Al Riffa - Horse Profile & Next Race Odds

Joseph O'Brien (12 June 2025): "He has been a star for us, winning two Group 1 races. We’ve decided to shoot a little lower with him in terms of grade by aiming for the Hardwicke Stakes on the Saturday. Though, by the sounds of it he might not be the only Group 1 horse being aimed at it, so it should be very interesting. He has been training very well since the Prix Ganay and we are going to try blinkers on him for the first time. He has always been an almost overly relaxed horse, and we found that cheekpieces sharpened him up in the middle section of his races when we put them on him last year, so we think he’s ready for blinkers now. Getting back to a mile-and-a-half will suit him well and we are very much looking forward to him."

Joseph O'Brien (19 March 2025): "We were very happy with his run in the Neom Turf Cup at Riyadh. We treated it as a starting point for what will hopefully be a long season with him, and it was great to see him hit the line as well as he did. He’s been in great form since he came home and that run should put him spot on for the Sheema Classic at Meydan on April 5th where the longer trip and bigger track will play to his strengths. Looking further ahead, races like the Tattersalls Gold Cup and possibly the Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin in Hong Kong will be options for him. He’s a real flag bearer for us and we are hoping that he can win another Group 1 for us this season."

Joseph O'Brien (20 March 2024): "We are delighted with him. He was always a tall, rangy horse and has filled out into a magnificent athlete now. Last year was very frustrating for us with him, as he only had two very minor hold-ups, but they came at pretty much exactly the worst time on both occasions. That confined us to just two runs with him all season. He needed the run on his seasonal return, but I thought he ran huge to be beaten just three quarters of a length by Ace Impact at Deauville in a sit-and-sprint race that really played to Ace Impact’s strengths. We were very sweet on him for the Irish Champion Stakes, but a little issue the day before meant we couldn’t run. Everything has gone very smoothly with him this preparation and we are steadily stepping up his work. We are working him towards the Prix Ganay at ParisLongchamp in late April. Longer term, I could see him stepping up to a mile-and-a-half. He won a Group 1 over seven furlongs as a two-year-old and has never looked short of pace, but he has the most lovely, relaxed way of going and it will give him a great chance to carry his pace over further if we ask him to. I’d be very hopeful he can win another Group 1."

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