The Bahrain Turf Club and UK-based The Jockey Club announced yesterday that the kingdom has extended its sponsorship at The July Festival at Newmarket by five years, up to and including 2029.
Already the longest-standing sponsor at Newmarket’s premier summer meeting, Bahrain has supported the Group Three Bahrain Trophy since its inception in 1991. From 2023, they extended that support to the Group Two Princess of Wales’s Stakes, sponsored by The Kingdom of Bahrain, and the Group Two Kingdom of Bahrain July Stakes.
All three races are held on the opening day of The July Festival, Ladies Day, which takes place this year on July 10.
Run over 1m 5f, the Bahrain Trophy has established itself as an important race for staying three-year-olds. Godolphin have dominated the race in recent years, winning three of the last four runnings, while previous winners include the great Persian Punch and St Leger winner, Masked Marvel.
First contested in 1894, the Princess of Wales’s Stakes is named in honour of Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who became the Princess of Wales on her marriage to the future King Edward VII in 1862.
In 2024, the race was won by Giavellotto who went on to enjoy a globe-trotting campaign including winning the Hong Kong Vase at Sha Tin in December.
The six-furlong Kingdom of Bahrain July Stakes was first staged in 1786 and is the oldest race staged anywhere in Britain for two-year-olds. Aidan O’Brien won the race for the third time in 2024 with Whistlejacket.
In conjunction with their race sponsorship, The Bahrain Turf Club uses the unique surroundings of the July Course to host a wide range of guests on the opening day of The July Festival. Last year, guests included Sir Alex Ferguson, breeder and co-owner of Spirit Dancer, the winner of both the 2023 and 2024 runnings of the Group Two Bahrain International Trophy held in November.
Speaking from The Bahrain Turf Club, where The Jockey Club Cup was run last Friday, Newmarket Racecourses and International director Sophie Able said: “The relationship between The Jockey Club and The Kingdom of Bahrain continues to go from strength to strength, and we are delighted to be extending this partnership with them.
“As our longest-standing sponsor at The July Festival, with its support of the Bahrain Trophy stretching back over 30 years, we are truly grateful to His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa and the Bahrain Turf Club for continuing to support not only these three races but also Newmarket Racecourses and The Jockey Club.”
The Bahrain Turf Club CEO Yusuf Buheji added: “We are delighted to announce a five-year extension to our contract with The Jockey Club.
“The news underlines our commitment not only to supporting British racing but also to developing our partnership with Newmarket and further building the Kingdom of Bahrain’s association with the opening day of the July Festival.
“Continued international participation is fundamental to our ambitions for growth and the timing of the July Festival provides a great platform from which to launch each year’s upcoming season in Bahrain and specifically key events such as the Bahrain International Trophy and the Bahrain Turf Series.
“Through our partnership with The Jockey Club and alignment with the world’s leading racing jurisdictions, the aim is to further raise the standard of racing in Bahrain and welcome more international visitors.”
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