By Alan Carasso
The Ken McPeek-trained Rattle N Roll (Connect) had just one horse beaten for the opening six furlongs of Saturday's $400,000 Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup (King's Cup), a race carrying international Group 3 status for the first time and earning the winner a guaranteed spot in the field for the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup four weeks down the road.
Quietly ridden by Joel Rosario, who had earlier won the Riyadh Dirt Sprint qualifier for Jimmy Jerkens aboard Ancestral Land (GB) (Sioux Nation), Rattle N Roll was felt for about three furlongs out as the now Saudi-owned and Doug O'Neill-conditioned E J Won the Cup (Omaha Beach) blazed a trail up front beneath Mike Smith. Finding his best stride in upper stretch, Rattle N Roll was steered back down towards the inside by Rosario and slalomed his way home to a highly impressive 4 3/4-length victory accomplished largely against the track profile.
Wait To Excel (GB) (Postponed {Ire}) and Wootton'sun (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) rounded out an excellent afternoon for Prince Faisal's Red Stable in second and third. In addition to the aforementioned Ancestral Land, Prince Faisal's colours were also borne upon Ameerat Alzamaan (GB) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}), who ran her record to three-from-three in the '1000 Guineas', a 1600-metre conditions test that could lead to a start in the G3 Saudi Derby. The Derby qualifier itself was taken out by Mhally (GB) (Sergei Prokofiev).
On Friday, Malyan (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}) took out the Turf Sprint Qualifier, while Bolide Porto (Ire) (Le Havre {Ire}) won the Listed Prince Khalid Abdullah Cup, the course-and-distance prep for next month's G2 Neom Turf Cup.
Rattle N Roll, last-out winner of the GII Clark Stakes in November and a Grade I winner at two, is campaigned by Lucky Seven Stables but carried the silks of Saudi businessman Sharaf Mohamad Alhairi, the same gentleman who leased Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) prior to his victory in last year's Saudi Cup.
A half-sister to the stakes-winning Rap Tale (Tale of the Cat), Jazz Tune is also responsible for the 3-year-old colt Map of Donegal (Liam's Map), placed once from three career starts; a 2-year-old colt by Quality Road and a yearling filly by Epicenter who was bought back on a bid of $95,000 at the recently concluded Keeneland January Sale. The mare is due to Epicenter once again for her 2025 foal.
Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia
CUSTODIAN OF THE TWO HOLY MOSQUES CUP (King's Cup) (KSA-G1) (Saudi Cup 2025 Qualifier)-G3, SAR1,500,000 (£323,850/$399,900), King Abdulaziz, 1-25, 4yo/up, 1800m, 1:52.95, ft.
1–RATTLE N ROLL, 128, h, 6, by Connect
1st Dam: Jazz Tune, by Johannesburg
2nd Dam: Rap and Dance, by Pleasant Tap
3rd Dam: Dance Review, by Northern Dancer
($55,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $210,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Lucky Seven Stable & Sharaf Mohamed Alhairi; B-St Simon Place (KY); T-Ken McPeek; J-Joel Rosario; SAR750,000. Lifetime Record: GISW-US, 24-10-2-3, $.2,341,591 Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Wait To Excel (GB), 128, h, 6, Postponed (Ire)–Al Baidaa (GB), by Exceed and Excel (Aus). 1ST BLACK-TYPE, 1ST GROUP BLACK-TYPE. (35,000gns HRA '23 TATAUT). O-Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin A/Aziz; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Limited; T-T Aldaihani; J-N Almudaini; SAR300,000.
3–Wootton'sun (Fr), 128, g, 6, Wootton Bassett (GB)– Sous Le Soleil, by Tizway. 1ST GROUP BLACK-TYPE. (€75,000 Wlg '19 ARQDEC; 100,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT; €80,000 HRA '22 ARQAUG; 170,000gns HRA '23 TATAUT). O-Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin A/Aziz; B-H Viallon; T-A M Al Kahtani; J-A Alsarhani; SAR225,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, NK, 1 1/4.
Also Ran: Mr Trinket (Ire), Almaan, E J Won the Cup, Almobeer (KSA), Final Destination (GB), Waqtuk, Carmel Road, Carracci, Jack Red Cloud (Ire), Akfeek, Scotland Yard, Uncle (GB), Ajwadi (GB), Badr, Off The Map, Power In Numbers, Raaed (Ire). Scratched: Defunded, Haqeet, Alia, Royal Mews (Fr).
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