Bahrain Turf Series resumes at Sakhir horseracing track

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The prestigious Bahrain Turf Series resumes today at Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club (REHC) in Sakhir, with the Al Dana Cup up for grabs as well as the lion’s share of the £50,000. The third of 10 races in the series will be race three for the day, scheduled for a 2.20 pm start.

The Bahrain Turf Series consists of 10 £50,000 handicaps, with the final race taking place on February 18 of next year.

The first two events were already held at the beginning of this month, with Happy Craf and Mars Landing, two locally trained horses, making history as its first-ever race winners. Mars Landing will once again feature today amongst the 14 contenders vying for the Al Dana Cup. Trained by Hesham Al Haddad, Mars Landing will be saddled by Neil Callan and it is one of four horses in the race competing for owners Al Mohamediya Racing.

The three others are Bond’s Boy, trained by Osama Hashim and to be ridden by Paddy Mathers; Arctic Vega, also trained by Al Haddad and to be ridden by David Egan; and Zagato, another Al Haddad-trained horse to be jockeyed by Husain Makki.

Others set to take part are La Maquina for George Baker Racing Bahrain Syndicate, trained by George Baker and to be ridden by Lee Newman; and Giustino of Al Adiyat Racing, trained by AM Smith and to be saddled by Charles Bishop.

The field is completed by Pistoletto for JA Thompson and Stephen Russel, Arqoob for Little Staughton Farms Ltd, Howzer Black for Middleham Park Racing LXXVILL, Zymyran for Al Hassanain Racing, Harbour Spirit for Ramadhan Stable, Brains for The Judges and Partner, and the MKAR Racing pair of Mission Boy and Magical Wish.

The Al Dana Cup follows the Al Manama Cup and Al Muharraq Cup. Contenders collect points throughout the series for a chance to win extra prize money upon its completion. Aside from the Al Dana Cup, seven other races are to be held today. Four are for an Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) Cup, including the eighth, seventh, sixth and second races.

Race eight features a BD5,000 prize, with Byline, Coolagh Forest and Beauchamp Bagenal set as favourites. Race seven also features a BD5,000 prize, with Recovery Run, Hold Sway and Port Douglas set to battle for the top three positions.

Race six has a BD3,000 prize, while race two carries a BD2,000 prize, and Sarayaat, Khazzama and Tareekh are tipped with a chance. Another cup is to be won today.

It is in the first race for the Al Raffa Cup, with a BD1,500 prize. Dubbed with a chance to win are Kuheilat Al Adiyat 1782, Musannan 1781 and Al Krush 1751. Meanwhile, the fourth and fifth races each offer a BD2,000 prize, with Living Art, Aslaan and Murjani tipped with a chance in race five.