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| Staff Writer |
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Amanda Torrens-owned Longbourn, won the opening handicap race of the Dublin To Bahrain Series at Leopardstown Racecourse.
The Dublin To Bahrain Series, a prestigious fixture for 2024, boasts a seven-race schedule, including four handicap events. Winners of these races earn automatic entry into the Bahrain Turf Series, an integral part of the eagerly awaited 2024-25 season at Bahrain Turf Club.
Guided by trainer Ross O’Sullivan and jockey James Ryan, Longbourn took an early lead and managed to hold off fierce competition down the stretch.
The 8YO secured victory with a half-length advantage over Old Faithful, a horse owned by Magnier, Tabor, Smith, Westerberg, and Brant, trained by A.P. O’Brien, and ridden by Ryan Moore. Genuine Article, racing for Wear A Pink Ribbon Syndicate and Gerard Keane, claimed third place with Colin Keane aboard, among ten entrants.
The series continues with three more handicap races: Thursday’s event (handicap zero to 100), August 22 (handicap zero to 90 for fillies), and the Bahrain Turf Club October Premier Handicap. Additional highlights include Gr.3 The Bahrain Turf Club Desmond Stakes, The Gr.1 Royal Bahrain Irish Champion Stakes, and The Bahrain Turf Club Knockaire Stakes (Listed), all to be held at Leopardstown.
The 2024-25 season at Bahrain Turf Club will mark a significant development with the installation of floodlights and an expanded Bahrain Turf Series valued at over US$1 million.
Launched in 2021 to attract global competitors during the European winter, the series will now feature 12 races and offer an extra US$80,000 in bonuses. It will run from December 20 to March 7, concluding with two US$100,000 handicaps and the prominent King’s Cup.
Moreover, the extension of the Bahrain Turf Series aligns with the kingdom’s top races, including The Crown Prince’s Cup, The Shaikh Nasser Cup, The Al Methaq Mile, and The King’s Cup, all falling within the series’ schedule. The US$1 million Bahrain International Trophy is set for November 15.