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TAIF: Carmel Road (USA) is poised to add a touch of spice to racing at King Khalid Racecourse this weekend when the former Bob Baffert inmate makes his Taif debut for trainer Bader Rizaiq.

The son of Quality Road was a big-money purchase by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz and Sons from the Californian-based trainer, and after being set some stiff tasks in Riyadh last campaign he has his sights lowered for race three on the card — an open contest over 1400m.

The mount of Fawaz Wannas was down the field in the 2024 Saudi Cup behind Senor Buscador (USA) and took 11th in The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup last January, and should find this test easier.

He takes on familiar names, including Honky Tonk Man (IRE), which steps up in trip after his comeback run for jockey Nawaf Almudiani, trainer Hadi Gharawi, and owner Prince Faisal Bin Khaled Bin Abdulaziz, and recent open winner Ajwadi (GB) for in-form handler Thamer Aldaihani.

Aljamaanee (KSA) returned to action with success at the end of last month for trainer Gaith Alghaith and now has his sights set on the main event this weekend.

The JCSA Almaseef Cup Local Bred Horses Open is the feature race on Saturday and the Prince Saud Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz-owned seven-year-old features among a field of 18 runners over 2000m after winning the prep for this on July 25.

His chief rivals include the lightly raced Camilo Ospina-ridden Almaqam (KSA), while he will again clash with Katheer (KSA) for trainer Naif Alfadhel after the pair fought out the finish of the The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Cup for Apprentice Jockeys in January.

Aldaihani also holds an excellent chance in the opening JCSA Sprint Cup Prep Local Bred Open on Saturday, with the Muhammad Aldaham-ridden Falah Zain (KSA) in the Sheikh Abdullah Homoud Almalek Alsabah colors clear on the figures.

Ospina tops the jockeys’ leaderboard following the first three weeks of action with nine wins and he has the plum ride on recent trial winner Nowafaa (KSA) who holds excellent claims for Rizaiq and White Stables in Friday’s feature – the Taif Flower Festival Cup Local Bred Open.

The race before that is the Um Alqura University Cup Open for Fillies and Mares in which the Ahmed Mohamoud-trained and Abdullah Alfairouz-ridden trial Aeadat (KSA) winner will head to post in a bid to try to stretch her winning sequence to nine.

A close eye should also be kept on race four on Friday, with once-raced colts Kenzie (USA) for Ospina, Mohamoud and the White Stables taking on the also unbeaten Aeb Baad (USA), who remains with Alghaith but has been snapped up by the Red Stable of Prince Faisal.