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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