The world-class runners in this year’s Bahrain International Trophy have arrived in the kingdom ahead of the prestigious annual event, which takes place this Friday at Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club (REHC) in Sakhir.
The $1million Group Two race is set to feature 13 horses from Great Britain, Ireland, France, and Japan, as well as from the UAE and local Bahrain-trained horses.
It will be the sixth edition of Bahrain’s most valuable horserace and it will be staged for the first time under REHC’s new, state-of-the-art floodlights, which will be brilliantly lighting up the track.
The 1m2f (2,000m) event is scheduled to begin at 7.35pm as the feature event of an eight-race card.
Last year’s winner Spirit Dancer – co-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, Ged Mason, and Peter Done – is back in the fray, but the seven-year-old will be facing plenty of tough competition from the high-quality field.
The participating contenders from overseas went right to work upon arriving on the island, getting some track running at REHC.
Yamanin Sympa and Killer Ability from Japan and the two French horses Andromede and Calif were among the first to reach Bahrain from abroad. Calif is competing for Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s Victorious Racing, and is trained in France by Carlos and Yann Lerner.
Nations Pride and Alflaila from the UAE, Point Lonsdale from Ireland, and Spirit Dancer and Lead Artist from Great Britain, are all set for Friday’s horseracing spectacle.
The Bahrain-trained runners are headed by four-year-old Al Afoo Racing-owned Sovereign Spirit, while the others are Al Afoo’s other contender Young Ireland, and the MKAR Racing duo of Goemon and Sprewell.
The draw for the starting gates of the participating horses will be held on Wednesday.
In last year’s Bahrain International Trophy, Spirit Dancer, trained by Richard Fahey and ridden by Oisin Orr, defeated a high-class field at REHC, with Group Two and recent Royal Ascot winner Israr finishing second and Aidan O’Brien’s Point Lonsdale in third.
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