MELBOURNE Cup runner-up Goodie Two Shoes heads a sizable Irish contingent set to race on the Saudi Cup card in Riyadh next Saturday.

Owned by J.P. McManus, Goodie Two Shoes is one of three Joseph O’Brien-trained horses described as likely runners in the $2.5 million Red Sea Handicap. Run over a mile and seven furlongs on the turf, the race is also the target for stable companions Tennessee Stud and Sons And Lovers. The Willie Mullins-trained Absurde, who has run with credit in the last three Melbourne Cups, is another intended starter.

Dylan Browne McMonagle will jet into Riyadh from Hong Kong, where he has been among the winners lately, to ride for the O’Brien stable. The yard also plans to run Galen in the Neom Turf Cup over an extended 10 furlongs. Last year O’Brien saddled Al Riffa to finish second in the race.

“Dylan will fly in to ride in the International Jockeys’ Challenge on Friday and then he will ride Galen in the Neom Turf Cup and Goodie Two Shoes in the Red Sea Handicap on Saturday evening,” O’Brien confirmed. “James Doyle will ride Sons And Lovers and Ryan Moore will ride Tennessee Stud. All four horses have had a good preparation for this trip and these races and we’re looking forward to seeing them run.”

There could be up to six British-trained runners in the Red Sea Handicap, plus the French-trained Presage Nocturne who started favourite for the Melbourne Cup but finished down the field.

Survie (George Boughey), Royal Champion (Karl Burke) and Phantom Flight (George Scott) are the British challengers for the Neom Turf Cup, a race which may also have three Japanese runners.

Commanhe Brave has been entered by Donnacha O’Brien for the 1351 Turf Sprint, a race in which the French-trained Lazzat will be hard to beat. There won’t be a European runner in the $20 million Saudi Cup. Last year’s winner Forever Young is the likely favourite, in what will be the five-year-old’s first start since winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic last November.

Bob Baffert has two entries - Nysos and Nevada Beach, who finished first and second in a Grade 2 race at Santa Anita in late December.