Jockey Pat Cosgrave looks forward to first test of new challenge in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: Northern Irish jockey Pat Cosgrave, who has been based in England since 2004, has moved from the UK to continue his horse racing career in Saudi Arabia.
He was aboard Gifts of Gold when the pair landed the $2.5m Red Sea Turf Handicap at the Saudi Cup meeting in 2021, and has won several Group 1 races in the UK, Germany and Australia.
The 41-year-old jockey, who was crowned Irish champion apprentice in 2003, has been retained by 2022 Saudi Cup-winning owner Prince Saud bin Salman, and his first ride of the Taif Season is due on Thursday aboard Mutantather.
“I’d only been back from Dubai for a couple of weeks and was approached (in March) by (Prince Saud’s) team about the opportunity,” said Cosgrave, who has ridden 16 winners in the UK this year.
“I knew how successful their operation was over there, particularly given they won the Saudi Cup back in 2022 with Emblem Road, but it was a tricky time to make a decision as racing was just getting going again in the UK.”
After mulling over the offer for a while he decided it was a good move, according to a media statement released on Wednesday.
“The racing, as well as other sports in Saudi, seem to be getting bigger and better every year and it’s an exciting time to be getting involved,” said Cosgrave.
“I have been going along OK in the UK. There were a couple of silly incidents that put me on the sidelines for a bit but, overall, I was doing well, winning some decent handicaps and operating at a good strike rate.
“I was riding winners for the likes of George Boughey, Richard Hughes, George Baker and Jim Boyle, so things were going OK and they were looking after me well, but it feels like the racing in Saudi is really progressing and I think it’s a great opportunity to take.”
Cosgrave has victory in one of Saudi Arabia’s biggest races under his belt but has yet to ride in Taif, the track used in Saudi Arabia during the hotter months because of its higher altitude.
“I arrived at Taif for the first time on Tuesday and was then out on the track, riding work on six horses this morning (Wednesday),” he said.
“It’s a very different environment but I feel like I can adapt to it pretty quickly. I’ve ridden plenty of unusual and undulating tracks in the UK, which are more difficult to ride than somewhere like Taif, which is a pretty flat oval-shaped track, so it should be fine.
“I’ve also ridden plenty of winners on the dirt in Dubai, so I’m confident I can take well to riding in Taif.”
Cosgrave’s first ride will be aboard the Hisham Abdulwahed-trained Mutantather, a three-year-old son of Hawkbill.
“I went to the yard to see him and he looked good on the track this morning,” he said. “He’s got an obvious chance but it looks a pretty competitive race. Fingers crossed we can get off to a nice start.
“I’ll be trying to ride as many winners as I can in Taif over the next couple of months but things will probably get busier when racing returns to Riyadh in October.
“It should be an exciting winter with Prince Saud’s team, who have lots of nice horses for the big races, and I’ll just be focused on doing my job the best I can. Do that and hopefully I’ll be on some nice horses and the winners will come.”