Japan’s Forever Young (JPN) delivered a thrilling victory over Hong Kong’s Romantic Warrior (IRE) in a gripping edition of The Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, winning by a neck in a dramatic showdown.

The much-anticipated duel between the two stars lived up to expectations, as both horses broke sharply from the gates. Walk Of Stars (GB) set the early pace, closely followed by Ryusei Sakai aboard Forever Young, while James McDonald positioned Romantic Warrior wider to avoid the kickback in his dirt debut.

With 400 meters to go, McDonald made a bold move, and for a moment, it seemed as if the world's highest-earning racehorse would add another major victory to his impressive résumé. However, Forever Young, the 2023 Saudi Derby winner, refused to be shaken off. Sakai’s mount, showing his affinity for the track, reeled in his rival in the closing strides, securing victory in 1:49.099. Ushba Tesoro (JPN) finished a distant third, 10 and a half lengths behind the top two.

The triumph added to a memorable night for trainer Yoshito Yahagi, Sakai, and owner Susumu Fujita, who had earlier captured the US$2 million Howden Neom Turf Cup with Shin Emperor (FR). Yahagi, no stranger to success in Riyadh, previously claimed the 2023 Saudi Cup with Panthalassa.

Post-Race Reactions

Yoshito Yahagi, trainer of Forever Young (1st place):
“This is my second Saudi Cup win, and no matter how many times you win this race, the feeling is incredible. I wasn’t confident, but I believed in him.

“When he won the Saudi Derby last year, he wasn’t even in peak condition. He has improved significantly since then and was in top shape today. I’m grateful to The Saudi Cup team for their support. Next stop: the Dubai World Cup.”

Ryusei Sakai, jockey of Forever Young:
“He broke well from gate 14 and found a great position early, which was exactly what I had planned. I had full faith in Forever Young—I never thought we would lose. This is the greatest moment of my career.”

James McDonald, jockey of Romantic Warrior (2nd place):
“He ran an amazing race, and I’m incredibly proud of him. He moved into contention beautifully and kept his momentum. We weren’t stopping—it just shows how good Forever Young is. What a race.”

Danny Shum, trainer of Romantic Warrior:
“He ran a tremendous race on his first attempt on dirt. The winner is a high-class dirt performer and only just beat us. We gave it our best shot.

“We always aim to win, but racing is unpredictable. James was happy with his performance, and so am I. Romantic Warrior will now head back to Dubai for the Dubai Turf—definitely on turf.”

Joel Rosario, jockey of Rattle N Roll (5th place):
“My trip was fine. He ran his usual race, coming from behind, but just couldn’t catch the leaders. This was a tougher group than last time, but he finished strong. I think he needs 2000 meters.”

Forever Young’s Saudi Cup victory cements his status as a world-class dirt performer. With his next target set for Dubai, the racing world eagerly awaits his next move on the global stage.

 Image JCSA