Irish Derby winner to race in Bahrain International Trophy

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The countdown has begun for the second Bahrain International Trophy scheduled for November 20 at the Rashid Equestrian Horseracing Club in Sakhir. The event has already attracted the attention of international media specialised in the field of horse racing. Well known racing teams and owners have confirmed their participation with champion horses.

A further boost to the race is the announcement of Aidan O’Brien-trained Sovereign being supplemented for this month’s £500,000 contest by his owners John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith. Sovereign was a six-length winner of last year’s Group 1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh and also finished runner-up to Enable in this year’s Group 1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot. Aidan O’Brien said, “Sovereign is a strong mile and a quarter horse. He is a very strong galloper who likes to go forward in his races and we think the Bahrain International Trophy will suit him.”

Sovereign will be O’Brien’s first ever runner in Bahrain and he added: “He is a big genuine, sound horse. He’s an Irish Derby winner. We saw what he did in the Irish Derby and he ran a massive race in the King George where he was second to Enable, so we think the race will suit him and we are looking forward to seeing him run.” The supplementary stage for the 1-mile 2-furlong contest closes on November 3.

A maximum field of fourteen will go to post with 12 European runners and 2 locally trained runners. The Rashid Equestrian Horse Racing Club (REHC) under the Chairmanship of HH Shaikh Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa, Deputy HH Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa kicked off the season on Friday and ahead of the prestigious Bahrain International Trophy.

Executive Director Shaikh Salman bin Rashid Al Khalifa guided by the High Committee have already made a mark in the international horse racing community with the high level of entrances, exquisite planning and delivery of the first International Race that took place at the REHC in last November.

This prestigious trophy with an impressive purse of GBP 500,000 is open to a maximum of 14 runners to race 2000 metres (10 furlongs) on the turf with horses which need to be rated 95 or over by their domestic authority.

The supplementary entry stage will be announced on November 3 and the final declarations will be completed on November 15 and postpositions will take place on November 18.