'He could develop into a Cup horse' - Trawlerman out to net another big pot in Saudi Arabia

John and Thady Gosden will send two runners to Riyadh in search of further success at the Saudi Cup meeting next month.

The Newmarket yard landed the 2021 Saudi Cup with Mishriff, who followed up in the Sheema Classic at Meydan on his next start.

This year the Gosdens will rely on Ebor winner Trawlerman in the $2.5 million Group 3 Red Sea Turf Handicap, won in 2022 by the Japanese-trained Stay Foolish, who went on to take the Group 2 Dubai Gold Cup in March.

After his gutsy display at York when overcoming Alfred Boucher by a short head, Trawlerman did not look out of place when finishing third in the Group 2 Long Distance Cup when last seen at Ascot in October.

He is set to be joined in Saudi Arabia on February 25 by Mostahdaf, who is being aimed at the Group 3 Neom Turf Cup. He won twice at Group 3 level last year and posted a smart second to Broome in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot before finishing down the field in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October.

Thady Gosden said: “Trawlerman has always been a very talented horse. He progressed well throughout last year, winning the Ebor and then doing well when stepped up into stakes company on ground that probably had a little too much dig in it on Champions Day.

"He has a great mentality and is very tough, as we saw in the Ebor. He looked like he was beat but he came back and ground it out at the finish. He’s very well in himself. He had a little holiday after Champions Day but he’s been training well since the start of the year.

“The Red Sea Handicap is an ideal race for him. It’s a very competitive race, we’ve seen that in the last couple of years, and you’ve got to have a quality horse to get into the field let alone win it, but he’s exactly the right type."

Trawlerman is likely to be ridden by Frankie Dettori, who is already booked in to ride at the jockeys' challenge meeting at Riyadh on February 24.

Gosden added: “You’d like to think Trawlerman could develop into a Cup horse later in the year. Obviously the race is a little while off, but Frankie won the Ebor on him so it would be logical for him to ride."

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