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| Staff Writer |
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The fields are confirmed ahead of the start of the Bahrain Turf Series on Friday 10 December. 16 horses will go to post for the first Bahrain Turf Series race on the card, the Al Manama Cup, run over seven furlongs at 11.15 pm UK time. The Al Muharraq Cup over 1m2f follows at 11.45 pm with a field of 15 horses. Both international and locally trained horses make up the competitive fields.
Trainer Michael Bell sends out his first runners in the Kingdom of Bahrain with his two horses Natural Path and Ace Rothstein. Bell’s son Nick, is overseeing the pair for the duration of the Bahrain Turf Series and updated that both horses have settled in well. Five-time winner Natural Path will run in the seven-furlong Al Manama Cup. Discussing the four-year-old Nick Bell said: “He had a productive summer over six furlongs and showed all the right credentials to be a horse who might be suited to Bahrain in the sense that he has good gate speed and travels strongly. Kieran Shoemark is going to take the ride and we’re hopeful of a big run from him.”
Ace Rothstein will be ridden by local jockey Lee Newman in the 1m2f Al Muharraq Cup. Of his chances, Bell said He is a horse that stays well, likes fast ground and we’re happy with the condition he’s come in. After he won a couple of races he was raised quite a bit in the handicap so then we started to look at international races for him and we think he is a suitable candidate as they have a good program for ten-furlong horses over here.
Bahrain-based trainer Allan Smith is confident his team of horses will be able to fend off the international raiders with five horses represented across the two Bahrain Turf Series races. Smith is looking forward to the inaugural Bahrain Turf Series and said: “It has certainly given us something to aim for with the horses. There’s good prize money up for grabs, and I think the series has added excitement all around. We’re looking forward to it.
The leading local trainer has three contenders in the Al Manama Cup. The highest-rated of the three Breath of Air is a three-time winner and Smith said: “Breath Of Air is a nice horse. He was a bit difficult to place last season, and he took a bit of time to get used to the track. He’s a talented horse, he’s rated 93 so that speaks for itself and he wouldn’t be without a chance if he got a run.
The Emperor Within is a horse we’ve had for a couple of years and he runs in and out. He ran last week and is off a low handicap mark of 83 and he’s got a good weight. He has been rated 90 in the past, so if he can improve on what he’s been doing he should give a good account of himself.