Commanche Falls breaks new ground with Bahrain bid

Bahrain’s international season continues on Friday with the second round in the Bahrain Turf Series and two very competitive races in which a range of British and Irish-trained horses once again take on the home team. 

In the opening round a fortnight ago, the internationals won both the Sprint and Middle-distance races and Nesthorn is bidding to follow-up in the 1800m Al Dana Cup (sponsored by Al Salam Bank). The $80,000 race has attracted a maximum field of sixteen, including six internationally trained horses, headed by Nesthorn, one of two runners for George Baker. 

Bought in October out of the yard of leading French trainer, Francis-Henri Graffard, Nesthorn was having his first run for Baker when an impressive winner of the Al Muharraq Cup, beating Hi Royal and Phoenix Passion and both re-oppose on Friday on better terms. The manner of the win was “very exciting” for Nesthorn’s connections, who are hoping there is more to come. 

George Baker, trainer of Nesthorn, said: “As opportunities grow abroad, and because of its popularity, it is increasingly difficult to buy horses that meet the criteria for the Bahrain Turf Series, so to get Nesthorn for 60,000 guineas was great. Buying a 90 plus rated horse with potential to improve and within our budget is very tricky, but we took a view with Nesthorn and so far, so good. He could be a fun horse for a while, he’s young and he has a future. 

“Watching the race my eye was actually more drawn to Max Mayhem and beforehand I thought that horse was the more likely of our two runners. I was not expecting Nesthorn to win in the manner he did, so to see him do that was very exciting and he had a proper blow afterwards, so we think he will improve. 

“Friday’s race will tell us plenty. We have to contend with both a drop in trip and a rise in the weights. And it should tell us whether we are staying in the Bahrain Turf Series or looking at premier race options.”

The Bahrain Turf Club handicapper has raised Nesthorn’s rating from 93 to 101. The runner-up Hi Royal, trained by Kevin Ryan, has a six-pound swing in the weights for a near three length defeat. Furthermore, Hi Royal, who was placed in two European Classics over a mile, may improve for the drop in distance to 1800m. The race sees a Bahrain debut for Slieve Binnian, trained by David Marnane, alongside fellow Irish raider, Cloud Seeker. 

Baker also saddles Max Mayhem in the Al Dana Cup and Desert Cop in in the 1200m Al Riffa Cup and added: “Max Mayhem seems in good order and he has been dropped a couple of pounds following his run in the Al Muharraq Cup. Benoit (de la Sayette) rode him in his exercise on Tuesday morning and said he was moving great. 

“Desert Cop ran really well a fortnight ago. He had no luck over the summer in the UK but as a result he dropped a little in the weights and I’d be disappointed if he does not run well again this week. With his tactical speed, the fast run sprints in Bahrain really suit him, and 1000 or 1200 metres does not seem to matter to him.” 

The winner of the opening round in the Sprint series, Kendall Roy, does not run on Friday but the second (Roman Dragon), third (Dubai Bling) and fourth (Desert Cop) all go again in the $80,000 Al Manama Cup with another maximum field of 18 runners and an even split of nine each among the international and locally based horses. 

With 55 races, including 12 victories, to his name the talented sprinter Commanche Falls  breaks new ground in the 1200m Al Riffa Cup with his first run outside of the UK and Ireland. A model of consistency for trainer Michael Dodds, the gelding’s highlights in a seven-year career include a Group 3 win and victory in the 2022 Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood. Normally the mount of Conor Beasley, Paul Mulrennan flies in to take the ride on Commanche Falls on Friday, as well as getting the leg-up on Dain Ma Nut In in the Middle-distance race. 

Spanning December to March and comprised of six sprint races and six middle-distance races, each contest in the Bahrain Turf Series is worth a minimum of $80,000, with a further $40,000 available in bonuses for the leading horse in each category. 

All the races can be watched on the Bahrain Turf Club’s website via the Live Stream and the Bahrain Turf Series races will be shown in the UK and Ireland on Racing TV.