Bahrain International Trophy: what connections have to say

Ten horses from five different countries will go to post for the Group 3 Bahrain International Trophy on Friday, but Ireland’s sole representative Insinudendo has trainer Willie McCreery feeling optimistic.

This high-class five-year-old mare, drawn in stall seven, is a dual Group-race winner and was last seen finishing an excellent third in the Group One QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot.

McCreery has high hopes for his horse and said: “We were meant to come last year but she had a little setback, so we are delighted to take up the invitation this year.

“She seems to love it here, she’s very relaxed and she’s training well. She is a big free action filly who we didn’t run her until the September of her three-year-old career because she took time to grow into herself. She’s a big mature mare now and she loves her training.”

McCreery believes that Insinuendo’s ability to settle now that she has matured will stand her in good stead.

He added: “She’ll wear a hood. She’s worn it in her last two races... We thought two or three runs ago to leave the hood on her and it seems to have settled her to save that kick for the final couple hundred yards.

“I’ve looked at her last three or four runs and she’s had the quickest final furlong of any horse in the race. There’s a good long straight to the track here, so if we can still be in contention turning in, we’ll be laughing.”

Friday’s race will bring the curtain down on her career, with the daughter of Gleneagles heading to the December Sale at Tattersalls. “It’ll be her last race, and from there she will go onto the Tattersalls December sale, into the Sceptre session.”

Friday’s £600,000 contest has attracted four Godolphin runners from three different trainers. Leading French-trained contender Magny Cours was beaten less than a length by Lord Glitters in a thrilling renewal of last year’s race and returns to try and go two places better under Mickael Barzalona. The highly consistent globe-trotter, trained by Andre Fabre, will break from stall five.

Britain's Champion trainer, Charlie Appleby and Champion jockey, William Buick, fresh from a successful Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland, team up with Royal Fleet. The son of Dubawi has finished out of the front three just once in 11 career starts and in September, stayed on strongly to win the Listed Bahrain Turf Club Foundation Stakes at Goodwood.

Saeed bin Suroor will saddle two in the race. Eighth in last year’s race, Dubai Future won the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot emphatically this year and is drawn in stall three, with Daniel Tudhope taking the ride. His second runner Passion and Glory, drawn in stall four, will be ridden by Derby winning jockey Richard Kingscote.

Saeed bin Suroor spoke glowingly about his two contenders: “Dubai Future has shown he is a better horse than last year. He is a top horse who always tries his best. He’s in the right race and this is the right trip. It depends on the race and how fast they go but I’d like to keep him handy, maybe in third or fourth. There are only 10 horses in the race but if he can be behind it will be good for him.”

On Passion and Glory, he added: “If you had seen him two years ago he looked a different horse. He was a big horse who used to carry a lot of condition and you have to be very patient with these types of horses. With time and patience he has lost weight and become more athletic. He has won three Listed races and has done well and we think this is the right race for him..”

Asked to pick the likelier winner from the two, bin Suroor was hard pushed to separate them: “Both of them are doing well and they are rated similarly. I can’t see much difference between them. Dubai Future always tries hard. If the pace suits Passion And Glory, I think he also has a good chance. It’s an open race and any horse can win it.”

All Scandanavian eyes will be on King David, a very interesting contender from Denmark. He arrives in Bahrain in the form of his life, after winning four races in a row. The son of Elusive City is trained by Niels Petersen and will be ridden by Oliver Wilson.

Petersen spoke about his chances in the Group 3 contest and said: “It’s a privilege and pleasure to be here. It’s a big task for us to come out here with King David but he’s in good form. We’ve been out here for a couple of days and things look really good, I’m delighted.

“He’s been extremely good this season and that’s why we kept the form going from his last run at the end of August until now. I think the horse has improved and he deserves to have a go at this. He has a big chance.”

France won the inagurual running of the race with Royal Julius and the country is well represented this year with a total of three runners. In addition to Magny Cours, Monty, trained by Andreas Schutz and Riocorvo, trained by Carlos Laffon-Parias, line up in the 1m 2f contest with leading jockeys Gerald Mosse (Monty) and Olivier Peslier (Riocorvo) booked to ride.

Bahrain have two representatives, both making their debuts in the Kingdom. Leading Bahraini trainer Fawzi Nass has Dilawar in the race and he will be hoping to win the race for the second time after Simsir won for the stable in 2020. Dilawar will be ridden by Frankie Dettori.

The other Bahrain trained-horse, Pensiero D’Amore, will be making his first start for trainer Mohammed Hassan. Formally trained by Marco Botti in Newmarket, this six-year-old son of Zoffany has enjoyed a productive summer in the UK winning two competitive handicaps in very brave style.

The Bahrain Turf Club's Regulatory Affairs Executive Director, Shaikh Salman bin Rashid Al Khalifa said: “The Kingdom of Bahrain is delighted to welcome connections and their horses to the Kingdom for the 2022 Bahrain International Trophy. It’s fantastic to see so many of the best trainers and jockeys from around the world here in Bahrain and we are excited for a very competitive renewal of the race.”