Yoshito Yahagi doesn’t deal in half-measures, and when he returns to King Abdulaziz Racecourse this weekend, it will be with a horse carrying both momentum and expectation. Forever Young, already etched into international racing lore, will attempt something no runner has yet achieved: a second victory in the Group 1 Saudi Cup.

Twelve months ago, Yahagi arrived in Riyadh convinced his Japanese star would take stopping. There was only one caveat in his mind—Hong Kong icon Romantic Warrior, attempting dirt for the first time. What followed was one of the great Saudi Cup finishes: Romantic Warrior striking the front in the straight, Forever Young digging in late, and Ryusei Sakai forcing his mount past the line by a neck after only grabbing the lead in the final strides.

Yahagi admitted afterward that the result was far from certain in real time. From the saddle, Sakai wore down a rival many thought had done enough. From the trainer’s vantage point, it was a race that underlined just how special both horses are—and why Forever Young is now being talked about in historic terms.

Since that Riyadh thriller, Forever Young has only enhanced his reputation. Last November at Del Mar, he became the first Japanese-trained horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic, a breakthrough moment not just for his stable but for Japan’s global standing in the sport. The Tokyo Daishoten was deliberately bypassed in the aftermath, Yahagi opting for patience rather than pressing on with a horse who had already scaled new heights.

Preparation for Riyadh has been steady rather than spectacular. Yahagi acknowledged that Forever Young carried extra condition early in the build-up, but improvement has been consistent, and confidence is drawn from the track itself. The long home straight and anti-clockwise configuration are ideal, and the familiarity between horse and rider remains a major asset. Sakai, who also partnered Forever Young to victory in the Saudi Derby, knows exactly how to time his challenge.

A third Saudi Cup would be Yahagi’s overall target as well. Panthalassa delivered in 2023, Forever Young followed in 2025, and another success would further cement the trainer’s remarkable international résumé—already featuring wins on Dubai World Cup night, in Hong Kong, and in Australia’s Cox Plate.

For Yahagi, though, the Breeders’ Cup Classic carried a significance beyond trophies. He sees it as a turning point for Japanese racing, proof that the country can compete—and win—on the biggest stages. Strong fan engagement and wagering turnover continue to fuel prize-money growth, encouraging owners to invest heavily. In Yahagi’s view, the ecosystem is healthy, ambitious, and still climbing.

The immediate future is clear. Saudi Arabia comes first, followed by a return to Meydan for the Dubai World Cup, where Forever Young was third last year. What happens after that—particularly with the Breeders’ Cup moving to Keeneland later this season—remains open and will be decided with owner Susumu Fujita.

Yahagi’s Saudi ambitions do not rest on one horse alone. Shin Emperor also returns as a defending champion, aiming to repeat his front-running success in the Howden Neom Turf Cup, now elevated to Group 1 status with a $3 million purse. The full-brother to Arc hero Sottsass has been trained with this race firmly in mind, and Yahagi believes the flat 2100-metre trip on good ground plays squarely to his strengths. Importantly, he adds that Shin Emperor is still improving.

If Forever Young succeeds again on Saturday, the result will resonate far beyond Riyadh. It would confirm a rare champion, validate a carefully plotted campaign, and underline a simple truth that Yahagi has been quietly proving for years: Japanese racing is no longer chasing the world—it is helping to set the standard.

Image Breeders' Cup/Eclipse Sportswire adapted