Kingdom of Bahrain enhances sponsorship at July Festival

The Jockey Club and The Bahrain Turf Club have announced that the Kingdom of Bahrain is to extend its sponsorship at The July Festival at Newmarket from 2023.

Already the longest standing sponsor at Newmarket’s premier summer meeting, The Kingdom of Bahrain has supported the Group Three Bahrain Trophy since its inception in 1991. Their support will now extend to the Group Two Princess of Wales’s Stakes and the Group Two July Stakes in a new multi-year agreement.

The Bahrain Trophy, Princess of Wales’s Stakes and July Stakes all take place on the opening day of The July Festival, which is Ladies Dayand this year takes place on Thursday 13th July.

First run in 1894, the Princess of Wales's Stakes is named in honour of Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who became the Princess of Wales on her marriage to the future King Edward VII in 1862. The contest offers one of the first opportunities for three-year-olds to take on older their older rivals over a mile and a half at Pattern race level. In 2022, it was won by Godolphin’s Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Yibir while Newmarket handler Sir Michael Stoute has saddled the winner on no less than 12 occasions.

The six-furlong July Stakes was first staged in 1786 and is the oldest race staged anywhere in Britain for two-year-olds. Richard Hannon has saddled the latest two winners in Lusail (2021) and Persian Force (2022), adding to his previous successes with Ivawood (2014) and Mehmas (2016). The trainer's father Richard Hannon Sr won the contest six times.

Speaking from The Bahrain Turf Club where The Jockey Club Bowl was run this afternoon, Sophie Able, Newmarket Racecourses and International Director, said: “The relationship between The Jockey Club and The Kingdom of Bahrain is a long and happy one, and as horseracing there continues to go from strength to strength we are delighted that our partnership is mirroring that development.

“As our longest-standing sponsor at The July Festival, with its support of the Bahrain Trophy stretching back over 30 years, it is fantastic news that the Kingdom of Bahrain has decided to add to its sponsorship portfolio at The July Festival by backing the Princess of Wales’s Stakes and the July Stakes."

Salman bin Rashed Al Khalifa, Executive Director of The Bahrain Turf Club, said: “The Bahrain Turf Club are delighted to continue and develop our support to one of British racing’s leading meetings. We are extremely proud of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s long and respected relationship with The Jockey Club and look forward to growing this in the coming years.”