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| Staff Writer |
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The progressive 3YO Alflaila spotlights the list of entries for the 2022 running of the £600,000 Group Three Bahrain International Trophy on November 18.
There are a total of 43 entries from nine different nations for the Group Three Bahrain International Trophy on November 18. : Britain (16), Ireland (6), France (5), UAE (7), Bahrain (3), Germany (3), Norway (1), Turkey (1), and Sweden (1).
The Owen Burrows-trained son of Dark Angel had already guaranteed his place in Bahrain’s headline race by winning the ‘Automatic Entry’ Gr.3 Strensall Stakes at York in August but took his form to a new level to beat a strong field, despite missing the break, in Saturday’s Gr.3 Darley Stakes at Newmarket under Jim Crowley.
William Haggas could be set to have his first runner in Bahrain. Haggas has enjoyed a fantastic season in the UK and is challenging Charlie Appleby to win the British Trainers’ Championship, with the world’s highest-rated horse Baaeed flying the flag for the Newmarket-based trainer. The first of Haggas’ two entries is My Prospero who won the Gr.2 Prix Eugene Adam on his most recent start at Saint-Cloud and may run in the QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday. Grocer Jack, owned by HRH Prince Faisal bin Khaled from Saudi Arabia, was a close-up 5th in a very hotly contested Gr.3 Neom Turf Cup in Riyadh. He has since won a listed race at Newbury in July and has been placed second in two Group races in August.
There are three Group One winners, including Sisfahan, trained in Germany by Henk Grewe, who won the Gr.1 German Derby last year and ran well in the 2021 Gr.1 Breeders’ Cup Turfat Del Mar. Grewe also entered See Hector, who won the Gr.3 Premio Parioli (Italian 2,000 Guineas) at Rome in May.
Aidan O’Brien finished third with Sovereign in the 2020 Bahrain International Trophy and the Ballydoyle trainer has once again strongly supported the race with Aikhal, Bolshoi Ballet, and High Definition, all receiving entries. Bolshoi Ballet hasn’t run this year but won the Belmont Derby (Gr.1) in New York last season. High Definition won a Group Two race as a 2yo and was only just touched off when second in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Gr.1) at Curragh in May. Meanwhile, Aikhal is a Group 3 winner.
Godolphin, who narrowly missed out on winning last year’s race with Barney Roy, returns with five strong entries for the 2022 renewal. Last year’s close third Andre Fabre-trained Magny Cours who returned to action on Saturday by winning Prix de Coye at Chantilly, Royal Ascot winner Dubai Future, Listed winner Passion and Glory, and Dubai Mirage are all possible runners for Saeed bin Suroor. Meanwhile, Bahrain Turf Club Foundation Stakes (Listed) winner Royal Fleet, who finished third behind Alflaila on Saturday, is Appleby’s sole entry.
Other notable entries include the John and Thady Gosden-trained Mostahdaf. The 4YO son of Frankel chased home Broome in the Gr.2 Hardwicke Stakes at Ascot and beat Dubai Honour in the Gr.3 September Stakes at Kempton in September.
George Boughey has enjoyed a stellar 2022 season having won his first British Classic with Cachet before claiming his first two Royal Ascot successes with Inver Park and Missed The Cut. Missed The Cut is one of two entries in the race for Boughey, with Cadillac (fifth in the race last year for Jessica Harrington) the other.
Three locally trained horses have been entered. Dilawar, who finished 4th in the Gr.1 Prix d’Ispahanfor Francis Graffard in May, Litigator (Haider Ebrahim), and Pensiore D’Amore (Mohammed Hassan) with the trio all trying to emulate Simsir who won the 2020 renewal.
Bahrain Turf Club executive director Shaikh Salman bin Rashed al-Khalifa said: “We are very happy with the quality of horses entered for this year’s renewal of the Group 3 Bahrain International Trophy. Some of the best trainers from around the world have once again supported the race.”
The director anticipates that the race will continue to progress through the grades with their ultimate goal being for Bahrain to host its first international Group One race.”