Bahrain International Trophy preview: Horse-by-horse guide and tips

Bahrain International Trophy (Group 3)

When: 13:05 GMT, Friday 18 November

Where: Sakhir Racecourse, Bahrain

First prize: £360,000

TV: Racing TV (Sky 426)

1. DILAWAR (Fawzi Nass/ Frankie Dettori)

Bred in the purple (by Dubawi and out of the Dubai Sheema Classic winner Dolniya) but must have had issues early in his career given that he didn’t make it to the track until the May of his four-year-old season. Made up for lost time by winning four of his six starts that year, producing his best effort when readily winning the Group 3 Prix Quincey at Deauville. Subsequently joined Francis-Henri Graffard following the retirement of Alain de Royer-Dupré and has proved at least as good as ever despite failing to add to his tally in four starts this term, notably finishing second in the Group 2 Prix du Muguet at Chantilly and fourth in the Group 1 Prix d’Ispahan at Longchamp. Bought for €500,000 in early-October and has joined leading local yard which won this race in 2020 with Simsir. This will be his first start for three months, but he is sure to have been trained for this and has the ability to play a leading role with Frankie Dettori booked.

2. DUBAI FUTURE (Saeed bin Suroor/ Danny Tudhope)

Only eighth in this race 12 months ago but shaped better than the bare result having been drawn widest of all and positioned closer than ideal to the strong pace. Resumed winning ways after eight weeks off in a Listed race at Meydan in January and bounced back from a few below-par efforts in between when winning the Listed Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, producing a career best to defy a penalty in dominant fashion. Better judged on that form than when third in the Group 2 York Stakes in July, a falsely-run affair in which he met trouble when coming to challenge, and his latest effort when finishing close up in the Group 3 Legacy Cup at Newbury was much more like it. Better drawn than last year, tops the field on Timeform ratings and seems sure to go well with Danny Tudhope back in the saddle for the first time since Ascot.

3. KING DAVID (Niels Petersen/ Oliver Wilson)

Seven-year-old who has been a prolific winner in Scandinavia, first when trained by Marc Stott in Denmark and then since joining Niels Petersen in Norway. Totally out of sorts in three starts at Meydan earlier this year, but he was back to his best on more familiar territory during the summer, winning a Group 3 in June and a Listed race in July, both at Bro Park in Sweden, and another Listed race at Klampenborg in Denmark in August which he was winning for the third year in a row. Took his career record to 13 wins from 30 starts when completing his four-timer in a Group 3 at Ovrevoll back in Norway last time, again showing smart form to win with a bit in hand. Well worth his place in the line-up and certainly adds plenty of intrigue to the race, but even his best form leaves with a bit to find for win purposes.

4. LITIGATOR (Non-Runner)

5. MAGNY COURS (André Fabre/ Mickael Barzalona)

Proved very consistent and reliable during a busy 2021 campaign, winning three times (including the Group 3 Prix Perth at Saint-Cloud) with several good runs in defeat thrown in for good measure. They included two placed efforts in the Middle East at either end of the season, finishing third in the Dubai World Cup at Meydan and bettering even that form when filling the same position in this race. Lightly raced this year and spent nearly seven months on the sidelines after finishing down the field in both the Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse and the latest edition of the Dubai World Cup. Warmed up for this with a straightforward victory in a minor event at Chantilly last month, barely needing to come off the bridle to dismiss some inferior rivals. Clearly retains most of his ability at the age of seven and must be considered a leading contender in what looks a weaker renewal than when beaten just half a length 12 months ago.

6. MONTY (Andreas Schutz/ Gerald Mosse)

French raider who won twice in Listed company last year, first at Bordeaux when trained by Jerome Reynier and then at Strasbourg a few months later having joined this yard in the interim. This season has been similarly productive since he finished well held on his reappearance at Chantilly in March, hitting the frame in each of his six subsequent starts and taking his form up a notch in doing so. Won another Listed race at Toulouse in April and has since added a pair of Group 3 wins at Longchamp to his impressive tally, showing a good attitude as ever to win the La Coupe in June and the La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte in September. Continued his rich vein of form when filling the runner-up spot in the Group 2 Prix du Conseil de Paris back at Longchamp last time and this reliable sort must hold solid place claims once again.

7. PASSION AND GLORY (Saeed bin Suroor/ Richard Kingscote)

Enjoyed a fine time of things last season, winning a couple of handicaps before taking the step up in grade in his stride to complete his hat-trick in the Group 3 Glorious Stakes at Goodwood. Struggled to make an impact in four starts at Meydan earlier this year and continued to blow hot and cold on his return to British soil. Ran right up to his best when winning a Listed race at Sandown in July, and when finishing third under a penalty in a similar event at Newmarket in September, but both those runs were followed by an underwhelming display. Turned in a tame finishing effort on heavy ground when down the field in the Group 3 St Simon Stakes at Newbury last time and is starting to become a hard horse to predict. Could easily give a bold sight if arriving here on a going day, but others make more appeal.

8. PENSIERO D’AMORE (Mohammed Hasan/ Alberto Sanna)

Developed into a smart performer in Italy when trained by Alduino Botti, notably winning a Listed race at Rome and showing even better form when filling the runner-up spot in a Group 3 at Milan in successive starts last year. Subsequently joined Marco Botti and bounced back from a failed Meydan adventure when winning a handicap on his British/all-weather debut at Kempton in March, albeit that form was still some way shy of what he showed at his best in Italy. Got closer to that level when last seen winning another handicap at Newmarket in June and has since changed hands again having been bought for 62,000 guineas in July. Now trained locally and has clearly been targeted at this race, but this looks a step too far judged on the balance of his form.

9. RIOCORVO (Carlos Laffon-Parias/ Olivier Peslier)

Began his career in Spain with Jose Alberto Remolina-Diez but was still a maiden when joining his current yard earlier this year. Showed improved form when opening his account in a handicap at Longchamp in May and has continued to make good progress since, notably running to a smart level when gaining his second success of the year by a wide margin in the Group 3 Grand Prix de Vichy in July. Ran at least as well in defeat when chasing home Monty in the Group 3 La Coupe de Maisons-Laffitte at Longchamp last time, though the winner was comfortably on top at the line, ultimately beating him by a length and a quarter. This six-year-old didn’t appear to have any obvious excuses and it’s hard to make the case why he should reverse those placings, never mind get competitive with a few of these with even stronger form credentials.

10. ROYAL FLEET (Charlie Appleby/ William Buick)

Looked very much a horse going places in winning four of his first five starts, showing form bordering on pattern class when winning a Doncaster handicap from a BHA mark of 100 on his final outing of last season. Had a gelding operation during the winter and quickly reached a smart level in three starts at Meydan earlier this year, twice filling the runner-up spot in Group 2 company before capitalising on the drop in grade with a narrow victory in the Group 3 Dubai Milleninum Stakes in February. Followed up after seven months off in a Listed race at Goodwood in September, though that form was a notch or two below the level he showed in Dubai, and it’s been a similar story when he’s been beaten the last twice at Newmarket. Proved no match for an improving stablemate when second in another Listed race most recently and this ungainly sort (tends to hang under pressure) could be worth taking on for all that he represents powerful connections.

11. ALFLAILA (Non-Runner)

12. INSINUENDO (Willie McCreery/ Oisin Orr)

Likeable mare who won twice in pattern company last season, improving a chunk to win the Group 3 Blue Wind Stakes at Naas and just needing to match that effort to win the Group 2 Kilboy Estate Stakes at the Curragh having also finished a good fourth in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the latter venue in between. Plans to run in this race 12 months ago had to be shelved due to a small setback, but she shook that off and has been a model of consistency this term with just the one blip on soft ground in the Group 1 Prix de l’Opera at Longchamp. Bounced back with a career-best effort when third in the Group 1 Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot last time, typically doing her best work late on. The drop back in trip here won’t be an issue and it’s easy to see her grabbing a piece of the action close home if getting a strong gallop to aim at.

Conclusion

Perhaps not the strongest field for the fourth running of the valuable contest in terms of quality, but there is certainly plenty of international interest with various different lines of form being brought together.

Last year’s third Magny Cours heads the betting and looks very solid having blown the cobwebs away with an effortless success at Chantilly last month, but preference at the odds is for DUBAI FUTURE, who had plenty go against him when finishing only eighth 12 months ago.

The six-year-old is clearly better than that, as he showed when running away with the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot, and a repeat of that form will give him every chance of being the horse to provide Godolphin with a first success in this race.

Of the rest, Insinuendo rarely runs a bad race and is likely to be finishing best of all if they go hard early, while Monty also has a consistent profile and completes the shortlist ahead of Dilawar, who has a bit more to prove on his first start for new connections after three months off.

1. Dubai Future
2. Magny Cours
3. Insinuendo

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