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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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 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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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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The Bahrain International Trophy was recently staged for a third year, and for the first time it carried Group 3 status. Furthermore, it was the forerunner to the inaugural 10-race Bahrain Turf Series, which got underway last Friday and runs until Feb. 18 across seven meetings at Sakhir racecourse. The growing status of the racing programme on the island could yet lead to wider cooperation between the racing jurisdictions of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to establish a formal Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region series.

When interviewed for TDN recently, Neil Callan, who is riding in Bahrain throughout the winter, spoke of the conservative nature of the Bahraini people.

“They don't really like to announce that they've arrived,” he said. “But they are slowly but surely putting themselves on the map and I like the way they are doing things. They are doing it their way and it's gradual.”

That certainly appears to be the case, but there is also no denying the level of ambition from those behind the efforts to enhance the racing programme in Bahrain. 

Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, chairman of the high committee of Bahrain's Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club (REHC) and the grandson of the King, said on the eve of this year's International Trophy, “It's been three years in the works. We have our Group 3 status now and we will not stop at one Group 3 race. As it was in year one with the Bahrain International, it was a strong race but people I felt were just testing the waters and have taken the plunge in years two and three. The Turf Series I feel is going in that direction.”

This year's Bahrain International Trophy, won by the Yorkshire-based Lord Glitters (Fr), featured runners from Britain, Ireland, France and Germany, while in the first two legs of the Turf Series there were 10 horses from outside Bahrain from the British stables of George Baker, Micheal Bell, Stan Moore, William Jarvis, Keith Dalgleish, Jamie Osborne and Charlie Hills. George Baker, who has stated his desire to operate a satellite stable in Bahrain, currently has two horses on the island.
“We're dipping the toe in this year. We had planned to have a stronger presence over there and to perhaps train some local horses as well as imported horses, but this year has really stymied a few of those plans,” said Baker, referring to the difficulties presented by Covid travel restrictions. “The British Ambassador was planning to have a drinks party for 100 people but we just haven't been able to do that, so we haven't been able to attract new people to the sport to set up local syndicates in the way that we hoped we would.”

He continued, “I have been very impressed by the enthusiasm of the whole team. Their ambition is tangible and they are great people to deal with. I feel very positive about it and in the fullness of time we hope we will have a permanent presence there through the season. It just hasn't evolved through this year, and that is nobody's fault, but it will evolve for sure.”

Evolution is certainly at the forefront of the plans of Shaikh Salman bin Rashed Al Khalifa, the executive director of REHC.

“I'm very happy to say that the Kingdom of Bahrain has been approved this year as a part two racing jurisdiction, up from part three,” he said in November.

As well as the Bahrain International Trophy's promotion, the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee has awarded listed status to the Al Mehaq Cup, His Majesty the King's Cup and His Royal Highness The Crown Prince's Cup. The addition of a black-type sprint to the international card is also on the wish list.

Shaikh Salman continued, “Ultimately our main goal is to promote Bahrain in general as a racing jurisdiction and to seek more recognition from the Pattern Committee. So my goal here is to set down a solid base for races to be approved by the IFHA, and I think it's a great start for us to get three races from our local calendar, three local graded races, to be approved as [international] listed races.”

Horses play a prominent role in the heritage of Bahrain and while racing has taken place for centuries through informal meetings, the REHC was established and officially recognised in 1977. There are now around 350 horses in training on the island, many of them having been purchased and imported at horses-in-training sales in Britain and Ireland. 

Bahrain's links to Britain in particular are evident in the names of a number of high-profile owners, including Shaikh Sultan Eddine Al Khalifa's Al Mohamediya Racing, which owned the G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Golden Horde (Ire) (Lethal Force {Ire}). Roger Varian currently trains the 2-year-old Pure Dignity (GB), a Dubawi (Ire) half-sister to Sottsass (Fr) and Sistercharlie (Ire) who topped the Arqana Select Sale in 2020 at €2.5 million when bought by Oliver St Lawrence and Bahraini trainer Fawzi Nass for Shaikh Nasser Al Khalifa and his brother Shaikh Khalid's KHK Racing. 

Furthermore, the honorary president of the REHC is Shaikh Abdullah bin Isa Al Khalifa, who has horses in training with Jonathan Portman and William Haggas, and is also a breeder in Britain, most notably of the Derby winner and successful Coolmore stallion, Camelot (GB).

Neil MacKenzie Ross, well known to many in British racing as the former clerk of the course at Lingfield, has been in Bahrain for seven years, where he performs the same role for the two turf courses at Sakhir. 

“As soon as I got here I had numerous projects, the first being to install a new irrigation system for both tracks,” he noted. “In that time we've regenerated the inner track over the last couple of years and we have built the quarantine barns and added two new barns this summer.”

MacKenzie Ross added that the REHC is limiting the number of international horses to 20 throughout this first year of the series but that the new quarantine facilities can now stable 50 horses.

He continued, “There's been a lot of work on things like rubberising the paddock, installing new running rails, even things like putting a sauna in the jockeys' room. You name it, we're looking at it. At the moment we are working with Weatherbys who are building a racing software programme for entries and the studbook. We have brought in three vets from Baker McVeigh and Rob van Pelt is here as our regularity vet now.”

Another name that may be familiar to racing visitors to Bahrain is Olivia Hills, who has a wide range of experience with media, owners and trainers through her former roles with Ascot Racecourse and Jockey Club Racecourses, and is now employed as owners' and trainers' manager for the REHC. Her fellow recent recruit is racing client services manager Edward Veale, who was formerly with the International Racing Bureau in Newmarket. 

The Turf Series, which resumes during the fixture of Dec. 31, is divided into two categories, one with races over six or seven furlongs and the other over nine or 10 furlongs. All races carry prize-money of £50,000.

“I think that during their time here in Bahrain, every horse should be able to participate in at least five races,” said Shaikh Salman. “It's a great alternative for winter racing in Europe. We took these decisions based on a lot of feedback from European trainers. I think trainers are keen on having more options, and it falls at a good time of the year.”

He added, “It has been a learning curve for us all since year one. I'm very happy with the progression and the pace of the development happening on the international calendar.”

Shaikh Salman was also keen to point out that the development of racing in the country is not all about attracting international runners to Bahrain. 

“There's no doubt that local horses will have a good stake of the series,” he said prior to the first meeting, and indeed the Al Manama Cup and Al Muharraq Cup on Dec. 10 both fell to domestic runners. 

He continued,”The international events are key to promote racing in the region but investing in our local trainers and jockeys is another point that we are concentrating on. We've set up a new jockey academy recently in affiliation with RACE Ireland, who are here at different times of the year to train our local jockeys. And I'm very happy to say that after they've completed two courses with the academy, we've noticed a jump in their performance and their skills and quality of riding.”

Ultimately there may well be a formalised multi-national racing series within the GCC region, with talks already underway between the REHC, the Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia and the Dubai Racing Club regarding a coordinated racing programme across the three jurisdictions. 

“We have to work towards this because we are only as strong as each other,” said Shaikh Isa. “The more we work together and unify our best practices, the stronger the GCC will become as a unit for racing and we are well down the road towards having a GCC series.”

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With his usual jockey Danny Tudhope injured, Jason Watson stepped in for the ride and judged the pace to perfection. With a frenetic early gallop set by Pogo, Watson and Lord Glitters sat at the rear of the 13-strong field before picking off his younger rivals one by one. It looked as though it would be yet more big race international success for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin, as Barney Roy got the better of Magny Cours in the final two furlongs, but the oldest horse in the race knuckled down and accelerated past the pair to win by a half-length, with Magny Cours a neck back in third.

An ecstatic David O'Meara paid tribute to “a horse of a lifetime” after the race.

He said: “There are no words! He is a fantastic horse; I might have been quoted in the past saying that he is a horse of a lifetime and I think he is for us. He has proved it once again and we don't have loads of horses like him, so he is very special to us. His last two runs weren't ideal, but the races hadn't work out for him. His run in August in the Strensall Stakes gave us confidence that he would be competitive in this race. He did well in Dubai last year and that is the plan again if he comes out of this race well. The Saudi Cup meeting is an option now so we will bring him home and see how he is and start planning for that.”

O'Meara was also full of praise for his jockey after the race.

On Watson, he said: “Jason is a hell of a talent. He has given him a fantastic ride; it is the first time he has ridden the horse in a race so he couldn't have had a better start!”

Watson himself was pinching himself after the race, he said: “I'm delighted. We went hard early on, and the main job was to get him to relax, and he relaxed very well for me. At halfway, they slowed right up to give the horses who were making the pace a breather, but that also enabled us to have a breather. Turning in, I could see a couple of horses starting to come under pressure including Zakouski. The best horse to follow in my opinion was Barney Roy, so I tracked him through and once we found clear daylight, we just mowed them down. He kept going right to the line. He's such a genuine horse, and I'm just really, really happy.”

Watson is no stranger to big race international races and has won Group 1 races in Italy and Germany, but he admitted to feeling the pressure of riding a horse like Lord Glitters.

He continued: “It's truly special. I'm just very fortunate that I've had a lot of success when I've gone abroad. I've won quite a few prestigious races now, but every time you do, you just have to pinch yourself. There was a big amount of pressure on me coming out here to ride a horse like Lord Glitters, who is such a legend of the sport and so well supported back home. I'm just pleased that he pulled it out the bag for me today.”

After being elevated to Group 3 status for the first time, it was the two Group 1 and Royal Ascot-winning horses that filled the first two positions which delighted the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club's Executive Director Shaikh Salman bin Rashed Alkhalifa.

He said: “To have had two Group One winners fighting out the finish was very special. On paper, it looked a very strong renewal for a Group Three and so it proved. Lord Glitters and Barney Roy are very well-known horses who have won Group One races in multiple countries. It was a thrilling race to watch, and we are very excited to see how the race can progress in future years.”

Final Finishing Positions:

1. Lord Glitters

2. Barney Roy

3. Magny Cours

4. Fev Rover

5. Cadillac

6. Penja

7. Pogo

8. Dubai Future

9. Zakouski

10. Emperor Of The Sun

11. Victory Chime

12. Naamoos

13. What A Welcome

The post ‘Horse Of A Lifetime’: 8-Year-Old Lord Glitters Delivers Fairytale Performance In Bahrain International appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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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 Watson, the popular grey charged from last to first down the middle of the straight to win by half a length from his fellow multiple Group 1 winner Barney Roy. 

“I might have been quoted in the past saying that he is a horse of a lifetime and I think he is for us,” said O'Meara, who excels in sending older horses far and wide to race him his Yorkshire stable.

“He has proved it once again and we don't have loads of horses like him, so he is very special to us. His last two runs weren't ideal, but the races hadn't work out for him. His run in August in the Strensall Stakes gave us confidence that he would be competitive in this race. He did well in Dubai last year and that is the plan again if he comes out of this race well. The Saudi Cup meeting is an option now so we will bring him home and see how he is and start planning for that.”

He added, “We came here last year and finished fifth in a steadily run race that was won from the front but today there was a lot of talk that it was going to be well run which we were delighted to hear. Going abroad to win any big race is brilliant but out here is really classy.”

While it was a return visit to the Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club (REHC) for horse and trainer, for jockey Jason Watson, who had been called in to replace injured stable jockey Danny Tudhope, it was a first visit to the Bahrain track with major plans for expansion on the horizon. 

Describing Watson's ride as “absolutely brilliant”, O'Meara added, “Jason is a hell of a talent. He's substituting for Danny today but he's done a fantastic job.”

Lord Glitters, who races in the colours of Sandra Turnbull and her late husband Geoff, cannot be described as the most straightforward of horses. An exuberant worker in the mornings, he was on his toes entering the paddock and scattered some of those gathered in the enclosure as he veered off the path and onto the grass. O'Meara was clearly anxious to get Watson aboard and to post early while the jockey was temporarily delayed as he lined up for a team photo with his fellow riders. 

Once safely installed in gate 12, Lord Glitters then jumped slightly awkwardly, missing the break, and was quickly switched to the inside rail by Watson who dropped him in at the back of the pack on a track which can often favour front-runners. But with early leader Pogo  (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) being taken on up front by Dubai Future (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the early pace appeared to be strong, with the eventual first five home all coming from relatively far back. Watson was content to bide his time at the rear as a tightly-packed field swung wide off the turn, and he gradually inched his mount towards the centre, stalking the Andre Fabre-trained Magny Cours as he tussled with his fellow Godolphin runner Barney Roy. 

The victory clearly meant much to the quietly spoken Watson, who parted company with Roger Charlton in July after three years as his stable jockey. 

“For me, having my first race over here and my first ride aboard him it's a big deal,” said the 21-year-old. “I've recently connected to David O'Meara's yard and to have a big winner for him like this is very special.”

He added of Lord Glitters, who was winning for the tenth time from 42 starts in six different countries, “He ran a creditable race last year and you could see when he finished his racing in Dubai after coming here last year he has just taken a bit of time to get ready. But he's come here in tiptop form, he's carried a penalty and he was by far the best horse in the race.”

Watson continued, “He's an old horse and he knows his job very well. David said to me 'ride him to be placed, don't go into it thinking you're going to win', because he's the type of horse who is best left alone. You just have to have a bit of faith in him and let him do it himself. 

“To be honest I was hoping that we did half-miss the break because he can have a tendency to race a bit too freely early on but I was very lucky he was kind to me today. I'm just a passenger on a horse like this–he's been there and got the t-shirt. He clearly retains his ability very well and it wasn't that long ago he was winning a Group 1 in Meydan. He's a true champion.”

It has been a magnificent season for Britain's champion trainer-elect Charlie Appleby, who arrived in Bahrain fresh from his treble at the Breeders' Cup, but he had to settle for second this time around with Barney Roy, while his other runner, the favourite Zakouski (GB) (Shamardal), finished tenth of the 13 runners. With just a neck separating Barney Roy and Magny Cours, Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}), who has been the exercise companion of Lord Glitters all week, was another to run home strongly to collect fourth place for Richard Fahey and the Nick Bradley Racing syndicate. She will be seen next on the Tuesday of the Tattersalls December Mare Sale when she will be offered as lot 1758.

In its first year with Group 3 status, the Bahrain International Trophy can be credited with having drawn a strong line-up, with two former Group 1 winners filling the top two places. A number of trainers associated with runners on the day had commented in the build-up to the race that the competition was stronger than they had anticipated and, as outlined by the REHC executive director Shaikh Salman Bin Rashid Al Khalifa on the eve of the meeting, the club has plans to expand its international race day. First, though, it will oversee the launch of the 10-race Turf Series which it is hoped will also attract plenty of international participation from December to February.

A number of European jockeys are currently based in Bahrain throughout this winter, including John and David Egan and Neil Callan, and Watson clearly wouldn't mind returning before too long.

Having arrived in Bahrain on Tuesday evening to accompany Lord Glitters on two mornings of track work, he said, “I'm one of these people who usually likes to fly in and fly out and not hang around too long, but I have enjoyed every minute of my time here. The track rides incredibly well considering the climate they have to contend with over here and this race is only going to get bigger and bigger.”

Pedigree notes
Bred in Normandy, Lord Glitters hails from a family long developed by the Lepeudry family of the Elevage de Tourgeville, who bred him in partnership with Hilary Erculiani. He is a son of the dual listed-placed Lady Glitters (Fr) (Homme de Loi {Fr}), herself a half-sister to stakes winners Grey Glitters (Fr) (Grey Risk {Fr}) and Loupy Glitters (Fr) (Loup Solitaire). That trio's dam, Marie Glitters (Crystal Glitters), is a half-sister to the G3 Prix Fille de l'Air winner Marie De Ken (Fr) (Kendor {Fr}), whose descendants include the dual group winner and Group 1-placed Ana Marie (Fr) (Anabaa), the listed-winning and Group 1-placed Ana Americana (Fr) (American Post {GB}) and the American Grade II winner Charmo (Fr) (Charnwood Forest {Ire}). Along with eight winning offspring, Lady Glitters has a once-raced 2-year-old filly by Zarak (Fr) named Princess Glitters (Fr) and she foaled a colt in April by Shalaa (Ire).

Friday, Sakhir, Bahrain
BAHRAIN INTERNATIONAL TROPHY-G3, £525,001, 3yo/up, 1m2fT, gd.
1-LORD GLITTERS (FR), 131, g, 8, by Whipper
                1st Dam: Lady Glitters (Fr), by Homme de Loi (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Marie Glitters, by Crystal Glitters
                3rd Dam: Marie De Vez (Fr), by Crystal Palace (Fr)
(€25,000 yrl '14 AROOCT; €270,000 HRA '17 ARQJUL) O-
Geoff & Sandra Turnbull; B-Sca Elevage De Tourgeville & Mme
Hilary Erculiani; T-David O'Meara. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng
& UAE, 42-10-10-5. £262,500. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for
the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2-Barney Roy (GB), 128, g, 7, Excelebration (Ire)-Alina (Ire), by
Galileo (Ire). (30,000gns wnl '14 TATNOV; £70,000 yrl '15
DNPAUG) O-Godolphin; B-Eliza Park International Pty Ltd; T-
Charlie Appleby. £131,250.
3-Magny Cours, 128, g, 6, Medaglia d'Oro-Indy Five Hundred,
by A.P. Indy. O-Godolphin SNC; B-Godolphin; T-A Fabre.
£65,625.
Margins: 1/2, NK, 2. Also Ran: Fev Rover (Ire), Cadillac (Ire), What A Welcome (GB), Dubai Future (GB), Naamoos (Fr), Victory Chime (Ire), Zakouski (GB), Penja (Fr), Pogo (Ire), Emperor Of The Sun (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

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“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 their morning exercise on the pristine turf track.

Just ahead of the horses, the chairman of the Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club, Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, appeared on course to greet the growing team of international visitors at Sakhir racecourse for the big race.

In just its third year, the early highlight of Bahrain's 27-meet racing calendar has been elevated to Group 3 level for the first time in 2021 and it has attracted a cast of runners from Bahrain, Britain, Ireland, France and Germany which fully befits that status.

There are few people more passionate about the development of horse racing in Bahrain than Shaikh Isa, the grandson of the King and a lifelong equestrian who also has horses in training in Britain. Following Friday's meeting, his focus will turn to the impending start of the new 10-race Bahrain Turf Series which it is hoped will draw similar international participation. 

“I was worried when I saw Neil's wellies this morning,” said a smiling Shaikh Isa at the draw for the International Trophy. “As it was in year one with the Bahrain International, it was a strong race but people I felt were just testing the water, and now I feel they have taken the plunge in year two and year three. The Turf Series is also going in that direction.”

Worth a total of £500,000, this year's Bahrain International Trophy has drawn four Godolphin entries from three different trainers. Charlie Appleby, fresh from his Breeders' Cup treble and en route to being crowned champion trainer in Britain for the first time, fields two of those, the current favourite Zakouski (GB) (Shamardal), winner last month of the listed Ben Marshall S. on his first start for 261 days, and the 7-year-old four-time Group 1 winner Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}). The latter notched the first of those top-level wins at three in the St James's Palace S. when trained by Richard Hannon and, following a stud stint shelved through infertility, he joined Appleby's stable in  2019 and added a trio of Group 1s to his record last year in Dubai and Germany. 

Godolphin's French-trained Magny Cours (Medaglia d'Oro) is currently second-favourite for the 10-furlong contest on the back of some consistent performances this season, including a last-start win in the G3 Prix Perth and a third-place finish in the Dubai World Cup in March. The 6-year-old, who will carry the red cap from stall 10, is set to become the first runner for Andre Fabre in Bahrain. The quartet in the royal blue is completed by the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is the mount of Frankie Dettori. 

The betting may suggest otherwise, but the fan favourite for Friday's main event is the Turnbull family's striking grey Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper). The popular 8-year-old was last seen in winning action in the G1 Jebel Hatta in March but appears to retain plenty of enthusiasm. His trainer David O'Meara and jockey Jason Watson arrived in Bahrain on Tuesday evening, and Watson was aboard Lord Glitters as he pranced to the track in the company of Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) some 12 hours later.

“He's an older horse now but the ability is still there and he thrives out in this part of the world with the heat in his joints,” said O'Meara after drawing gate 12 for his dual Group 1 winner. 

Fellow Yorkshire-based Fev Rover is one of two 3-year-old fillies in the field and her trainer Richard Fahey has also made the trip to Bahrain. He fared better at the draw with stall four for the Nick Bradley Racing-owned filly who was third in the 1000 Guineas.

“I'm delighted to get the opportunity to run this filly over a mile and a quarter on quick ground,” said Fahey, who added with a laugh, “I've been trying to find quick ground all season in Europe and every time I've entered her it's rained all week, so I'm just warning everyone it's probably going to rain heavily tomorrow in Bahrain.”

German trainer Andreas Suborics has recently taken over the training of Penja (Fr) (Camelot {GB}) from Jean-Claude Rouget after the Group 3 winner sold for €1.2 million to Jurgen Sartori at the Arqana Arc Sale. The 3-year-old will be reunited on Friday with Cristian Demuro, who has ridden her in all five starts in France this season. 

“She only arrived in my stable six weeks ago but she arrived in perfect condition,” said Suborics of Penja after drawing stall eight. “I couldn't be happier than I am with her at the moment. She had a good, fresh canter this morning and we have a good gate number. She will love the fast ground and there's nowhere else we can find good ground at this time of the year so everything is positive so far. Of course as a 3-year-old it is not easy to run against these older, experienced group horses but we are confident that she will perform well and if she is in the first four we will be happy.”

Ireland is represented by the Jessica Harrington-trained Cadillac (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who was ridden by Shane Foley during an easy canter on the turf and who has Richie and Emma Galway and Patrick Cooper among his support crew in Bahrain this week.

Pogo (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}) and Victory Chime (Ire) (Campanologist) boost the British challenge, representing the stables of Charlie Hills and Ralph Beckett respectively, while a strong local defence will be launched by leading Bahrain trainer Fawzi Nass, who won last year's International Trophy with Simsir (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}).

The leading light from Nass's trio of runners appears to be his recent recruit Emperor Of The Sun (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the 4-year-old half-brother to Zoustar (Aus) who was previously trained by Donnacha O'Brien.

“I've only had him for a few days–for the last six weeks he has been with John O'Donoghue in Ireland so we have only got to see him here for the last five or six days but he seems fine,” said Nass, who will also saddle Naamoos (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Qaader (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), while his compatriot A Jaleel Al Mallah fields the outsider What A Welcome (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}).

It is clear that the team behind racing in the Kingdom of Bahrain has its sights set on bigger things to come, starting with the launch of the £550,000 Turf Series on Dec. 10. But for now, International Pattern recognition is a source of satisfaction for Shaikh Isa.

“It's been three years in the works now and we now have our Group 3 status but we need to build on that,” he said. “We won't stop at just one Group 3.”

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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 have all gained Group 3 status. A trio of races are now considered international listed races-the Al Methaq Cup, His Majesty the King's Cup and His Royal Crown Prince Cup-all in Bahrain. The Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers (SITA) approved the measures.

Also, during the meeting led by IFHA Chair Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, terms began for Jim Gagliano, Brian Kavanagh, Masayuki Goto, and Horacio Esposito as Vice-Chairs of the IFHA. The Chair and Vice-Chairs of the Federation will serve a three-year mandate from 2021 to 2024. Both Bruce Sherwin, Director of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing and Dr. Paull Khan, Secretary-General of the European and Mediterranean Horseracing Federation (EMHF) were appointed to the IFHA Executive Council.

That body also endorsed the chair and nominations to the IFHA Finance Committee, which will be chaired by Jim Lawson of Woodbine Entertainment Group. Oscar Bertoletti, CEO of OSAF; Olivier Delloye, CEO of France Galop; Suzanne Eade, Chief Executive for Horse Racing Ireland; and Greg Nichols, Director of Racing Australia, constitute the Finance Committee. The Governance Committee Chair will be BHA Chief Executive Julie Harrington. A new Commercial and Marketing Committee was formed, with Olivier Delloye to serve as its chair.

The Executive Council also approved the selection of key positions for its global Executive Office, and Andrew Harding will continue to lead the Executive Office as the Federation's Executive Director. Andrew Chesser, Manager of Registration Services for The Jockey Club (USA) and previously Secretary General for the IFHA; James Ogilvy, Executive Manager, International and Racing Regulation at The Hong Kong Jockey Club and previously Technical Advisor for the IFHA; and Henri Pouret, Managing Director, Racing Operations for France Galop, were all named Directors of the IFHA global Executive Office. For more information on these appointments, please visit the IFHA website.

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In advance of the Bahrain Turf Series, the Bahrain International Trophy is slated for Nov. 19 at Sakhir Racecourse. Open to horses rated 95+, the 2000-metre event will have three spots reserved for the winners of the G3 Fitzdares Royal Whip S. at The Curragh on Aug. 13, the G3 Sky Bet and Symphony Group Strensall S. at York on Aug. 21 and the G3 The Darley S. at Newmarket on Oct. 9.

His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club High Committee, said: “I am very proud of the Bahrain International Trophy. We have hosted the race for two years and we will be hosting it again in 2021 for the third time having seen a huge jump in the quality of horses and participants in year two. By introducing the new Bahrain Turf Series we hope to further attract great horses to the Kingdom of Bahrain, horses that can add a higher quality of performance to our two most prestigious races, His Majesty the King's Cup and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's Cup.

“My own personal goal is to develop the industry of thoroughbred horse racing in the Kingdom of Bahrain and if we are able to facilitate our Bahraini trainers and jockey's relationships with European connections that will be one of my key goals met.”

His Highness Shaikh Faisal bin Rashid bin Isa Alkhalifa, Deputy Chairman of the Rashid Equestrian & Horse Racing Club, added, “We are delighted to be introducing the new Bahrain Turf Series to our race programme and hosting these races for the forthcoming season. We look forward to welcoming owners and trainers to experience horse racing in Bahrain and everything that the Kingdom of Bahrain has to offer.”

Shaikh Salman bin Rashed al Khalifa, Executive Director of the Rashid Equestrian & Horse Racing Club said, “It is an incredibly exciting time for horse racing in Bahrain. We have been blown away with the amount of quality trainers, jockeys and horses who have come to race in Bahrain since the first Bahrain International Trophy in 2019. To have had five individual Group 1 winners in our second running of the race, including Aidan O'Brien's Irish Derby winner Sovereign was very special. Off the back of the race's success, the Rashid Equestrian & Horse Racing Club are very proud to introduce the Bahrain Turf Series for the 2021/22 season in Bahrain.”

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