MG1SW Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}) leads an octet of Group 1 winners among the entries for the second edition of the £500,000 Bahrain International Trophy, the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club. Sixty-one horses from Britain (22), Ireland (14), France (9), Bahrain (6), the UAE (6), Norway (2), Japan (1) and Germany (1) hold entries for the 2000-metre race at Sakhir Racecourse on Friday, Nov. 20. A four-time Group 1 winner, the Godolphin colourbearer saluted in the G1 Longines Grosser Preis von Baden last out on Sept. 13.
“It's a race we've been keen to support, and we feel that we've got the right horse in Barney Roy to take to Bahrain,” said trainer Charlie Appleby. “He's got a great profile leading into the race off the back of his Group 1 in Germany. He's been shipped out to Dubai already and will continue his preparation there. We're delighted to have the invitation from Bahrain, and we are thrilled to be able to support the race with a horse like Barney Roy.”
The remaining Group 1 winners are: 2019 G1 Queen Anne S. hero Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper), MGISW Desert Encounter (Ire) (Halling), G1 Jebel Hatta scorer Dream Castle (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), French Group 1 winners Intellogent (Ire) (Intello {Ger}) and Zabeel Prince (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) and the mares–Deirdre (Jpn) (Harbinger {GB}), who won the G1 Nassau S. and classic heroine and MG1SW Billesdon Brook (GB) (Champs Elysees {GB}).
The inaugural winner Royal Julius (Ire) (Royal Applause {GB}) returns for Jerome Reynier, while John Gosden, second in the race in 2019, has Global Giant (GB) (Shamardal) this term. A maximum of 14 will run, with two spots reserved for local horses and an automatic berth guaranteed to the winner of the Oct. 10 G3 Darley S.
“To have so many high-quality horses entered, from eight different countries, and an increase in class from our first year is very exciting,” said Shaikh Salman bin Rashed al Khalifa, Executive Director of the Rashid Equestrian & Horse Racing Club. “The entries show the confidence trainers and owners have in Bahrain and our race. To have horses like Barney Roy, and Billesdon Brook and trainers like Aidan O'Brien, John Gosden and Charlie Appleby support the race is a huge boost for us. We are very hopeful that The Bahrain International Trophy will become a key date in the international racing calendar for many years to come.”
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