'It's a bit grim' - Moore laments British prize-money as he targets Saudi riches

Stan Moore is hoping to cap his adventures in the Middle East this winter with a huge payday in the $1.5 million Saudi Derby at King Abdulaziz racecourse in Riyadh on Saturday.

Moore has been a frequent visitor from his Lambourn base to Bahrain, where Magical Wish and Wonder Elzaam have been competing with credit throughout the Bahrain Turf Series, but things become a whole lot more exciting in Saudi Arabia on Saturday when stable star and Classic hopeful The Wizard Of Eye kicks off his year with a first run on dirt in the Group 3 event over a mile.

The contest is part of an eight-race card boasting $31.5m in prize-money and featuring the world's richest race, the $20m Saudi Cup.

"He's settled in well and is eating well," said Moore, who arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday after saddling runners in Bahrain last week. "His last three runs were in France and he's a good traveller. As soon as I arrived I went to see him and he's happy.

"He worked at Richard Hannon's last week and did a good, strong piece of work, so it's all good. It's a lot of prize-money and we thought why not give it a go?

"It's $800,000 to the winner, which is around £550,000. It's impossible to ignore and there's no point sitting at home thinking I wish I'd have been there."

The trainer added: "It would be a hell of a start to the season. You could win 30 or 40 races in England and not win that sort of prize-money, but it will take a bit of winning."

Moore saddled just four winners in Britain during the first nine months of 2021 before adding a further ten over the final quarter of the year, taking him to double figures on home soil for the first time since 2015.

However, that does not tell the full story, with the Group 1-winning trainer utilising opportunities around the globe to supplement his training business in Britain.

The Wizard Of Eye and John Egan at King Abdulaziz racecourse on TuesdayCredit: Lewis Porteous

"We've been a regular in France for a few years," he said. "We'd take about eight horses over for a month in August and that was a good earner most years. The statistics look like I was very quiet, which I was in Britain, but in France I was doing well. I was having more winners there than in Britain.

"We were running in claimers and some of your horses would be claimed for between €30,000 and €50,000. You get £13,800 just for winning a claimer in France, and to win one race there was the same as winning three in England of the equivalent standard. It's sad but true."

Brexit has made running in France a less cost-effective option than it once was, which is one of the reasons Moore was keen to test the waters in the Middle East this winter.

"The Turf Series in Bahrain was for horses rated 85 to 100 and that sort of horse can sometimes be in no man's land [in Britain]," he said.

"It was the first year of the series and there were ten £50,000 races and it's something I think will progress each year. It's another avenue you can look at and you'll find a lot more people will probably do it next year.

"They also let you run in local races. We've had a win and two seconds and they've run with credit, but it's seriously competitive. They're very competitive nations and seem to take a lot of pride in their animals. There are no easy pickings."

'Owners know the odds of making money are slim'

Not only are British-based trainers and owners looking for options to run for better prize-money abroad, an increasing number of horses are being recruited from Britain to be trained locally in jurisdictions such as Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which is bound to have an impact on competition and field sizes closer to home, and Moore believes action is needed to safeguard the industry in Britain.

"I think there needs to be a change to some extent in the prize-money," he said. "Owners know the odds of making money are slim unless you have a high-class horse, but there are races now worth £2,226 [to the winner].

"It's a bit grim when 27 years ago you were getting £1,000 more for winning a maiden auction than you are for winning a maiden now. If you lose your hardcore owners, racing is going to go only one way."

He added: "Most of the progressive horses I've had, I've had to sell. I've sold horses to Australia and America. They're a big loss to my yard but unfortunately that's what people are having to do now."

Happily for Moore, his co-owners in The Wizard Of Eye, Oliver and Roy Humphrey and Alison Flavell, are keen to hold on to the colt, whose big target in Europe this year is the Irish 2,000 Guineas, although there is still the option of the UAE Derby at Meydan next month depending on how his first run on dirt goes this weekend.

"The owners don't want to sell. It's one of their first horses and they're enjoying the ride," said the trainer, who has booked veteran John Egan for the ride on Saturday.

"Whether it's the Irish Guineas or not, hopefully this time next year he'll have won a couple of really good races. I believe in him."

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