Preview: Bahrain International Trophy: A Rising Star In Horse Racing

Hoofprints To Legends: The Rich Heritage Of The Rashid Equestrian And Horse Racing Club

Horseracing has been a popular sport in Bahrain and first took place at the racing grounds north of Muharraq island and later at a track in Gudaibiya in Manama. HH Sheikh Sulman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa (Amir from 1942 to 1961) established the racing track at Safra in Riffa.  Races were held every Friday from November till May. This became a popular meeting place during HH Sheikh Isa Bin Sulman Al Khalifa’s (Amir from 1961 to 1999) time.  The races were informal and unique in style with no betting or prizes.

In 1981 HH Sheikh Isa inaugurated the magnificent track and premises of the Equestrian and Horseracing Club at Sakhir. This was the first turf track in the Middle East. Races for both thoroughbreds and purebred Arabians were now conducted under international rules and regulations.

The Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club as it is now known is named after its first long-standing chairman and consists of two right-handed turf tracks and a sand training track. The outer or main turf track is 2350 metres long has three turns and a run-in (straight) of 630 metres or 3 furlongs in racing parlance. The inner track which runs inside the main track is a shorter 2150 metres with a 600-metre run-in. The grandstand built in the style of a giant tent can has a total capacity for 3000 seated and standing spectators but rises above that figure on important days.

Bahrain Rises To International Prominence In Racing

Under the auspices of the horse-loving HH Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Al Khalifa son of HRH The Crown Prince, racing in Bahrain has seen a sea change in the last decade with a massive overhaul of the facilities and the addition of an apprentice jockey school, the first of its kind in the region and a state of the art International Quarantine from which runners from abroad can train from and return to their countries of origin disease free. All these projects are with a view to the future and part of that very future was the Bahrain International Trophy and the Bahrain International Turf Series. 

Bahrain is now clearly a force to reckon with at international auction houses and those results are being seen to good effect on the racetracks of Europe. The colours of Aladiyat Racing, Victorious, KHK, Al Mohammediya and MKAR Racing are being seen more and more in the important races. Vandeek sporting the distinctive yellow and black silks of KHK is one of the best 2YO colts in Europe in 2023. 

The fifth running of the Bahrain International Trophy is to be run on the 17th of November 2023. It is now an international Group II race worth a whopping one million dollars in stakes.

The first edition of the Bahrain International Trophy was flagged off on the 22nd of November 2020. It had attracted a nice international field of 9 opposed by 4 locally trained stalwarts. The big guns Godolphin, Shadwell and the emerging King Power Racing were all represented. Turgenev in the all-blue of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Godolphin powerhouse was most fancied to score. The collective hearts of the entire country were broken in an instant as long-time leader Rustang owned by HH Sheikh Isa who still had an advantage of over 5 lengths coming into the final furlong was collared on the post by the French-trained Royal Julius who under an ice-cold ride by Gallic star Stephane Pasquier came with a withering run on the wide outside to land the spoils by under a length from the favourite Turgenev who also finished strongly to nose out poor Rustang as well. A beaming but completely heartbroken Sheikh Isa sportingly welcomed the victors and graciously presented the glistening trophy and other prizes under the setting autumn sun.

2021 Edition Of Bahrain International Trophy: Simsir Wins In Dramatic Finish

The second run was held under the pall of the global COVID-19 epidemic behind closed doors. It says much for the organisers that they were able to still capitalise on the unqualified success of the previous year. The 2021 edition drew a far better set of horses headed by none other than the Irish Derby victor Sovereign and Japanese Group One star mare Deirdre. 14 faced the starter and to say it was an absolute humdinger of a finish would be putting it very mildly. Lee Newman who was so unlucky on Rustang the previous year used all his guile and experience on the Sakhir racetrack to his advantage as he took the formerly Aga Khan-owned Simsir to the front quickly and in an audacious move just before straightening left the field for dead. Ryan Moore on Sovereign and Frankie Dettori on Sheikh Isa's well-performed Global Giant were completely caught on the backfoot and may have been guilty of a bit of watching each other. Establishing such a useful lead Simsir was able to withstand the final onslaught when it came to hold on by the skin of his teeth from Global Giant with Sovereign a mere nose behind. Deirdre under Hollie Doyle was a never threatening eighth, but an eye-catching fifth was the regular traveller Lord Glitters who will be mentioned of again in this piece.

The crowds were back for Bahrain International Trophy edition three and they were treated to a spectacular performance. The Godolphin trio of Magny Cours and Barney Roy both Group One winners and William Buick's choice Zakouski were expected to dominate proceedings as were Pogo and the filly Fev Rover and of course the aforementioned Lord Glitters who'd spent the summer campaigning in the very best of company without success since his two wins in Dubai the previous winter, but he looked a picture and was so full of himself that he threatened to boil over was sent off to the start early. He jumped slow and graced the wrong end of the field most of the way while Pogo blazed away and then first Magny Cours and then Barney Roy threw down the gauntlet. Jason Watson on the nearly white Lord Glitters was still in all kinds of bother two furlongs out. He then switched left and made his move. He won in the last few strides but was being hailed a winner a long way out. it was a brave and dogged performance. Truly a race for the ages.

Godolphin who have probably won every race worth winning all over the globe finally added the Bahrain International Trophy to their glittering trophy cabinet in 2022. The Dubawi gelding Dubai Future led home a 1-2 for his connections. He knew his way around the Sakhir track having run in the race a year previous and used that to his advantage with a nerveless challenge along the rail and then held off stablemate Passion And Glory to win grittily. Godolphin's long-time trainer Saeed Bin Suroor was mighty thrilled with the result and has had a renaissance of sorts in 2023 with his star charge 1000 Guineas winner Mawj.

Nation's Pride, Israr Headline Bahrain International Trophy

Dubai Future is back this year to become the first horse to defend his crown. He has had quite a long break since his runner-up effort behind none other than Mostahdaf in the Neom Cup in Riyadh on Saudi Cup night back in February. However, this year he has a far superior set to take on led by his co-colour bearer Nations Pride who comes in great nick off two group ones in Germany and Canada. Godolphin fields two more challengers in the attractive grey Highland Avenue who was so impressive in his most recent start at Newmarket and Real World who looked like he was really going places till he was gelded.

The Ballydoyle behemoth returns with the duo of the 3YO American Pharoah filly Above The Curve who's danced every dance this season for little reward. She is a dogged individual and doesn't give up without a fight. She is accompanied to Bahrain by Point Lonsdale whose most recent effort was a fair fourth in the Champion Stakes behind King Of Steel.

German-trained Marhaba Ya Sanafi won the French 2000 Guineas earlier in the season, but his form fell away after his third-place effort in the French Derby behind Ace Impact and Big Rock. That in retrospect is a very strong form indeed.

The best-bred horse in the race is Israr. By sprint star Muhaarar out of classic heroine Taghrooda, Israr always looks the part. Trained by father-and-son combination John and Thady Gosden. The 4YO colt runs in the colours of Shadwell Estate, who were recently crowned champion owners in the United Kingdom.

Champion sire Frankel just can't be left out of the mix and is represented by the flashy Spirit Dancer, co-owned and bred by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. The 6YO landed the Bahrain International Trophy berth with a victory in the Gr.3 Strensall Stakes at York. A five-time winner including a quickfire hat trick this campaign, he was rather found out for class in his last essay against the aforementioned Highland Avenue. He will be joined on the flight by Astro King, trained by husband-and-wife pair Dan and Claire Kubler.

The very experienced 6YO Irish trained Layfayette is the last runner to merit a mention.

 Nations Pride will obviously be the public rage, but the race looks tantalising this year with all kinds of possibilities popping up depending on tactics on the day.

Fawzi Nass revs up the engines with his dynamic duo – Calif and Qaader completing the 14-runner field.

Get ready to witness speed, strategy, and an electrifying dash to the finish line in the Bahrain International Trophy.