French star Facteur Cheval makes dirt debut in Dubai as connections eye $1m challenge

Facteur Cheval will compete on the dirt for the first time this month as connections eye the $1 million Group 1 Al Maktoum Challenge at Meydan for the top turf performer.

Owned by Team Valor International and Gary Barber, Facteur Cheval landed his biggest victory in Dubai last year when holding on to win the $5m Dubai Turf on World Cup night from Japanese-trained duo Namur and Danon Beluga.

Facteur Cheval subsequently raced three times in Britain in 2024, coming close to success in the Sussex Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes but having to settle for minor placings on both occasions.

Trained in the south of France by Jerome Reynier, who last year abandoned plans to create a superstable with Jean-Claude Rouget, Facteur Cheval completed his final serious workout for Dubai over seven furlongs on the all-weather at Cagnes-sur-Mer on Saturday and is set to travel to the Middle East on Thursday before the race on January 24.

Reynier said: “He was never off the bridle, yet he delivered some speedy internal splits, including 600 metres in less than 34 seconds. He dipped under 11 seconds for one furlong at his fastest, which is moving right along in a workout.”

Facteur Cheval (right) beats Namur in the Dubai Turf in MarchCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Al Maktoum Challenge takes place over 1m1½f on the dirt at Meydan, which opens up the intriguing possibility that Facteur Cheval could contest the world’s richest race, the $20m Saudi Cup on February 22, if handling the new surface. The Al Maktoum Challenge is also a ‘win and you’re in” event for the $12m Dubai World Cup on April 5.

Should he get the go-ahead to run on the dirt at Riyadh, Facteur Cheval could face Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior, who warms up for his own potential dirt debut in Saudi Arabia by contesting the Group 1 Jebel Hatta on the turf at Meydan on the same night as the Al Maktoum Challenge takes place.

Mickael Barzalona, who last rode Facteur Cheval in the 2023 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot, will return to the saddle in Dubai in place of Maxime Guyon, who partnered the now six-year-old in each of his starts last year.

Reynier added: “If he takes to the dirt it opens up opportunities such as the Dubai and Saudi Cups. If he fails to handle the dirt, then he will defend his Dubai Turf title in early April instead.”

Betting for the Saudi Cup is headed by the Japanese-trained Forever Young, who was placed in the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic last year. The four-year-old is the 5-2 favourite from Sierra Leone, winner of the Classic, 4-1 joint-second favourite with Laurel River, runaway Dubai World Cup winner in 2024.

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