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RIYADH: Japan’s Forever Young hunted down Hong Kong racing royalty Romantic Warrior to land the world’s richest race, the $20 million Saudi Cup in Riyadh on Saturday.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attended the event and handed the trophy and additional prizes to the winning team.

During his attendance at the event at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in the capital, the crown prince also met with FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Al-Nassr and Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

Romantic Warrior is the highest-earning racehorse of all time, turning up at the Saudi capital with almost $23 million (22m euros) in the bank.

The seven-year-old gelding looked destined to add significantly to his prize pot when he went well clear round the home turn in this his first ever outing on dirt.

Under his regular New Zealand jockey James McDonald, Romantic Warrior set sail for home, dollar signs flashing.

But Ryusei Sakai on board Forever Young went in hot pursuit.

The pair relentlessly closed the three length-gap, passing Romantic Warrior 50 meters from the post.

“Unbelievable,” beamed winning trainer Yoshito Yahagi.

“Romantic Warrior is such a strong horse, we respected him but our horse was better today. When Romantic Warrior passed us, I thought we could still come back,” he added.

Chairman of the Equestrian Authority and the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA), Prince Bandar bin Khalid bin Faisal, thanked the Saudi leadership for its patronage and support of the event.

“I extend my highest gratitude and appreciation to King Salman, honorary president of the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia, and to the crown prince, for their great and continuous support of this global event,” he said.

“This event receives the keen attention of the crown prince, who has dedicated all resources to ensuring its continued success and its prominent position on the global stage of horse racing. This has contributed to its international recognition and follow-up from various tracks and federations worldwide.

“On my behalf and on behalf of the members of the JCSA and the entire equestrian community, I extend my renewed gratitude to the wise leadership for the attention and support we receive in the Kingdom, which contribute to the advancement of this unique event,” he added.

* With AFP

LAHORE: Josh Inglis hit a maiden century to help Australia chase down the highest target in Champions Trophy history in a five-wicket win over old rivals England in Lahore on Saturday.
The 29-year-old Inglis, who was born in England, smashed an unbeaten 86-ball 120 as Australia chased down 351-8 in 47.3 overs to open their Group B account at Qaddafi Stadium.
The blistering performance from Inglis not only trumped England opener Ben Duckett’s 143-ball 165 — the highest individual score in event history — but enthralled a near-capacity 31,000 weekend crowd.

Inglis carted six sixes and eight boundaries, including the winning maximum off express fast bowler Mark Wood.
Australia were struggling at 27-2 with Travis Head (six) and skipper Steve Smith (five) falling to Jofra Archer and Wood respectively.
Matthew Short, who hit a 66-ball 63 with nine boundaries and a six, added 95 for the third wicket with Marnus Labuschagne (47 off 45 balls with five fours) but spinners Liam Livingstone and Adil Rashid dismissed both.

With Australia still needing an imposing 215 in 27.4 overs, Alex Carey and Inglis brought the chase back on track by adding an invaluable 146 for the fifth wicket.
Carey, dropped on 49 by Archer off Rashid, finally holed out off pace bowler Brydon Carse after a fighting 63-ball 69 with 70 still needed.
Inglis brought up his hundred with two sixes off Carse and one against Archer, reaching the three-figure mark off 77 balls.

Glenn Maxwell played a trademark fiery knock of 32 not out from 15 balls with two sixes and four boundaries as Australia took 226 runs off England’s pace trio of Wood, Archer and Carse.
“We thought 350 was chaseable,” said Smith.
“The two keepers (Inglis and Carey) have been batting beautifully. Josh played shots all round the ground.”
Smith joked: “I don’t know if Josh still has an English passport, but he’s not going anywhere.”

England skipper Jos Buttler blamed the dew for his team’s struggles with the ball.
“A fantastic game, both sides played well, credit to Australia,” said Buttler.
“It was a fantastic innings from Inglis. 350 is a pretty good score, but it was wet and the dew was a worry.”
Earlier, Duckett smashed his highest ODI score, and third century, as England built a commanding total after being sent in to bat on a flat pitch.
Duckett hit 17 fours and three sixes to better the previous best individual score of 145 in the Champions Trophy. New Zealand’s Nathan Astle (2004) and Zimbabwean Andy Flower (2002) had shared the record.

England also surpassed the previous highest innings tally in tournament history of 347-4 by New Zealand against the USA at The Oval in 2004.
Duckett added 158 for the third wicket with Joe Root, who made a measured 68 off 78 balls, to set the platform for a big total against a weakened Australian attack.
Missing star pace trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, Australia’s attack of Spencer Johnson, Ben Dwarshuis and Nathan Ellis struggled to contain England.
Duckett was finally dismissed by part-time spinner Labuschagne in the 48th over, improving on his previous highest of 107 not out against Ireland at Bristol in 2023.
England adopted the same aggressive style of batting with opener Phil Salt dispatching a boundary and a six in the first over before falling to Dwarshuis in the second over for 10.
Dwarshuis also removed Jamie Smith for 15 before Duckett and Root stabilized the innings.
Harry Brook, on his 26th birthday, made three. Captain Jos Buttler (23) and Livingstone (14) also had brief stays before Archer delivered some late impetus with an unbeaten 21 off 10 balls.
Dwarshuis was the best Australian bowler with 3-66 while spinners Adam Zampa and Labuschagne took two wickets apiece.
Arch-rivals India and Pakistan meet in a high-voltage Group A game in Dubai on Sunday.