Bahrain International Trophy

French Classic winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) is one of three Group 1 winners set to contest the Bahrain International Trophy along with Above The Curve (American Pharoah) and Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}). This year's race, which takes place on Friday, November 17, has been upgraded to Group 2 status for the first time and has enhanced prize-money of $1 million. Fourteen runners will go to post, including two trained locally in Bahrain.  Among the international travellers from five different countries is Shadwell's Israr (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}),...

French Classic winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}) heads a total of 60 entries for the $1-million Bahrain International Trophy, which has this year been upgraded to Group 2 status and is set to be run on Friday, November 17. The list of international challengers features horses from eight countries, including France, Germany, Britain and Ireland, with 38 group winners among them. Other notable entries include Godolphin's dual Group/Grade 1 winner Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), Horizon Doré (Fr) (Dabirsim {Fr}), recent winner of the G2 Prix Dollar, G2...

This year's edition of the G2 Bahrain International Trophy will feature an increased purse of $1 million, the Bahrain Turf Club announced on Thursday. The highest profile race in the kingdom, the race was promoted to Group 2 level by the Asian Pattern Committee recently. It was won in 2022 by Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) for trainer Saeed bin Suroor and Godolphin. His Highness Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club, said, "The Bahrain International Trophy is our showpiece event...

SAKHIR, Bahrain--In front of a lively crowd back to full strength after the interruptions of Covid, jockey Danny Tudhope gained his just desserts in the G3 Bahrain International Trophy, winning aboard Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) for Godolphin and Saaeed bin Suroor having missed out on glory in last year's race through injury. Tudhope had not quite returned to full strength in time to partner Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) to victory 12 months ago but he took full advantage of the opportunity handed to him by bin Suroor, who saddled...

SAKHIR, Bahrain--The G3 Bahrain International Trophy may have been dealt a blow with the withdrawal of the fancied Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) through injury on Monday, but Friday's highlight at the Bahrain Turf Club will still very much live up to the international part of its title. Ten runners will face the starter, the line-up including horses from Britain, Ireland, France, Denmark, Dubai, and of course Bahrain for the fourth running of the 2000-metre contest. And it's not just the four-legged stars boasting international pedigrees as the £600,000 race...

Shadwell's Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) will be forced to miss Friday's G3 Bahrain International Trophy after picking up an injury after routine track work Monday. "Alflaila was having a routine canter at the racetrack at Bahrain this morning. My head lad John Lake was riding him and he was happy with him and how he moved," explained trainer Owen Burrows, who was due to have his first runner in Bahrain. "On the walk home, he felt he was a little bit short so got off him. He had an...

A field of 12 was declared Sunday for the fourth running of the £600,000 G3 Bahrain International Trophy to be run over the 2000 metres Friday, Nov. 19, at the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club. Magny Cours (Medaglia d'Oro) was beaten less than one length into third behind the since-retired Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) in last year's main event, and the US-bred galloper could be one of as many of four entrants this time around. The seven-year-old was victorious in the G3 Prix Perth at Saint-Cloud in 2021, but was...

We have grown accustomed to being able to enjoy some decent midwinter racing action from the Middle East since the start of the Dubai International Racing Carnival in 2004. The Dubai World Cup, for so long the world's richest race bar a temporary interruption to that status by the Pegasus World Cup, has been usurped in recent years by the $20 million Saudi Cup, which is set for its third running in 2022.  The Bahrain International Trophy was recently staged for a third year, and for the first time it...

By Emma Berry SAKHIR, Bahrain--He's been a star of Royal Ascot and a star of Meydan, and on Bahrain's biggest race day the charismatic Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) triumphed once more, snatching the G3 Bahrain International Trophy from the Godolphin duo of Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) and Magny Cours (Medaglia d'Oro) with a perfectly timed late run.  His trainer David O'Meara had warned earlier in the week that his 8-year-old stable star comes alive in the heat of the Middle East and under an excellent ground-saving ride from Jason...

SAKHIR, Bahrain--Old habits die hard. Neil MacKenzie Ross may have been Clerk of the Course at Sakhir racecourse in Bahrain for the last seven years but even in 24-degree heat at 7am, the British ex-pat was easy to spot in the green wellies in which he doubtless completed plenty of laps of Lingfield when he filled the same role at the Sussex course. "There is quite a thick dew," he said with a defensive grin as he awaited the arrival of the 14 runners for Friday's Bahrain International Trophy for...

Saudi Arabia's $20-million Saudi Cup has been awarded Group 1 status beginning in 2022 it was announced during Monday's virtual meeting of the Executive Council of the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA). The move follows the promotion of both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain from Part III to Part II of the ICS Book by the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee (IRPAC). In addition, the Neom Turf Cup, Saudi Derby, STC 1,351 Turf Sprint, Riyadh Dirt Sprint and Red Sea Turf, as well as Bahrain's Bahrain International Trophy...

The £550,000 10-racing Bahrain Turf Series, specifically targeting international horses rated 85-100, was announced on Thursday. All the races in the series, each worth £50,000, will be linked together and run alongside Bahrain's King's Cup, Crown Prince's Cup and National Day Grade 1. There will also have a bonus point system attached to the Bahrain Turf Series, depending on where horses finish. At the end of the series, points will be added up and the owner of the horse with the most points in each pot will get £15,000 and...