Saudi Cup 2025 Results

Image credits: Getty

The Saudi Cup 2025 has come to a close, with Forever Young emerging as the winner in a nail-biting finish. The Japanese galloper, trained by Yoshito Yahagi, defeated the favorite Romantic Warrior by a neck, securing a spot in the Breeders' Cup Classic. The racing event, which took place at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, saw Forever Young surge ahead in the final strides to claim victory.

Forever Young, a dirt specialist, handled the 1800m track with ease, setting a new stakes record with a time of 1:49.12 on a fast track. The win marked Yahagi's second Saudi Cup victory in six years, with Forever Young paying $6.60 on a $2 win bet in the international pari-mutuel wagering pool. Romantic Warrior, the top choice, put up a good fight but ultimately fell short, finishing second in the $20 million race.

The Saudi Cup prizemoney breakdown is as follows:

• 1st - US$10m (A$15.9m)
• 2nd - $3.5m ($5.6m)
• 3rd - $2m ($3.2m)
• 4th - $1.5m ($2.4m)
• 5th - $1m ($1.6m)
• 6th - $600,000 ($955k)
• 7th - $500,000 ($795k)
• 8th - $400,000 ($636k)
• 9th - $300,000 ($477k)
• 10th - $200,000 ($318k)

The win also secured Forever Young a guaranteed entry into the Breeders' Cup Classic in November at Del Mar. Yahagi has set his sights on the Dubai World Cup (G1) next, aiming to make history by winning both races in a double.

Forever Young's owner, Susumu Fujita, founder of the internet platform CyberAgent, celebrated the victory alongside Yahagi and jockey Ryusei Sakai. The trio also won the Neom Turf Cup (G2T) earlier on the race card. Romantic Warrior, on the other hand, will return to grass racing after the experiment on dirt, having amassed a world-record earnings total of over $22.7 million exclusively on turf.

The Saudi Cup 2025 was a highly anticipated event, with many top jockeys in attendance, including Ryan Moore, Christophe Soumillon, Christophe Lemaire, Yutaka Take, Tom Marquand, and Oisin Murphy. The event marked the end of a two-day carnival in the Saudi Arabian capital, with Forever Young's win being the highlight of the competition.