Bahrain | Horse Racing Free Tips

Saudi Cup Promoted to Group 1 Status

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 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.

The post Saudi Cup Promoted to Group 1 Status appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Sovereign Headlines Strong Cast For Friday’s Bahrain International Trophy

Friday's £500,000 (approximately US$591,750) Bahrain International Trophy has drawn a strong cast for the 2020 renewal, topped by 2019 Irish Derby hero Sovereign.

Supplemented at a cost of £10,000, Sovereign will be trainer Aidan O'Brien's first ever runner in Bahrain, and jockey Ryan Moore ships in to ride from post eight in the field of 14.

The Ballydoyle master said: “Sovereign is a strong mile-and-a-quarter horse. He is a very strong galloper who likes to go forward in his races, and we think the Bahrain International Trophy will suit him.”

Racecourse Media Group in partnership with the Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club have secured widespread global coverage, and the race will be shown on on Fox Sports in the United States with an approximate post time of 8:00 a.m. Eastern.

Adding further top-level interest on Nov. 20 is the Japanese-trained mare Deirdre (Mitsuru Hashida), whose big wins include last year's Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

Other strong contenders include: last year's Queen Anne Stakes winner Lord Glitters representing David O'Meara, dual Canadian International Stakes winner Desert Encounter runs for David Simcock, and Saeed bin Suroor calls on 2019 Jebel Hatta victor Dream Castle.

Barney Roy has suffered a minor setback and will miss the race, but Godolphin will still be doubly represented – with Mark Johnston's Royal Ascot winner Dark Vision joining Dream Castle.

John Gosden saw Turgenev finish second in the inaugural race last year and will be hoping to go one better with Global Giant, who will be ridden by Frankie Dettori for owner HH Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa.

Andrew Balding and King Power Racing were sixth with Pivoine in 2019 and are back this year with Bangkok – while Lady Wannabe (Fozzy Stack), Certain Lad (Mick Channon), Pogo (Charlie Hills) and Quest The Moon (Sarah Steinberg) complete the European challenge.

Two spots in the field are guaranteed for locally-trained horses, and the two Bahraini-based contenders are confirmed as Port Lions (Fawzi Naas) and What A Welcome (Hesham Al Haddad).

Shaikh Salman bin Rashed Al-Khalifa, executive director of Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the class of horses that we have attracted to this year's Bahrain International Trophy.

“To have five individual Group One winners in the field – compared to only one last year – shows the leap in quality. We are very grateful to the trainers and owners for placing their trust in Bahrain, and we very much look forward to welcoming them.”

The post Sovereign Headlines Strong Cast For Friday’s Bahrain International Trophy appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

George Baker Opening a New Yard in Bahrain

Trainer George Baker is opening a satellite yard in Bahrain. Baker, whose horses have won on both the Flat and over jumps, has saddled winners in France and St Moritz, as well. The second annual Bahrain International Trophy, hosted by the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club, is set for Nov. 20.

“We are hugely excited at the official announcement of a long-term partnership between the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club and George Baker Racing, which signals our long-term commitment to horse racing in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and we look forward to the establishment of a satellite yard in the coming months,” said Baker. “We have been very impressed with the commitment and vision of the REHC.

“The quality of the field for the upcoming Bahrain International Trophy is testament to the quality of the racing surface and the facilities on site, and we are excited to become a part of an ambitious and burgeoning horse racing jurisdiction.”

The post George Baker Opening a New Yard in Bahrain appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Field Finalised for Bahrain International Trophy

The Nov. 20 £500,000 Bahrain International Trophy field of 14 has been set after the latest supplementary stage closed. There are five Group 1 winners set to take part including Coolmore’s G1 Irish Derby winner Sovereign (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Japan’s MG1SW Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), G1SW Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper), MGISW Desert Encounter (Ire) (Halling) and Godolphin’s G1SW Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Although MG1SW Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) has suffered a minor setback, Godolphin will also field MGSW Dark Vision (Ire) (Dream Ahead). John Gosden sends HH Shaikh Isa bin Salman Alkhalifa’s Global Giant (GB) (Shamardal) who will be ridden by Frankie Dettori. King Power Racing is represented by GSW Bangkok (Ire) (Australia {GB}).

Completing the field are: Lady Wannabe (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Certain Lad (GB) (Clodovil {Ire}), Pogo (Ire) (Zebedee {GB}), Quest The Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), and the local pair of Port Lions (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) and What a Welcome (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}).

“We are absolutely delighted with the class of horses that we have attracted to this year’s Bahrain International Trophy,” said Shaikh Salman bin Rashed Al-Khalifa, Executive Director of Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club in a statement. “To have five individual Group 1 winners in the field compared to only one last year shows the leap in quality. We are very grateful to the trainers and owners for placing their trust in Bahrain and we very much look forward to welcoming them to Bahrain.”

The post Field Finalised for Bahrain International Trophy appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post