CLASSIC winner Sonnyboyliston will head the Irish team taking part in the $35 million Saudi Cup meeting next weekend.

The Johnnny Murtagh-trained five-year-old is one of three Irish-trained horses due to run in the $2.75 million Red Sea Handicap over 15 furlongs on Saturday. Tony Mullins is sending Princess Zoe for the same race, and Joseph O’Brien will be represented by Baron Samedi.

Winner of the Ebor Handicap and Irish St Leger last year, Sonnyboyliston recently galloped after racing at Leopardstown and has had two light pieces of work on the Curragh since then.

Liam Clarke of the Kildare Racing Club, owners of Sonnyboyliston, said: “The horse is in great form. I had him at home for two months and he did very well - he’s bigger and stronger this year. I think he will go run well in Saudi, even though the tight turf track is not ideal for him.”

The horse has not missed any work during the winter, the trainer said. “He’s fresh and well. He improved right through his three-year-old career and last year he was a bit stronger again.

“He came back in from his break in great shape and he’d put on a bit of weight. He’s only five and he’s a slow-maturing horse so he should be in his prime.”

Still owned by the Kildare Racing Club, Sonnyboyliston also has an entry in the Dubai Gold Cup at the end of March but Murtagh says the horse will come back to Ireland after Saudi before a decision on Dubai is made.

The same plan applies to Baron Samedi. A spokesperson for Joseph O’Brien said: “Baron Samedi and Thunder Moon [runs in the seven-and-a-half-furlong turf race] head to Saudi next week. They won’t be staying there, they will return home, albeit Baron Samedi could head back out to Dubai. Ryan Moore rides Baron Samedi and Christophe Soumillon is on Thunder Moon.”

Michael Browne had hoped to run Logo Hunter in a sprint race in Saudi Arabia but scratched the idea when forced to withdraw the horse from his intended prep race at Dundalk last weekend.

Browne explained: “We were hopeful he would run well at Dundalk but he was very quiet in himself before the race, so we took his temperature and it was way too high. He’s fine again now. We might send him to Dubai for the six-furlong Al Quoz on turf but there’s no need to decide on that yet.”