The stage is set for one of the biggest weekends on Bahrain’s 2024-25 national horseracing calendar.
Taking place this Thursday and Friday at Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club (REHC) is the His Majesty the King’s Cup festival.
The two-day meeting is part of the exciting night-racing programme this Ramadan at REHC. Action on both evenings is slated to get underway at 8.15pm.
Headlining Friday’s events is the Group Three HM the King’s Cup, sponsored by Bapco Energies. Carrying a total prize purse of $200,000, 12 world-class imported horses are expected to compete over the 2,400-metre distance, which will be the sixth and feature race of an eight-event card.
The participants have already arrived in Bahrain and have begun their preparations on track at REHC.
Two other HM the King’s Cups will be up for the taking on the same evening, including in races five and one. The fifth event offers $55,000 in winnings and will be contested over 2,400m by an expected 12 locally bred horses. Race one offers $20,000 in prize money. It is a 1,600m WAHO event with 10 contenders scheduled to be in the fray.
The Listed Al Methaq Mile is another major event on Friday. Taking place as the fourth race of the night, it offers $100,000 in total winnings, with a dozen horses expected to be entered to compete over 1,600m.
Elsewhere on Friday’s card, The Chairman’s Cup by BINAA will be race two, offering $40,000 in prize money; the Bapco Energies Cup will be race eight with $30,000 in winnings; The Avenues-Bahrain Cup will be race seven with $16,000 up for grabs; and the REHC Cup will be race three, also offering $16,000.
Meanwhile, Thursday will feature another eight races, highlighted by a pair of Bahrain Turf Series events.
The first is the Al Fateh Cup by Bapco Energies, which will be held as the night’s seventh and penultimate race. It will be contested over a 1,200m straight by an expected field of 23 imported horses.
The International Handicap is Thursday’s other Bahrain Turf Series event, which will be the evening’s finale. It has 21 imported horses billed to take part, and it will cover a distance of 2,000m.
Both Bahrain Turf Series events are the last two for the season, and they each offer $100,000 in total prize money.
Other trophies to be won on Thursday are the Coolmore Cup in race two, offering $12,000; The Auction Cup by Mazad in race three, the Grand Seiko-Bahrain Jewellery Centre Cup in race four, the Lexus Cup in race five, and The Mazad Sprint Cup in race six, all offering $8,000 each in winnings.
Following this week’s two-day horseracing spectacle, REHC’s exciting Ramadan programme continues with night meetings on March 13, 20, and 27. All are welcome to attend. Tickets are available at bahrainturfclub.com.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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