Bahrain

Spirit Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who claimed the G2 Bahrain International Trophy a year ago for breeder Sir Alex Ferguson, Ged Mason and Peter Done, returns to Bahrain to defend his title on Friday. Worth $1 million, the 2000-metre race has attracted a contentious field of 12 from all corners of the globe. A winner of the G3 Strensall Stakes last year prior to his Bahrain heroics defeating among others the Coolmore partners' multiple group winner Point Lonsdale (Ire) (Australia {GB}), the 7-year-old gelding went on to take the G2...

Following a review by the Asian Pattern Committee, the King's Cup will be run as a Group 3 for the first time in 2025, it was announced by the Bahrain Turf Club on Monday. Run in March over a mile and a half, the King's Cup was won this year by the George Scott-trained Isle Of Jura (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) as he secured the Bahrain Triple Crown following wins in the Crown Prince's Cup and HH Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Cup. The second of those races has...

Every day is a school day if you follow TDN. Thankfully, master of all subjects Emma Berry delivered yesterday's lesson on the Bay City Rollers--apparently one of the most popular bands of the 1970s--in her excellent Seven Days column, allowing me to stay in my lane with today's news that the unbeaten two-year-old colt of the same name is unlikely to run again this year after his comfortable victory in Saturday's G2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster. That is according to trainer George Scott, who already has his sights set on...

NEWMARKET, UK -- "Bought him for Bahrain," is an oft-repeated phrase at the sales these days. With an expansion in the Bahrain Turf Series announced only recently and the stamping of the form of some of the island's better races by Royal Ascot hero Isle Of Jura (GB), it is perhaps no surprise that it has become a target for a number of owners and trainers. Bahrain was also to the fore at the July Course during a sombre afternoon on which John Hunt was in the minds of his...

There is no doubt that one of the feel-good moments in an excellent week of action at Royal Ascot came when Isle Of Jura (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) won the G2 Hardwicke Stakes on the final day of the meeting. Much of the joy that sprung from the result was aimed towards jockey Callum Shepherd after he had missed out on a plum ride in the Derby. But the importance of the win for the horse's trainer, George Scott, who was enjoying a first Royal Ascot success, and his owner...

Trainer George Scott has his eye on more big-race riches in Bahrain with Isle Of Jura (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) a leading player for the $200,000 Listed King's Cup on Friday. Isle Of Jura has been a revelation in Bahrain over the winter. He has won three of his four starts there, including the prestigious Crown Prince's Cup, and was impressive when cruising to victory on his most recent run in the HH Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Cup.  Regular rider Callum Shepherd has described Isle Of Jura as...

Given a letter-perfect steer by the veteran Gerald Mosse, the Ian Williams-trained Parlando (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) bested a dozen others to win Friday's Vision 2030 by Beyon handicap over the 2000 metres by a length and with it, took home the $40,000 bonus prize for the Bahrain Turf Series, which concluded Friday at Sakhir. The 5-year-old gelding, rated 86, was produced late to defeat the Hugo Palmer-conditioned, two-time series pointsgetter Box To Box (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), rated on 92 and giving three kilos to the eventual winner. It was Parlando's...

Already a winner of one of the valuable handicaps that make up the Bahrain Turf Series back on Dec. 8, Victorious Racing's Isle of Jura (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) negotiated the hike into black-type company with aplomb, winning Friday's $150,000 Listed Crown Prince's Cup with a fair bit of authority. Immediately dropped out to the tail, Isle of Jura was given a quiet ride by Callum Shepherd, as the commonly owned Rollajam (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}) galloped them along in advance of American Flag (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}). The pacemaker...

The third year of the 10-race Bahrain Turf Series begins at the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club on Friday. In November, Sir Alex Ferguson scored a memorable win with Spirit Dancer (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the $1-million G2 Bahrain International Trophy. A pair of owners who also have backgrounds in football, Michael Owen and Harry Redknapp, have runners in one of the first races of the Bahrain Turf Series, the Al Muharraq Cup By Texel Air over 2000 metres on the grass. Trainer Phil McEntee sends out the gelding Moktasaab...

Godolphin's Passion And Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) returned to Bahrain after finishing second in the G3 Bahrain International Trophy on Nov. 18 to win the Listed His Majesty The King's Cup at the Bahrain Equestrian Club on Friday. The 7-year-old gelding is trained by Saeed bin Suroor and was ridden by Daniel Tudhope. Passion And Glory got the better of the Appleby-trained First Ruler (GB) (Dubawi [Ire]) to give Godolphin a one-two finish. Bin Suroor said, "It was a great result to see Passion And Glory win here. He...

A trio of runners bearing the Godolphin royal blue will contest the Listed His Majesty The King's Cup Sponsored By Bapco and the Listed Al Methaq Mile in Bahrain on Friday. G3 Glorious S. winner and Group 1-placed Passion And Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), representing Saeed bin Suroor, and First Ruler (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) from the Charlie Appleby yard both line up in the King's Cup. Appleby also saddles listed winner and multiple group-placed Modern News (GB) (Shamardal) in the Al Methaq Mile. Appleby said, "First Ruler has got...

Devaste (GB) (Buratino {Ire}) and Goemon (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}) won the six-furlong £60,000 Al Sakhir Cup and the 2000-metre £60,000 Vision 2030 Cup, respectively, as the 2023 Bahrain Turf Series concluded on Friday. At the conclusion of the 10-race series, a total of £182,400 (30.4%) of the £600,000 prize-money available had been won by international horses. The three international winners throughout the span of the series were Lucander (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), who struck on the undercard on Friday for George Baker; Nomadic Empire (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) for David O'Meara;...