The Bahrain International Trophy goes from strength to strength with the strongest field in the race’s five-year history assembled for Friday’s $1 million feature, which can be seen live on Racing TV.
There are many familiar names among the 14 runners, who are likely to represent Great Britain and Ireland. Godolphin’s four challengers include last year’s winner Dubai Future, and two locally trained runners will keep the marauders at bay.
The lottery to determine each runner’s starting gate will be held on Wednesday night, but there will be no track bias. Here is a guide for all candidates.
Tom Stanley talks more about Bahrain
🇮🇪 Above the curve
trainer: Joseph O’Brien. odds:7/1.
She is a very reliable filly who won at the highest level in France last year and has had a number of other good races at top level, including a close fourth place in the Mares & Mares race at Ascot last time. ran. Her other efforts this year include: She placed 3rd in the Pretty Polly (behind Vistina) and 2nd in the Nassau Stakes. She’s a big filly and she probably doesn’t want her horse to go too fast, but it would be foolish to underestimate her.
🇬🇧 Astro King
trainer: Daniel and Claire Kubler. odds (From William Hill): 16/1.
He has been ‘almost a horse’ for much of his career, including two appearances in the Royal Hunt Cup, but has won back-to-back big handicaps and on his most recent start he beat 33 rivals at Newmarket in Cambridgeshire. I broke it and came here. The nature of large-scale competitions suits him, so a strong gallop will help his cause.
🇫🇷 Bill Castle
trainer: Andre Favre. odds: January 25th.
The French challenger has won two Listed races this year, but his best result was when he finished third by three-quarters of a length behind Ace Impact in the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano at Deauville in August. It’s obvious. It would be dangerous to take that form literally – the following arc winner came back from the break and won comfortably – but Bill Castle also did well when placed behind Horizon Doll after that effort. Ran. He seems to be able to run well on good or soft ground.
🇧🇭California
trainer: Fauzy Nass. odds:14/1.
He is a highly anticipated player for the home team who was acquired for 400,000 euros after winning his second pattern race of the year in Germany last time. He is unproven over much more than a mile and probably needs to take his form up a notch here, but Fawzi Nas successfully completed a similar track to Simsah at this meet two years ago. California usually has blankets laid out for stall entry, so you don’t have to worry about that before the start.
🇬🇧 The future of Dubai
trainer: Saeed bin Suroor. odds:16/1.
Last year, he finished eighth 12 months ago, but he made a strong chase in the closing stages to win this award. He is unlikely to relinquish the title without a fight and is certainly fresh, having been absent since February when he chased home Mostadav in the Neom Turf Cup at King Abdulaziz. He doesn’t have any strong competitors to worry about here, but this will be a stronger edition than the 2022 one.
🇬🇧 Highland Avenue
trainer: Charlie Appleby. odds:16/1.
The majestic gray horse braved a barren run to take a stunning victory in the Darley Stakes in Newmarket. It’s a timely reminder of his abilities on-song, and considering he usually races in the spotlight, you can expect him to be right in the thick of the action from the get-go. Stable jockey William Buick prefers Nations Pride, while jockey James Doyle has ridden Highland Avenue many times in the past.
Preparations continue for the $1 million Gr.2 Bahrain International Trophy 🤩
save date
🗓️ November 17, 2023 #Bahrain Shiba Club #morevaluablethanever pic.twitter.com/2IlzW7mqoW— Bahrain Turf Club (@BahrainTurfClub) November 13, 2023
🇬🇧Israel
trainer: John and Sadie Gosden. odds:7/1.
John Gosden has saddled the runner-up in the first two updates of this race and will be hoping Isral can avenge that defeat. He probably didn’t get the recognition he deserved when he ran away in the Princess of Wales Stakes at Newmarket in July, with all the attention focused on 2021 Derby winner Adayal’s below-average run. Isrard was unable to repeat that form in his next all-weather race, but he did little wrong when he beat Alkareem in the Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot last time out. He usually races farther and may fall off along the way.
🇮🇪 Lafayette
trainer: Noel Meade. odds:50/1.
He must have given his connections a lot of fun over the years and won or placed in 20 of the 34 races. He remains a consistent performer in a busy year, with the highlight being his Group 3 success at The Curragh in August. Early in his career he won on fast tracks, but he seems to be most effective on good and soft tracks.
🇫🇷Marhaba Ya Sanafi
trainer:Andreas Schulz. odds:10/1.
In May, he won the French 2000 Guineas at Longchamp (by a short neck over Isaac Shelby), and continued to run well, finishing 3rd by six lengths behind Ace Impact in the French Derby at Chantilly the following month. But then he struggled mightily in the Prix Jacques le Marois and finished fourth in the Prix Niel last time at Longchamp Racecourse. He probably wouldn’t have stayed in the latter, at least when he forgot the penultimate effort.
🇬🇧 National pride
trainer: Charlie Appleby. odds:August 15.
This globe-trotting 4-year-old is one of the top performers in this lineup and comes into the race here over another crack at the Breeders’ Cup turf. Remarkably, he has already won awards in the United Kingdom, Dubai, the United States, Germany and Canada, and is aiming to win in a sixth different country. He has won Group 1 awards in his last two starts in Germany and Canada, and reached the top level for the first time in the United States last summer. The only gap in his career was in 2022 when he finished eighth in the Derby. He is versatile in terms of expeditions, riding, and tactics, and is considering another bold challenge.
🇮🇪Point Lonsdale
trainer: Aidan O’Brien. odds:5/1.
He has fallen down the pecking order at Ballydoyle since winning his first four races as a junior, but injuries kept him off the track for much of 2022. He started this term with back-to-back group wins at The Curragh and Chester, but has continued to improve. He lost his last two races, finishing 6th in the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown (3/4 of a length behind Auguste Rodin) and 4th behind King of Steel in the last Champion Stakes at Ascot. finished. However, he needs to get plenty of rotation in recent races and probably wants a deep field to perform at his best.
🇧🇭 Kadar
trainer: Fauzy Nass. odds:33/1.
He was a progressive performer for Mark Johnston in 2021 and got off to a promising start for Fawzi Nas early the following year. But he was having his best time this year before returning in January and having a below-average performance here. Even if all his powers were restored, he still had enough power.
🇬🇧 Real world
trainer: Saeed bin Suroor. odds:10/1.
He won his first five races on grass in 2021 and early next year. Further progress was made in late 2022, when he chased home Baayid in the Lockinge Stakes and Queen Anne. However, he missed the second half of the 2022 season, and his three goals conceded in the spring suggest he is not at his full potential. His chances depend on whether Saeed bin Suroor revives him.
🇬🇧 Spirit Dancer
trainer: Ricardo Fahey. odds:40/1.
Spirit Dancer, co-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, has come a long way since losing his first four races in a handicap with a rating in the low 80s. This year he took his form to a new level, winning handicaps at York and Windsor (102 seconds off) and then winning Group 3 Strensall at York. Last time in the Darley Stakes at Newmarket, his winning streak came to an end when he finished 4th, 5 1/4 lengths behind Highland Avenue, but a penalty was imposed and the sticky field Maybe it didn’t suit him. He’s the type of guy who outperforms his potential.
Andy’s verdict
It is difficult to escape from the native world with its best form and optimal conditions.
1 Native World. 2 Above the curve. 3 Bill Castle.