goalkeeper to extend Al-Nassr’s lead and then, six minutes later, Ronaldo got his second. He was found inside the box by Angelo, turned his defender and then fired home high into the net.

That was that, or so everyone thought, before Spanish striker Joselu pulled one back with 17 minutes remaining.

There was still time for Al-Gharafa’s Seydou Sano to receive his marching orders following two yellow cards, but Al-Nassr saw out the match to complete another perfect day for Saudi Arabian clubs in Asia.


Faisal Khan joins brother in century club as Saudi Arabia registers consecutive wins

Updated 25 November 2024
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Faisal Khan joins brother in century club as Saudi Arabia registers consecutive wins

  • Opener Faisal Khan scored his maiden T20I century as the Kingdom chased down a target of 162 runs with 28 balls remaining
  • Faisal is the second Saudi player to score a century in the tournament, following his elder brother Abdul Waheed, who scored a century in the first match against Bahrain

Saudi Arabia registered its second straight win in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier after beating Cambodia by five wickets in Qatar on Monday.

Opener Faisal Khan scored his maiden T20I century as the Kingdom chased down a target of 162 runs with 28 balls remaining.

Faisal is the second Saudi player to score a century in the tournament, following his elder brother Abdul Waheed, who scored a century in the first match against Bahrain and also happens to be his opening partner.

Against Cambodia, Faisal completed his half-century in just 20 balls, with 22 runs coming off the last four balls of Shah Abrar Hussain’s fifth over. Faisal’s blitzkrieg innings meant Saudi Arabia was 86-0 at the end of six overs.

Faisal and Abdul shared a 116-run partnership for the first wicket in just 9.5 overs as Saudi Arabia started off well. Abdul was stumped for 34 runs off Chadha, a dismissal that left Faisal fuming. Even though the chase was half done, Faisal felt it would have been special to share the moment of his century with his elder brother.

He was batting on 81 when Abdul returned to the pavilion. Faisal needed six more balls to reach three figures as he hit a six off Gireesh when on 94. Faisal was caught out on the last ball of the same over, ending with 101 runs off 42 balls. He hit six fours and 10 sixes in his innings. Faisal is only the third Saudi player to score a century in T20Is, after Waji Ul Hasan’s 115 not out vs. Bhutan in February 2024 and elder brother Abdul’s 110 vs. Bahrain last Tuesday.

Faisal said that the moment would have been even more special had Abdul been with him at the other end. “I was very angry when he got out and the way he got dismissed. I was hitting the ball well, so, he just needed to occupy the crease and be with me. We have come through a lot, and had he been there, it would have been even more special,” he told Arab News.

He feels it is easier to bat with his brother at the other end. “We play for Pak Shaeens back in Saudi Arabia, so, there is an understanding in the game. We have started playing together too, and whenever he is around, I am comfortable. It feels like my brother will make it right if something goes wrong from my end,” he added.

Elder brother Waheed was happy to see Faisal back in form and said it was a proud moment for the family. “The moment he got to the century was special, even though I was clapping from the pavilion. I know he feels comfortable talking and batting with me, as we share feedback consistently. It is a proud moment for our family that both of us have scored centuries. I hope we can contribute similarly to our team’s success in the coming days,” he said.

Saudi Arabia needed only 21 runs when Faisal was out. They lost two more wickets but were safely home in the 16th over. Faisal said that the team was looking for a big win from ball one, as they had an eye on the run rate.

“We needed to win big to stay in the hunt for qualification, and hitting the ball was the approach from ball one. The ball was coming well off my bat, and I just kept using powerplay restrictions to my advantage. I knew we could chase the total within 14-15 overs,” he said.

Earlier in the day, Cambodia put up 161 runs for six wickets in their 20 overs after being invited to bat first at the University of Doha for Science and Technology ground. Lakshit Gupta top-scored with 62 runs off 45 balls, hitting four fours and three sixes. Uday Hathinjar added 16 runs and Luqman Butt contributed 26 runs, helping to build the score. Mahaj Chadha also played well toward the end, scoring 24 runs not out.

Cambodia had two strong partnerships at the start, with Hathinjar and Gupta adding 46 runs in five overs. Luqman stayed with Gupta to reach 109 in the 14th over, but the wickets tumbled at regular intervals thereafter. Ishtiaq Ahmad and Usman Najeeb took two wickets each for Saudi Arabia.

After losing the first two matches against Bahrain and the UAE, Saudi Arabia has won three consecutive games, putting the side back in the frame for qualification. The top two teams from this seven-team qualifier will qualify for the regional final, which serves as a pathway for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be held in 2026.

Saudi Arabia is fourth in the table with four points and will face third-place Thailand, who have six points. The UAE and Qatar, who face each other on Tuesday, are both unbeaten and have eight points from four matches. Bahrain also has four points but is behind Saudi Arabia in net run rate. Cambodia and Bhutan are at the bottom without any points.

Saudi Arabia is facing Thailand on Tuesday and will face Qatar on Thursday, which could be a winner-takes-all match to get to the qualifier. Faisal is focused on the match against Thailand, taking the remaining matches as two finals.

“We know how important the match against Qatar is going to be, but first, we are focused on the Thailand match. We will try to give our best to get the win and then only think about Qatar. A win is the only result that will take us forward, so, we are determined to make it happen. To get better matches, to improve our ranking and to make ourselves better, we need to win the two finals from here,” he added.

Faisal feels that the tournament is very important for the development of the sport in the Kingdom, too. “If we go through to the qualifiers, we will have more programs. Right now, there are no turf pitches for us to train on, which is why we find it hard in the first matches. Getting to the next round will only aid our development phase, and we are hopeful of achieving it,” he said.

For the final round of regional qualifiers, Malaysia and Kuwait have already booked their spots from the Asia Group A qualifier, while Samoa and Japan are representing the East Asia-Pacific region. Nepal, Oman and Papua New Guinea will also compete in the regional finals as they qualified for the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup, held in the US and West Indies.


Toney double sends perfect Al-Ahli into knockout stages in Asia

Updated 25 November 2024
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Toney double sends perfect Al-Ahli into knockout stages in Asia

  • Al-Ain had the better of the chances until Toney came off the bench in the second half and made the difference with two fine finishes
  • Riyad Mahrez floated over a free-kick from the left and Toney sent the perfect header into the bottom corner to give Eisa no chance

AL-AIN: Ivan Toney scored twice to give Al-Ahli a 2-1 win at Al-Ain on Monday, taking top spot in their AFC Champions League Elite group with five wins from five and a place in the knockout stages with three group games remaining. It also condemned Al-Ain, the holders of the trophy, to their fourth defeat in five matches.

Al-Ain had the better of the chances until Toney came off the bench in the second half and made the difference with two fine finishes

In the first half, Al-Ahli’s best effort came on the stroke of half-time as Roberto Firmino burst into the right side of the area only to pull his shot just wide of the near post. 

Before then Al-Ain had come closer. The dangerous Moroccan Soufiane Rahimi had forced a save from Edouard Mendy and soon after the former Chelsea goalkeeper had to get down well once more to deny Kodjo Laba.

Early in the second half, Franck Kessie drew a rare save from Khalid Eisa but it was Mendy again in action just after the hour as he had to leap high to push a header from Kouame Kouadio that was heading in.

The deadlock was broken 20 minutes from the end with a goal made in the English Premier League. Riyad Mahrez floated over a free-kick from the left and there was Toney, who had been on the pitch for just a few minutes, to send the perfect header into the bottom corner to give Eisa no chance.

It almost got worse seconds later as Firmino fired home a rocket from the edge of the area but the flag went up for offside in the build-up. It did not matter as Toney added a second with another beauty, and another top-class assist from Mahrez who curled one into the box from the right for the England striker to half-volley home.

Al-Ain pulled a goal back in the 93rd minute thanks to a thunderous strike from Kaku from the edge of the area but it was not enough to stop Al-Ain crashing to a third defeat against Saudi Arabian opposition in the space of a few weeks after losing 5-4 to Al-Hilal and then 5-1 to Al-Nassr. 

Al-Ahli, however, go marching on in Asia and with their firepower will take some stopping, and coach Matthias Jiassle told Arab News he was full of pride of his charges for their progress.

He said: “I'm very proud...this is the result of the hard work we have been doing this season in this competition. Our focus is on maintaining our high level of performance in order to extend this positive run and go as far as possible in the Champions League.”


Saudi Pro League partners with Word Football Summit for WFS Asia show in Riyadh

Updated 25 November 2024
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Saudi Pro League partners with Word Football Summit for WFS Asia show in Riyadh

  • Set to take place on Dec. 2-3 at Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District, the event will bring together more than 2,000 industry leaders

LONDON: The Saudi Pro League, Asia’s top-ranked football league, and the World Football Summit announced on Monday a strategic partnership ahead of the WFS Asia 2024 in Saudi Arabia.

Set to take place on Dec. 2-3 at Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District, the event will bring together more than 2,000 industry leaders to discuss and shape the future of football business.

“We are delighted to partner with the World Football Summit,” said Omar Mugharbel, CEO of the Saudi Pro League.

“This collaboration serves as a platform to welcome the global football industry to Saudi Arabia, fostering opportunities for shared growth and mutual prosperity. From our humble beginnings with just eight teams to becoming Asia’s top-ranked league today, our journey highlights the transformative power of football in driving both sporting excellence and societal progress,” he added.

Jan Alessie, co-founder and director of the World Football Summit said the SPL’s success in recent years has been rooted in three key pillars: nurturing young talent, securing world-class international players, and improving club governance.

This evolution aligns seamlessly with WFS Asia’s mission to drive innovation in football business, making the event a natural platform for the SPL to share its insights and experiences.

“The Saudi Pro League’s evolution represents one of the most remarkable stories in modern football,” he said.

“Their commitment to developing local talent while attracting global stars has created a unique model that deserves industry-wide attention. This partnership will provide invaluable insights for football executives worldwide,” he added.

The key themes for the 2024 edition of WFS Asia are the integration of cutting-edge technology in football and the innovation of fan engagement strategies to enhance the sport’s appeal and accessibility.

Additionally, the summit will emphasize the development of sports tourism, showcasing football’s potential to drive economic growth. Sustainability in football will also take center stage, highlighting environmentally conscious practices within the industry.

The event will further spotlight the growth of women’s football and the importance of youth development programs, reinforcing the Kingdom’s dedication to inclusivity and nurturing future talent.