As he comes to the end of a magnificent season, Charlie Appleby has found a new field to conquer on Friday when he launches a formidable assault on the third running of the Bahrain International Trophy.
Zakouski and Barney Roy are the Godolphin trainer’s runners in the £500,000 contest as he bids to add yet another lucrative prize in what can legitimately described as an annus mirabilis during which Appleby has seized the #1 spot in the TRC Global Rankings.
Appleby has no fewer than 17 G1 victories to his name in 2021, when he is assured of his first British trainers’ title after winning the Derby and King George with Adayar and the St Leger with Hurricane Lane, who also won the Irish Derby and Grand Prix de Paris.
Then, of course, came his astonishing exploits at the Breeders’ Cup, where Appleby saddled three winners – Modern Games (Juvenile Turf), Space Blues (Mile) and Yibir (Turf) – from just four runners.
Now comes Bahrain’s showpiece international race at the Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club’s Sakhir racecourse. The 1m2f contest provides the highlight of a burgeoning racing calendar in the welcoming island kingdom, which is making significant inroads on the global stage – not least via the introduction of the new £550,000 Turf Series, a ten-race programme already attracting European interest and set to run from December to March.
Newly promoted to G3 status for 2021, the Bahrain International Trophy features a cosmopolitan field that would grace higher level, with the Appleby duo to the fore. Stable jockey William Buick rides Dubai G2 winner Zakouski, while James Doyle gets the leg-up on Barney Roy. Both are well drawn, with Barney Roy in box 3 and Zakouski in 6.
Bahrain regular Frankie Dettori is in town to partner 3-time Meydan winner Dubai Future for Appleby’s Godolphin colleague Saeed Bin Suroor, while Dubai World Cup third Magny Cours is another serious contender in the blue silks for training legend Andre Fabre under Mickael Barzalona, in prolific form at home, where he shot to the head of the race for the Cravache d’Or last weekend with a 5-timer at Marseille Borely.
Also among a plethora of Group-race winners engaged are popular globetrotting veteran Lord Glitters – one of two top-level winners alongside Barney Roy – 1000 Guineas third Fev Rover and Irish G2 winner Cadillac.
An array of international talent also features ex-French filly Penja, recently sold to Germany out of Jean-Claude Rouget’s stable for the small matter of €1.2m, but the domestic defence should not be overlooked at a venue where local knowledge played a major role in the success of Simsir, who scooted clear under Lee Newman 12 months ago for Shaikh Nasser’s Victorious team, one of the dominant forces in Bahraini racing.
Simsir’s trainer, Fawzi Nass, saddles three this time, all of them ex-Europeans, namely Naamoos and Qaader (both formerly trained by Mark Johnston) and Emperor Of The Sun (ex-Donnacha O’Brien), aboard whom Newman will be attempting to repeat last year’s success.
Sakhir clerk of the course Neil Mackenzie Ross is well pleased with the event’s growing stature – and the upturn in Bahraini racing as a whole. “This is my eighth season here and we’ve definitely seen a significant increase in standards,” he said.
“The Bahrain International Trophy is now a Group 3 with multiple Group winners and we have some local races now officially granted listed status, so this is where we are.
“The Bahrain International Trophy is testament to Bahrain and I think everyone in Bahrain should be really, really proud of it. This is only the third running and the increase in entries and quality is there for all to see. We’ve come a long way in just two years.”
Bahrain International Trophy: a bit of context
History: With long-term ambitions to becoming a key destination on the Middle East racing circuit, Bahrain made its international debut only two years ago with the advent of the Bahrain International Trophy at the Rashed Equestrian and Horseracing Club (REHC) at Sakhir, about 30km south of the archipelago’s capital, Manama.
REHC executive director Sheikh Salman Bin Rashed Al Khalifa spoke of the potential for the new race to showcase Bahrain’s attractions to a wider audience – an ambition accommodated in a live TV broadcast sent to more than 60 countries worldwide, taking the event to regions throughout Europe and from the Caribbean to China and Australia.
“As well as benefiting our racing, I believe the event will do a lot to help tourism,” said Sheikh Salman. “We have put in place a schedule of events that will enable visitors to have a look at our country, which will add value to their experience. Our aim is for everyone to leave with a positive image of Bahrain.”
French-trained Royal Julius landed that first edition from a field featuring nine European visitors. “This is very significant for racing in Bahrain, and it is an honour to have these horses and their connections in our homeland,” suggested Nass. Maybe so – but that didn’t stop him keeping the prize at home in 2021 with Simsir.
Star turn: Royal Julius (2019) – trained near Marseille in the south of France by Jerome Reynier, the 6-year-son of Royal Applause charged down the straight in a thrillingly dramatic climax to Bahrain’s first international race. Delivered with a perfectly timed challenge by former French champion Stephane Pasquier, he scored by three-quarters of a length from Godolphin’s Turgenev. “He’s a little star,” said his trainer, best known for the exploits of Skalleti and Marianafoot.
Past performance
In all honesty, it would be hard to pretend either previous winner has gone on to greater glory. Or any sort of glory, since neither Royal Julius nor Simsir won again, though admittedly both were highly tried, and Royal Julius was runner-up in a couple of G2s. Last year’s winner, Simsir, earned an unenviable double soon after his triumph, finishing last behind in both the Saudi Cup and Dubai Sheema Classic.
Top contenders for 2021
Zakouski (Charlie Appleby/William Buick) – lightly raced 5yo is favourite with British bookmakers and choice of stable jockey ahead of Barney Roy; has won three out of four at Meydan, including G2 Al Rashidiya in February (Lord Glitters among those behind); made all for easy listed win at Newmarket after layoff and has scope for further progress.
Magny Cours (Andre Fabre/Mickael Barzalona) – versatile sort was third in last year’s Dubai World Cup on dirt and has winning form on both fast ground and very soft; not worse than second last five starts, latterly winning G3 Prix Perth at Saint-Cloud in cosy fashion; not one to take lightly in this company.
Barney Roy (Charlie Appleby/James Doyle) – popular gelding has stacks of back class as a multiple G1 winner, including last year in Germany after unlikely return to track following abortive stud career; arrives here 12 months later than intended after setback before 2020 race and probably better for outing after coming fourth in G3 Darley Stakes after 13-month layoff.
Pogo (Charlie Hills/Kieran Shoemark) – yet to win a Group race (though placed in a G1) and goes beyond a mile for the first time but should appreciate fast ground and comes in off a cracking effort behind Benbatl in G2 Joel Stakes at Newmarket; plenty of tactical speed and deserves to win a nice race after consistent runs in defeat in good company.
What they say
Charlie Appleby
Trainer of Barney Roy and Zakouski
“We should have two lively contenders. It’s a race we’re keen to support and they’d be similar sorts in that a mile and a quarter would be their maximum, but they’ll be suited by the track and the quicker ground.
“Zakouski has been a very competitive horse, mainly in Dubai. I think the conditions of the race could suit him.
“Our plan was to go for the Bahrain International Trophy with Barney Roy last year, but unfortunately on the back of his success in Germany he met with a setback and he’s had all the summer off.
“We’ve been purposefully working back from Bahrain and I’d like to think that we’re going to go over there with a competitive horse as well. I was pleased with his comeback run in the Darley Stakes on a track which doesn’t actually suit him. We got what we wanted out of it and hopefully he now has his racing brain back and engaged. I think the style of the race will suit him in Bahrain. It’s a slick track there and the tight turns will suit him. If he goes there with his old A-game, shall we say, because he’s not getting any younger, he’s going to be a big player.”
Charlie Hills
Trainer of Pogo
“He needs fast ground. It looks like there will be plenty of pace on and the track should suit him. He’s been third in a G1 and his last run, placed in a G2, was as good as any. A lot of the track is downhill and if ever a horse is going to go a mile and a quarter, this is probably one of the tracks they should definitely do it on. It suits the speed horses – we ran Afaak here two years ago and he was fourth, and he was a miler really.”
Richard Fahey
Trainer of Fev Rover
“I know she won the [G2 Prix de] Calvados [at Deauville] on soft ground but she’s a filly I’ve always wanted to get on on quick ground. I’ve only had two opportunities this year and she was third in a Guineas and second in a Group 2 in Ireland. She’s also a filly I’ve really wanted to step up in trip but I’ve just never had the opportunity – every time I found a race for her, it rained all week. I do feel a mile and a quarter is where she needs to be – she definitely wants the trip; she’s been crying out for it. Everything is ideal for her, it’s just a warmer race than I’d like! She needs to improve but she might.”
David O’Meara
Trainer of Lord Glitters
“I certainly think he still retains his ability – he had a very good winter in Dubai after running fifth in this race last year, and he was second to a progressive Godolphin horse [Real World] giving weight in the Strensall at York. His couple of races after that haven’t exactly gone to plan but he’s an old horse now and he feels his joints so he likes the warmer weather.”
Andreas Suborics
Trainer of Penja
“She arrived in the stable six weeks ago in perfect condition. She travelled very well. I couldn’t be happier with her – she looks very good in her coat and she loves the fast ground, which is why we decided to come here because we can’t find fast ground in Europe at this time of year. She is a high-class horse but of course it is hard against older Group horses.”