HORSERACING – ROUND two of the 2023-24 Bahrain Turf Series produced two thrilling races with victory in both divisions, sprint and middle-distance, going to internationally trained horses at the Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club (REHC) racecourse in Raffa, Sakhir, yesterday.
The George Scott-trained Rocket Rodney, owned by His Majesty King Hamad’s representative for humanitarian work and youth affairs Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s Victorious Racing, returned to form by taking the Al Riffa Cup, although his owner, trainer and jockey were denied a famous double when their Isle Of Jura could not peg back Lucander, trained by George Baker, in the Al Dana Cup.
The two top-weights, Isle Of Jura and Lucander, served up a fantastic finish to the Al Dana Cup, with the seven-year-old Lucander prevailing by the narrowest of margins to deny Isle Of Jura a second win in the Bahrain Turf Series. Back in third was the gallant Box To Box (trained by Hugo Palmer), delivering a 1-2-3 for the internationals.
Afterwards, a delighted Baker, together with his owners, welcomed back Lucander, who was twice a winner in Bahrain last season, saying: “These horses, you travel the world to find them, and then when you find them, you travel the world with them.”
He added: “That was a huge thrill, what a horse he has become. Last year was amazing, but this more than matches it. He’s tough and he’s game and Patsy (Cosgrave) gave him a beautiful ride. He really stuck his neck out, I thought we were going to be done in the shadows of the post.
“He’s just been a superstar for us. He has won off a rating of 100 today, so we will have a think in the morning about which way we go from here.”
Half an hour before Isle of Jura was narrowly beaten, his connections were cheering home a surprise winner.
A prolific performer last year, including when runner-up at Royal Ascot, Rocket Rodney shot back to form in the Al Riffa Cup to give owners Victorious, trainer Scott and jockey Callum Shepherd their second win in this season’s Bahrain Turf Series. Rocket Rodney led home a clean sweep for the internationals with Brazen Bolt (trained by John Quinn) and Anthem National (Philip Kirby) finishing second and third, respectively.
Victory in the sprint division was a poignant one for Scott, as he revealed the key role Rocket Rodney has played in getting his career back on track.
“He (Rocket Rodney) has been a great friend of Shaikh Nasser’s and myself and he really helped kick start my career again last year. He was the first horse Shaikh Nasser had with me and Shaikh Nasser has been very patient, so it is lovely to have the horse back and for him to win a Bahrain Turf Series race.
Referring to the delay at the start of the race, Scott added: “He’s got a great mind. He’s not a typical sprinter, he would walk around quietly all day. Then, once the race was underway, we were stuck on the rail but it was probably a good thing because by the end he really needed the line, so if he had got out sooner, he may have got tired. He has thrived here in the last couple of weeks so that gave me hope.”
Even so, the win was a welcome surprise for jockey Shepherd, as Rocket Rodney put behind him an unplaced effort in round one of the Bahrain Turf Series sprint division.
Shepherd said: “That was a little unexpected, though we hoped he would run better. It is just great for him to get his head back in front. He was a prolific juvenile, and it is really good he has gone and won today and done so in these circumstances.
“The step up in trip helped and we got a nice tow into the race. I thought I might get through up the rail, but when I pulled him out, he picked up the leader nicely.”
The race was held in the presence of Shaikh Nasser, REHC High Committee chairman Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Supreme Council for Environment vice-president and REHC deputy chairman Shaikh Faisal bin Rashid Al Khalifa among others.
The next two races in the series will be run on January 12.
Shaikh Isa bin Salman was presented with the Humphrey Butler Fine Jewellery Cup following the success of Byline, owned by Al Adiyat Racing, trained by Allen Smith and ridden by Gerald Mosse in the eighth round.
Shaikh Faisal presented the Owners’ Cup to Mudallal owner Shaikh Sultan El Dine bin Mohammed bin Salman Al Khalifa, the winner in the fifth round.
Al Mohamediya Racing owner Shaikh Sultan was also presented the trophy for the seventh round, the Kuwait Finance House Cup, by KFH executive manager and head of Corporate and SME Banking Mahmood Ghalib Al Mahmood.
The second round for the Bahrain Jockey Academy Cup was won by Ganadeel, owned by Shaikh Isa bin Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa and ridden by Abdulla Faisal. Academy coach Colin Rayner presented the winner’s trophy to trainer Haider Ebrahim.
Amwaj, owned by Mohammed Khalid Abdulrahim, trained by Ebrahim and ridden by Kieran Shoemark won the sixth round yesterday.
Meanwhile, the opening round was won by Al Hamdanieh 1890, owned by Al Wasmiya, trained by Abdulla Kuwaiti and ridden by Adnan Jaffar.
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