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| Staff Writer |
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Military Academy looks ready for the spotlight as the King's Cup Festival concludes Friday with Bahrain's premier race, the Gr.3 The King's Cup.
The 2400m contest, run in honour of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, has been upgraded to Group Three status and attracted a competitive international field. Worth US$200,000, it promises an exciting spectacle.
The John and Thady Gosden-trained gelding Military Academy makes his overseas debut with Tom Marquand aboard. His participation carries special significance as he's bred from a mare jointly owned by HH Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and his great uncle.
Joint licence holder, Thady Gosden, explained: "The horse is a homebred, His Highness Shaikh Isa and His Highness Shaikh Abdulla own the mare Sovereign Parade who was also trained at Clarehaven and they had Commissioning out of the mare, who was a very smart Group One winning filly and now Military Academy is the second horse from the mare."
Military Academy has been climbing steadily through the ranks, securing a Listed win before finishing second in the Gr.3 Winter Derby at Southwell last month.
"We have been thinking of this race since he won a Listed race at Kempton in November," added Gosden. "It will be his first run here at the track, so we will have to see how he handles that."
Godolphin field King Of Conquest, runner-up in his last three Meydan starts. Simon and Ed Crisford saddle Intricacy, who re-opposes Zagato and Phantom Flight after they finished ahead of him recently.
Local hope Sovereign Spirit performed creditably at the Saudi Cup meeting and should appreciate returning to 2400m.
Earlier, Goemon, third in the US$2m 1351 Turf Sprint in Riyadh, meets Byline again in the Listed Al Methaq Mile.
All races can be watched on the Bahrain Turf Club's website, while the featured contests will be shown on Racing TV in the UK and Ireland.