Bahrain Turf Series

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...

An expansion of the Turf Series was announced by the Bahrain Turf Club on Thursday, as well as the installation of floodlights ahead of the 2024-25 season. The Bahrain Turf Series, which was launched in 2021, will now comprise of 12 races worth a total of $1 million, with a further $80,000 available in bonuses. The programme will start on the later date of December 20 and run until March 7, with an additional two handicaps, each worth $100,000, set to be run at the season's finale, where the feature...

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...

A $40,000 bonus prize is up for grabs when the fifth and final round of the 2023-24 Bahrain Turf Series takes place at the Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club on Friday, February 16. The bonus is awarded to the leading points scorer in the middle-distance division which is currently the George Scott-trained Isle Of Jura (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) with 25 points, ahead of old rival Lucander (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) on 22 points. However, neither horse is eligible to run in the Vision 2030 race (sponsored by Beyon), the final...

Three British-trained runners, plus two in the Godolphin blue, feature in a nine-strong field for the Listed Crown Prince's Cup (Sponsored by Cebarco) at the Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club on Friday, February 2. Charlie Appleby, who won the race in 2023 with Warren Point (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), saddles a leading contender again this year in the shape of the four-year-old Local Dynasty (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who was last seen running out an emphatic winner of a handicap at Meydan. His vanquished rivals on that occasion included the same owner's...

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...

This year's edition of the G2 Bahrain International Trophy will feature an increased purse of $1 million, the Bahrain Turf Club announced on Thursday. The highest profile race in the kingdom, the race was promoted to Group 2 level by the Asian Pattern Committee recently. It was won in 2022 by Dubai Future (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) for trainer Saeed bin Suroor and Godolphin. His Highness Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club, said, "The Bahrain International Trophy is our showpiece event...

Two horses, trained by Jamie Osborne and David O'Meara respectively, have each won £25,000 after the end of the Bahrain Turf Series. The second of edition of the £50,000 Bahrain Turf Series Bonus was divided between Pot B winner Gary Allsopp Partnership's Inigo Jones (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) for Osborne, and Pot A winner Nomadic Empire (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), who races for Al Mohamediya Racing. In total, £303,800 of the £600,000 Bahrain Turf Series was secured by European-trained horses, who won five of the 10-race series. Lucander (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}),...

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;...

The final pair of £60,000 Bahrain Turf Series races of the season take place on Friday, and include a total of 12 European entries. Get It (GB) (Twilight Son {GB}) can bookend a successful Turf Series for trainer George Baker with victory in the Al Sakhir Cup. "Get It has been a star for us," said Baker. "He was unlucky on his first run in Bahrain and I think he bumped into one in Mobaadel (Speightstown) on his most recent start. It was a fantastic run and Andrea [Atzeni] was...

Trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey Richard Mullen teamed up to give Godolphin a racing double in Bahrain. The first win came in the £60,000 Anchorman Cup when King Of Conquest (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) broke the track record to give the 'Boys in Blue' their first victory in this season's Bahrain Turf Series. They would win the Listed Crown Prince's Cup later on the card with Warren Point (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Mullen settled his mount just off the pace and when asked, the 4-year-old exhibited the proper turn-of-foot to...

His Royal Highness The Crown Prince's Cup Sponsored By Howden, as well as the penultimate races in the Bahrain Turf Series feature in Bahrain's Friday racing. The 2000-metre listed race has attracted 15 horses, led by  Godolphin runner Warren Point (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who won at Kempton in October for trainer Charlie Appleby. George Baker sends Lucander (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}), who won one of the earlier Bahrain Turf Series races, while Roger Fell trainee and Group 3 winner Marie's Diamond (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) completes the internationals. Both The Anchorman Cup...