Spirit Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who won the 2023 G2 Bahrain International Trophy, will attempt to add the 2024 edition to his haul as the first dual winner of the $1-million race, as the entry list was released on Thursday. The Richard Fahey trainee, who is owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, Ged Mason and Peter Done, will face rivals from seven countries outside the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Fahey said of his G2 Neom Turf Cup hero who has been off the course since a run in Dubai at the end of March, “Spirit Dancer is in great form. He will have a prep run at Newmarket in the Darley Stakes, following the same route that he took last year. We all had an amazing trip and experience in Bahrain and the team are really looking forward to going back this year.”
The race will be held at the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club in Bahrain on Nov. 15 and has attracted 61 entries, 45 of them black-type winners. There are 10 Group 1 winners signed on including Joseph O'Brien's Al Riffa (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), Aidan O'Brien's Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}), Charlie Appleby's GI Arlington Million hero Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), a pair of German Group 1 winners in Fantastic Moon (Ger) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) and Calif (Ger) (Areion {Ger}), three-time Group 1 winner Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}), Anmaat (Ire) (Awtaad {Ire}) for Owen Burrows and Jerome Reynier's Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}). The race has also drawn a couple of high class former Classic runners in G1 Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) and G1 Irish Derby runner-up and top-level winner Sunway (Fr) (Galiway {GB}).
Japan is represented for the first time among the Bahrain International Trophy entries by Group 1 scorer Killer Ability (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) for trainer Takashi Saito, as well as Takeshi Okumura's Ho O Biscuits (Jpn) (Mind Your Biscuits), and Yoshito Yahagi charge Mr G T (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}).
Ed Veale, director of racing and international relations for the Bahrain Turf Club said, “We are delighted that the Bahrain International Trophy has attracted entries of such quality and it is great to see so many different countries represented. The event's status in the racing calendar is growing year on year and to have attracted Japanese based horses for the first time is testament to that.
“It is also exciting that Spirit Dancer and his connections are returning to Bahrain to defend their crown. He is part of a strong European team of entries that includes Group 1 performers from France, Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom.
“To have a total of 61 entries representing eight different countries, featuring 45 stakes race winners, including 10 that have scored at the highest level, is fantastic and a reward for the sustained investment in the race by the Bahrain Turf Club.”
For the full list of entries, please click here.
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