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Saudi Cup Meeting - Review of The Riyadh Dirt Sprint

A Winner for Frankie Dettori.

ELITE POWER winning the Riyadh Dirt Sprint at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
ELITE POWER winning the Riyadh Dirt Sprint at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Picture: Francois Nel/Getty Images

Elite Power ran out a dominant winner of the Riyadh Dirt Sprint (G3) to give jockey Frankie Dettori victory at The Saudi Cup Meeting before retiring from the saddle at the end of the year. 

The Juddmonte-owned five-year-old is trained in the United States by Bill Mott and had previously won the Breeders' Cup Sprint last November, setting the standard against a competitive field. He won easily by three-and-a-quarter l.engths from another American runner Gunite

The race was settled with 200m to run as Dettori unleashed a lethal turn of foot from Elite Power who had been midfield through the initial stages. 

"My first word has to be aeroplane. I was a little out of reach and asked him to get a little closer and then the turbo just kicked in and I was a passenger then. 

"He's a very laid-back horse and only does what you ask him to do but wow he has some turn of foot. 

"The Abdullah family has given so much to the sport; the legacy keeps going. I love these colours (Dettori also rode Enable to Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe victories wearing these colours) and it's nice to give the locals something to cheer about." 

Assistant trainer to Bill Mott, Neil Poznansky added: 

"He's a big strong animal. He shows nothing but class. He shipped over here like he was here his whole life. He's a good horse, a very good horse. His turn of foot is incredible, he's just incredible to watch, a magnificent animal.  

"He's really coming into himself and getting better as he was really slow to mature. Now he's putting it all together. For Frankie and Juddmonte it was like a whole dynasty thing." 

The Japanese challenger Remake finished two lengths further back in third whilst last year's winner Dancing Prince disappointed and could only manage fifth. The winning time was 1:11.01. 


Racing and Sports



Riyadh Saturday, 25th February 2023

5f212y DIRT FAST
SAR ر.س5,625,000

G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint Preseted By Sports Boulevard

SAR ر.س5,625,000
Age: 3yo and up Sex: CF Type: CUP
5f212y DIRT FAST
FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 2. ELITE POWER (USA) 5yo H
CURLIN (USA) - BROADWAY'S ALIBI (USA)
LANFRANCO DETTORI
WILLIAM I MOTT
$2.75
57kg
JUDDMONTE

Sales Information

2nd 4. GUNITE (USA) 4yo H
GUN RUNNER (USA) - SIMPLE SURPRISE (USA)
TYLER GAFFALIONE
STEVEN ASMUSSEN
$4
57kg
Winchell Thoroughbreds, LLC

Sales Information

3rd 8. REMAKE (JPN) 4yo H
LANI (USA) - SARIEL (JPN)
Y FUKUNAGA
KOICHI SHINTANI
$7.5
57kg
KOJI MAEDA
4th 5. JUSTIN (JPN) 7yo H
ORFEVRE (JPN) - SYNESTHESIA (USA)
RYUSEI SAKAI
Y YAHAGI
$26
57kg
5th 1. DANCING PRINCE (JPN) 7yo H
PAS DE TROIS (JPN) - LITTLE BLESSING (JPN)
DAMIAN LANE
KEISUKE MIYATA
$5
57kg
6th 9. RYUNO YUKINA (JPN) 8yo H
VERMILION (JPN) - NEO COLOR (JPN)
Y SHIBATA
JIRO ONO
$26
57kg
7th 3. FREEDOM FIGHTER (USA) 5yo H
VIOLENCE (USA) - CANADIAN BALLET (USA)
TADHG O'SHEA
S SEEMAR
$26
57kg
8th 7. PAGAN (IRE) 5yo G
SIR PRANCEALOT (IRE) - STYLE (IRE)
A ALSARHANI
FI ALMANDILL
$21
57kg

Sales Information

9th 6. MERAAS (GB) 6yo G
OASIS DREAM (GB) - REHN'S NEST (IRE)
ABNER ADORNO
CHAD SUMMERS
$17
57kg

Sales Information

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