Star-studded cast

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The progressive three-year-old Alflaila features amongst the list of entries for the 2022 running of the £600,000 Group Three Bahrain International Trophy, taking place 18 November at Bahrain Turf Club.

There are a total of 43 entries from nine different nations: Britain (16), Ireland (six), France (five), UAE (seven), Bahrain (three), Germany (three), Norway (one), Turkey (one), and Sweden (one).

The Owen Burrows-trained Alflaila had already guaranteed his place in Bahrain’s headline race by winning the “Automatic Entry” Strensall Stakes (Gr.3) at York in August, but took his form to a new level to beat a strong field, despite missing the break, in Saturday’s Darley Stakes (Gr.3) at Newmarket under Jim Crowley.

After the race, his trainer said: “Alflaila gave us heart failure a bit at the start, but we know he does that now and Jim knows him, so he doesn’t panic. He lets him find his feet and he is strong at the end.

He was going to be vulnerable if he did that and they went slow but they went a good gallop and the front two pulled nicely clear. “The Strensall and today’s race were both ‘a win and you’re in’ for the Bahrain International Trophy.

We will see how he comes out of the race and have a chat with his owner Shaikha Hissa.” William Haggas could be set to have his first runner in Bahrain. Haggas has enjoyed a fantastic season in the UK and is challenging Charlie Appleby to win the British Trainers’ Championship, with the world’s highest-rated horse Baaeed flying the flag for the Newmarket-based trainer.

The first of Haggas’ two entries is My Prospero. The three-year-old son of Iffraaj won the Prix Eugene Adam (Gr.2) on his most recent start at Saint-Cloud and may run in the QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

Grocer Jack, owned by HRH Prince Faisal bin Khaled from Saudi Arabia, was a close-up 5th in a very hotly contested Neom Turf Cup (Gr.3) in Riyadh. He has since won a listed race at Newbury in July and has been placed second in two Group races in August.

There are three Group 1 winners entered including Sisfahan, trained in Germany by Henk Grewe, who won the German Derby (Gr.1) last year and ran well in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Turf (Gr.1) at Del Mar. Grewe also entered See Hector, who won the Premio Parioli (Italian 2,000 Guineas) (Gr.3) at Rome in May.

Aidan O’Brien finished 3rd with Sovereign in the 2020 Bahrain International Trophy and the Ballydoyle trainer has once again strongly supported the race with Aikhal, Bolshoi Ballet, and High Definition, all receiving entries. Bolshoi Ballet hasn’t run this year but won the Belmont Derby (Gr.1) in New York last season.

High Definition won a Group Two race as a 2yo and was only just touched off when second in the Tattersalls Gold Cup (Gr.1) at Curragh in May. Meanwhile, Aikhal is a Group 3 winner.

Return

Godolphin, who narrowly missed out on winning last year’s race with Barney Roy, return with five strong entries for the 2022 renewal.

Last year’s close 3rd Magny Cours (Andre Fabre) returned to action on Saturday by winning Prix de Coye at Chantilly in impressive style for leading French trainer Andre Fabre. Royal Ascot winner Dubai Future, Listed winner Passion and Glory and Dubai Mirage are all possible runners for Saeed bin Suroor.

Meanwhile, Bahrain Turf Club Foundation Stakes (Listed) winner Royal Fleet, who finished 3rd behind Alflaila on Saturday, is Appleby’s sole entry. Other notable entries include the John and Thady Gosden-trained Mostahdaf.

The four-year-old son of Frankel chased home Broome in the Hardwicke Stakes (Gr.2) at Ascot, and beat Dubai Honour in the September Stakes (Gr.3) at Kempton in September. George Boughey has enjoyed a stellar 2022 season having won his first British Classic with Cachet before claiming his first two Royal Ascot successes with Inver Park and Missed The Cut.

Missed The Cut is one of two entries in the race for Boughey, with Cadillac (fifth in the race last year for Jessica Harrington) the other. Three locally trained horses have been entered. Dilawar finished 4th in the Prix d’Ispahan (Gr.1) for Francis Graffard in May but has been bought to race for Fawzi Nass.

Joining Dilawar are Litigator (Haider Ebrahim) and Pensiore D’Amore (Mohammed Hassan) with the trio all trying to emulate Simsir who won the 2020 renewal. Shaikh Salman bin Rashed al Khalifa, Executive Director of the Bahrain Turf Club, said: “We are very happy with the quality of horses entered for this year’s renewal of the Group 3 Bahrain International Trophy.

Some of the best trainers from around the world have once again supported the race.” He continued: “Last year was the first time the race was run with Group 3 status, and it saw three high-class horses fight out the finish.

With the race now a key date in the international racing calendar, we firmly believe that the race will continue to progress through the grades with our ultimate goal to have Bahrain host its first international Group 1 race.” A maximum field of 14 will go to post.