Bahrain International Trophy: guide and tip

The domestic focus may be on Cheltenham's November meeting this week, but little over half an hour after the Friday card in Gloucestershire has drawn to a close, attention on Racing TV turns back to the Flat with the $1 million Bahrain International Trophy, due off at 4.40pm GMT.

Since the race was upgraded to Group Two status two years ago, the 1m2f (2000m) contest, which takes place on the outer turf course at the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club, has been won by Spirit Dancer, part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson and trained by Richard Fahey.

There will be a new name on the roll of honour this November as there are eight declared runners in his absence. There are five British-trained runners, plus one from France, one from Ireland and the locally-trained Calif, who finished third last year for former trainers Carlos and Yann Lerner.

Below is a runner-by-runner guide to the class of 2025, with the market currently headed by Karl Burke's York Stakes winner and Irish Champion Stakes third Royal Champion.

The four-year-old son of Intello will be bidding to become the first French-trained winner of the race since Jerome Reynier's Royal Julius landed the inaugural running back in 2019.

Andre Fabre's gelding has been campaigned lightly this year, racing just twice; he easily won a Clairefontaine conditions race in August before he finished third in the Prix Dollar on Arc weekend.

Prior to those efforts, he was fourth in last year's Prix Guillame d'Ornano behind winner Economics and, back in March last year, defeated Calandagan in a Listed race at Saint-Cloud, before the Aga Khan's gelding reversed that form the following month.

Although his defeat of Francis Graffard's subsequent Group One victor came on testing ground, there is nothing to suggest he cannot handle a faster surface. It was quick this summer in France, plus he won on good ground on debut. Interestingly, his half-sister and stable companion Indalimos, who is one to follow next year, comfortably beat Consent in August on a quick surface by French standards.

Owned by Victorious Forever, last year's third also finished ninth in 2023 before he was disqualified from the race result.

The globetrotter has raced in six different countries and picked up over £1.25m for his efforts, but despite finishing second in the Neom Turf Cup in Saudi Arabia in February, and third in the Group One QEII Cup in Hong Kong in April, he has disappointed in two European runs since on softer ground.

He is difficult to assess overall. Although this test is more up his street, he arrives with a bit to prove off the back of some disappointing performances, but there is no doubt that some of his old form is amongst the best in this race.

Galen has only won once this year from eight starts and only three times from 14 starts overall. However, he has ran consistently well over this sort of trip for the vast majority of the year.

Last seen finishing third behind Bahrain in the Royal Whip at the Curragh in August, he had previously got within three quarters of a length of winner Haatem in the Wolverton Stakes at Royal Ascot (giving him 5lb) and, in April, was in receipt of that same amount of weight when beating Jan Brueghel by two and a half lengths to win the Alleged Stakes.

This will not be his first appearance in the Middle East. He ran three times at Meydan last winter, running creditably, but without ever seriously challenging for the win.

This race has presumably been in connections' mind for some time. The likely quick ground will be right up his street, but a career best is likely needed in order to come home in front.

If there is one horse who arrives in Bahrain in flying form then it is John and Thady Gosden's five-year-old.

Lion's Pride was an emphatic seven-length winner over multiple Bahrain victor Isle of Jura in the Listed Godolphin Stakes at Newmarket in September when last seen. That was his first turf success over a decent horse who was making his first start for over 460 days, but who had comfortably beaten subsequent King George winner Goliath in the Hardwicke Stakes on that previous start.

That run was Lion's Pride's first run since April, so it could be argued he is likely to step forward from that run here, but the nagging concern is the drop back in trip from a mile and a half to a distance he is yet to win over.

Godolphin, Charlie Appleby and William Buick are no strangers to big-race success on the international stage and they will be relying on the five-year-old Military Order to scoop the $600,000 first prize.

The son of Frankel, who is a full-brother to the same connections' Derby winner Adayar, got his year off to the perfect start when comfortably landing the Magnolia Stakes at Kempton over this trip (Lion's Pride finished sixth) on his first start for over a year.

Despite that encouraging comeback, he was almost seven lengths behind winner Almaqam when fourth of seven in the Brigadier Gerard on his next start, although his sixth  (beaten two and a quarter lengths when not granted a clear run) in the Wolferton Stakes was a step forward on his next run.

He has since finished a close second in two Group Three races over this trip, so whilst is consistently performing well, more will be needed to get his head in front.

It is unusual to see Champion Jockey Oisin Murphy booked to ride the outsider of the field in a big race, but that is what we get here. He does not have that much to find on ratings and is not bottom of the pile in the eyes of the handicapper, but he has failed to beat a rival in his past two starts, albeit those races were both over a mile.

These extra two furlongs should be more suitable for a horse that won over a mile and a quarter on Derby Day at Epsom and in Ayr's Doonside Cup last year, and who landed the Earl Of Sefton (plus the Diomed Stakes) this season.

However, he will need to improve massively on his no-show in the Prix du Moulin when last seen and whether or not he is crying out for a quick surface is open to debate - half of his six turf wins have came with the word 'soft' in the description, although he has ran creditably on quicker ground too. He is the only colt in the field.

The favourite for the race at the time of writing, Royal Champion's third behind Delacroix and Anmaat in the Irish Champion Stakes last time out is probably the best piece of form on offer in the race.

The winner of the Winter Derby at Southwell in February, the seven-year-old son of Shamardal then finished a close fourth in a strong Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown, seventh of eight when finding the Prince of Wales's Stakes too tough a task in June, and then won the Sky Bet York Stakes in July, beating Almaqam by two and three-quarter lengths.

He is relatively lightly raced for his age and sets a solid standard, but the concern would be if conditions got very fast, with his only run on faster than 'Good' coming when beating one rival home at Royal Ascot in June. He is, however, a strong stayer at the trip and has to enter any shortlist based on his fine performance last time out. 

Pride Of Arras is the only three-year-old in the field and, as a result, is in receipt of 3lb (1.5kg) from his seven rivals.

Ralph Beckett's charge has only had five starts, so is by far the most inexperienced runner in the race, but to some, he is also the most exciting as we still don't quite know how good he could become.

If you have backed this horse in every run so far, you would be in a substantial profit - his two most impressive displays have came on fast ground at York at big prices.

After winning impressively on debut at Sandown last August, he was put away for the year and reappeared when winning the Dante at odds of 18-1. It was no surprise therefore to see him go off a 4-1 chance for the Derby the following month, but he trailed home 17th, beaten 50 lengths by Lambourn, and then finished last in the Irish equivalent, 20 lengths behind that same rival.

Given 52 days off after that, during which time he was gelded, he then landed a steadily-run Great Voltigeur at odds of 12-1, with a length back to runner-up Carmers and Lambourn only fifth. More may be needed here against older rivals - that pair only managed fourth and fifth in the St Leger, but if he takes a step forward again, he will be dangerous with his 3lb allowance.

This looks quite competitive, but the vote goes the way of ROYAL CHAMPION, who may just have too much class and a repeat of his Irish Champion Stakes effort is likely to be enough to score. Andre Fabre's BRIGHT PICTURE looks overpriced at 10-1 and can chase him home, ahead of the only three-year-old Pride Of Arras. Watch it all live on Racing TV this Friday.