WHILE cards are being played close to the chests of potential participants, the news that the champion 2019 three-year-old colt in waiting in the USA, Maximum Security, could make his next start in the $20 million Saudi Cup at the end of February is the type of publicity that the organisers could surely only have dreamed about when they announced details of the world’s richest race.

Entries close for the race, and the valuable undercard, on Tuesday next and it will be interesting to see what potential runners from Ireland could be heading there. With $1.5 million up for grabs for the winner of the staying handicap, there will surely be an interest from here in some of the contests. There are races on turf and dirt.