HORSERACING – RASHID Equestrian and Horseracing Club is all set for a busy day of top-class racing today.
The eight-race card is headed by the newly upgraded Listed race, His Highness Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Cup, sponsored by Bapco Energies, and concludes with round five of the 2024-25 Bahrain Turf Series.
Flying in from the UK for his first rides in the kingdom this season is Classic winning jockey David Egan. Fresh from a spell riding in Florida for Amo Racing, Egan’s book of six rides includes two for his retained owner in the middle-distance and sprint divisions of the Bahrain Turf Series.
Both Mr Alan and Walbank have shown good form in Bahrain without yet winning for owner Amo Racing and trainer George Boughey, but connections are hoping the arrival of the horses’ regular rider Egan can turn recent near misses into big-race success.
Having finished a close third on his last two starts, Mr Alan sits in fifth place in the standings of the middle-distance division of the Bahrain Turf Series and a win would propel him to the top of the leaderboard, putting him in pole position for the $40,000 bonus to the overall winner with just one more round to go.
Mr Alan’s opposition in the $80,000 Bahrain Vision Cup, sponsored by Alba, includes previous Bahrain Turf Series winner Snellen, trained by Gavin Cromwell and now back in handicap company running in last month’s Crown Prince’s Cup, and last season’s runner-up in the middle-distance division Box To Box for Hugo Palmer and jockey Harry Davies.
On his last start in a competitive field of 18 runners, Amo Racing’s Walbank was runner-up to the fast-improving City House. With that winner choosing to go up in trip today rather than down to the 1,000m of the $80,000 Al Sakhir Cup, sponsored by Beyon, it presents Walbank with a good opportunity to add to the 12 points he has accumulated in the series to date. Like Mr Alan, a 15-point win for Walbank would send him to the top of the division.
City House’s trainer George Scott is enjoying a remarkable run of form this winter in Bahrain, having won with seven of the 14 runners he has saddled. City House is responsible for two of those wins and he goes again today in a conditions race over 1,400m.
Scott also saddles stable star Phantom Flight in the day’s most valuable race, the $135,000 His Highness Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Cup, sponsored by Bapco Energies.
To date, Phantom Flight has been foot perfect in following the path taken by stable-mate Isle Of Jura last season; first winning a Bahrain Turf Series race and then going on to victory in the Listed Crown Prince’s Cup. His next challenge is to step up in trip to 2,200m and carry the colours of his owner Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa in the race that bears his owner’s name.
The other internationally trained horses in the day’s feature race are Intricacy, trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, and Lucander, trained by George Baker.
The Bahrain-based opposition to the warm-favourite Phantom Flight includes a three-strong team from Al Mohamediya Racing, headed by Zagato, and recent Bahrain Turf Series race winner, Merlin’s Beard.
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