Bahrain International Trophy Upgraded To Group 2 Status And Will Be Worth $1 Million In 2023

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 and its promotion to Group 2 status represents another significant step in growing the Kingdom's standing on the international racing stage.

“We are looking forward to staging the best horseracing event to date and welcoming runners from all over the world to Bahrain.”

The addition of the purse boost for the Bahrain International Trophy is part of the all-round investment programme in the country with will boast record purses for the 2023-24 season. All three Bahraini listed races, the Crown Prince's Cup, the King's Cup and the Al Methaq Mile, have all received purse hikes, as has the 10-race Bahrain Turf Series with each race worth $80,000 (£65,000).

Yusuf Buheji, CEO of the Bahrain Turf Club added, “We are delighted to announce the staging of the first $1-million race in Bahrain, along with increases in the value of all our Pattern races, the Bahrain Turf Series and our wider domestic programme.

“In addition to increases in prize money, we continue to invest in our racing and training facilities, as well as our integrity standards. Through these initiatives, as well as our partnerships and sponsorship portfolio, the aim is to further raise the standard of racing in Bahrain and welcome more international visitors.”

For more information, please visit the BTC website.

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Strong Godolphin Challenge for Bahrain International Trophy

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 has drawn some of the biggest names from the weighing-room, including newly-crowned British champion William Buick, Frankie Dettori, Derby-winning jockey Richard Kingscote, Oisin Orr, Mickael Barzalona, Olivier Peslier and Gerald Mosse.

The Bahrain International Trophy got off to a flying start in 2019 when the Jerome Reynier-trained Royal Julius (Ire) (Royal Applause {GB}) held off John Gosden and Godolphin's Turgenev (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and French trainers have lent strong support this year, with Andre Fabre returning for another crack with last year's third-placed finisher, the Godolphin homebred Magny Cours (Medaglia d'Oro). The well-travelled 7-year-old, who is a Group 3 winner in his home country, warmed up for this challenge with an easy victory in a Chantilly conditions race on Oct. 8 and will jump from stall five under Barzalona.

Andreas Schutz fields the 7-year-old Monty (Fr) (Motivator {GB}), who was last seen running second to Addeybb (Ire) in the G2 Prix du Conseil de Paris and has strong form lines with the other French challenger, Riocorvo (Ger) (Pastorius {Ger}), who was runner-up to Monty in the G3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte in early September, having previously won the G3 Grand Prix de Vichy in July for Chantilly-based Spaniard Carlos Laffon-Parias. Monty has drawn stall nine, while Riocorvo is in two, just outside the local challenger Dilawar (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who will be ridden by Dettori for Fawzi Nass. The Aga Khan-bred 5-year-old makes his first start for Nass and Victorious Racing having been bought for €500,000 at the Arqana Arc Sale.

Godolphin is represented by four runners from three different stables, with Britain's champion trainer Charlie Appleby saddling the 4-year-old Royal Fleet (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is drawn widest of all in 10 and has been in good form in England this autumn, winning the Listed Bahrain Turf Club Foundation S at Goodwood before twice being placed at Newmarket in the G3 Darley S. and Listed Seymour S. Saeed Bin Suroor is doubly represented by Passion And Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who are drawn alongside each other in stalls four and five.

Willie McCreery makes his first trip to the island with Insinuendo (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}), a Group 2 winner on her home track at the Curragh and most recently third behind Emily Upjohn (GB) and Thunder Kiss (Ire) in the G1 QIPCO British Champion Fillies & Mares S. Whatever the outcome of Friday's race, for which she will start from gate seven, the next outing for the 5-year-old mare will be to the sale ring at Tattersalls, as Insinuendo is set to sell during the Sceptre Sessions on Nov. 29.

“She seems to have travelled really well and she has been very relaxed out on the track here so we are very happy with her,” said McCreery. “She's been a great flag-bearer and we are excited to see her run this last time.”

The pride of Danish racing, King David (Den) (Elusive City), whose eight victories include Group 3 wins in Germany, Norway and Denmark, is representing trainer Niels Petersen, who drew stall eight for his stable star and commented, “I must say that he has improved a lot this year. We had him in Dubai over the winter and he ran some decent races but this season he has stepped up, even though he is getting older.

“He had his last run in August and I said to his owner that this race could be a potential target if we could get him in. He's a good ground horse so we left him off during the autumn with this race in mind and it is fantastic to be here. We've been extremely well looked after and it has been a huge experience so far. It would mean the world [to win] but we are part of a small racing community so just to be able to come here is a big win in itself.”

Completing the line-up from gate six, is the former Marco Botti-trained Pensiero d'Amore (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), a four-time winner in the UK who was bought in July to race in Bahrain for Al-Afoo Racing and trainer Mohammed Hasan.

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Alflaila Ruled Out of Bahrain Trophy

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 X-ray as soon as he got back to the stables which showed a small fracture in the left fore fetlock. He's had successful surgery and he'll hopefully be good to return home in a few weeks. He's been excellently looked after by the Baker McVeigh team on site. It's just very frustrating so close to the race but the main thing is that the surgery went well and he's ok.”

The bay was going into the £600,000 race with a three-race winning streak, including the G3 Strensall S. at York in August and last month's G3 Darley S. at Newmarket.

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A Dozen Declared For Bahrain International Trophy

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 well-beaten in this year's G1 Saudi Cup and the G1 Dubai World Cup, in which he was third in 2021. Given a lengthy spell, the Andre Fabre trainee prepped for this challenge with a three-length victory over the all-weather track at Chantilly Oct. 8. He could be joined by Meydan listed winner Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), eighth here last year, and Passion And Glory (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) from Saeed bin Suroor; and by the Charlie Appleby-conditioned G3 Dubai Millennium S. hero Royal Fleet (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).

Shadwell's Alflaila (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) comes into the Bahrain Trophy in top form, having won the G3 Strensall S. at York Aug. 20 and the Oct. 8 G3 Darley S. at Newmarket in his last two outings.

“I've been really, really pleased with him since Newmarket,” trainer Owen Burrows told the Bahrain Turf Club. “He has come out of the race well. He looks great and although we're coming towards the end of the year, he's showing me no signs that he has had a hard season. He's really well.”

The Aga Khan-bred Simsir (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) took the 2020 renewal of this race for Victorious and trainer Fawzi Nass, and Dilawar (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) will try to see that lightning strikes twice for the same connections. Previously trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, the five-year-old won the 2021 G3 Prix Quincey in the Aga Khan colours and was only narrowly beaten in this year's G2 Prix du Muguet and G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil Longines. He was acquired for €500,000 at last month's Arqana Arc Sale with this race in mind.

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