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 海角直播, 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: 鈥淚n 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鈥檓 delighted to be a part of.
鈥淭his will be one of my final chances to share a weighing room with some of the world鈥檚 greatest jockeys, and I look forward to seeing who else I鈥檓 going to come up against. Joao Moreira has been confirmed, as has last year鈥檚 winner Caitlin Jones, so the competition already looks pretty fierce!鈥
鈥淚 know both the dirt and the turf tracks well having ridden in Riyadh quite a lot over the years, and it鈥檚 a place I enjoy riding at as it鈥檚 very fair and the surfaces are always in great condition. It鈥檚 also a great warm-up event for the big Group races on the Saturday, and of course The Saudi Cup itself, which I鈥檇 love to win.鈥
Australian rider Caitlin Jones won last year鈥檚 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: 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to believe it鈥檚 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鈥檚 a memory I will never forget.
鈥淚 hadn鈥檛 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鈥檛 a lot of kickback, it鈥檚 an elite surface on every level. They鈥檝e done a wonderful job with it.
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 be happier to have been asked to come back and try to retain my title 鈥 it would be pretty cheeky if I managed it, wouldn鈥檛 it?! I鈥檒l 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鈥檛 wait to be back competing in 海角直播 again.鈥
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: 鈥淚鈥檓 excited and looking forward to riding in the International Jockeys Challenge. This is a great opportunity for me to ride in a place I鈥檝e never been before, and I wouldn鈥檛 miss a chance to ride at a different racecourse and to get that stamp on my CV.
鈥淚鈥檝e heard the infrastructure is good over there and I鈥檝e no doubt that the event they are going to put on will be top-class. Whoever is there, I鈥檓 sure they are going to see some great riders doing their best and putting on a very good show.
鈥淔rankie鈥檚 just a brilliant rider, he鈥檚 the best. Getting the chance to ride with him once again is fantastic.鈥
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 海角直播.
Sutherland said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge opportunity which I鈥檓 super excited about. I鈥檝e never been to Saudi but it鈥檚 always been on the bucket list as I love these jockey challenges. I鈥檝e had a really good year in Florida so far and I can鈥檛 wait to head over.
鈥淭o 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 鈥 he鈥檚 a lot of fun and the crowds always love him. Anyone of us could win it, but I鈥檓 going to give it my all 鈥 I鈥檇 love to come out on top. I was obviously very lucky to come second in the Breeders鈥 Cup Classic a few years ago, but if I could win the IJC it would top that.
鈥淩acing in Saudi is getting bigger and bigger and everyone I鈥檝e spoken to has been really positive about it. The prize money is absolutely amazing, and I鈥檓 really excited to be part of it all.鈥
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.
