Forever Young has already created plenty of history in his career and now he is out to become the first dual winner of the Saudi Cup on Saturday.

Trained by Yoshito Yahagi, now a well known figure on the global racing circuit, he came to prominence in 2024 when winning the Saudi Derby at this meeting before making the short hop across to Meydan in Dubai to win the UAE version.

Third in the Kentucky Derby that year, he filled the same spot in the Breeders’ Cup Classic but his victory in last year’s Saudi Cup over Romantic Warrior was one of the highlights of 2025. He went on to add the Breeders’ Cup Classic and has career earnings over £15 million.

Reflecting on last year’s race Yahagi said: “I didn’t think he would be beaten by any horse. But I wasn’t completely sure about Romantic Warrior, as it was his first time racing on dirt. If Forever Young was going to be beaten, it had to be by Romantic Warrior.

“It was unbelievable. To be honest, I thought we had been beaten at the finish. It was a great race.”

Having also won the Saudi Cup with Panthalassa in 2023 Yahagi is bidding for a third win in the race already.

Reliable partnership

“The anti-clockwise track and the long home straight really suit him in Saudi Arabia and (Ryusei) Sakai knows everything about him. Their partnership is very reliable,” said Yahagi.

“Winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic definitely brought about a big change in the Japanese racing industry. Horse racing is still not the biggest sport in Japan, but I would like to continue working to grow it.

“The Japanese racing industry is aiming to be the best in the world. Strong fan support, including wagering turnover, contributes to high prize-money. Because of that, Japanese owners are willing to invest significant sums. The industry is healthy thanks to the support of the fans.

“He will run the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup. He is scheduled to run in those two races. We are focusing on these two Middle Eastern races for his spring campaign. Nothing has been confirmed yet for his autumn campaign.

“The Breeders’ Cup will be held at Keeneland this year, which makes it a different situation for us compared to when it is held on the West Coast of the United States. I need to discuss our plans with the owner, Mr Fujita, who was keen to keep him in training.”

Yahagi is also running Shin Emperor, who is also defending a title in the Neom Turf Cup.

Target

“He is in very good form and this race has always been the target,” said Yahagi.

“The anti-clockwise, flat 2100-metre track (just over 10 furlongs) on good ground suits him very well. He doesn’t have to lead, but we would like to see him settle into a good position.”

“I thought he had fully matured, but in fact he is still improving.”