Will Travel…
As the mornings get darker (how annoying is that..??!!), thoughts start to turn to winter plans. Bahrain will form, as ever, the core of our international aspirations. An exciting team being assembled, and a few sales upcoming that will provide further opportunities to bolster the squad..
Fantastically progressive and ambitious, The Bahrain Turf Club has swept onto the international stage at a stunning rate of knots. A few short years ago, we took our first footsteps into the sand with La Maquina and Dawaam. 6 years ago, there was a limited programme of races, and the number of foreign trainers with horses in The Kingdom could be counted on the fingers of one hand…
Slip forward to today and the BTC will host a Group 1 this autumn. The Bahrain International acquiring the highest status in fast forward time…
And the Bahrain Turf Series which runs from December until the weekend before Cheltenham (what’s favourite for the Supreme…??) goes from strength to strength. Competitive racing in a jurisdiction that takes several strides forward every year. No resting on laurels, and no limit to the ambition…
We used to picnic in the desert behind the Grandstand. Sand in our egg sandwiches and in our chablis. Huge fun, but the wind often played havoc…
And then there was a Marquee beyond the finish line to entertain horse connections, and now there is a dedicated floor in the Grandstand with fabulous views over the racecourse to the minarets and nodding donkeys and fiery plumes in the distant oil fields….
A wonderful winter retreat. Our horses travel expenses covered by the BTC, and alluring financial incentives for owners. Top level prize money. Fabulous hotels and restaurants. An internationally renowned Golf Course…
Wolverhampton, Southwell, Lingfield, Chelmsford, Newcastle – or….???
Other international plans upcoming include some cross Channel sorties – starting with Deauville next Tuesday. And White Turf in St Moritz in February. Hungary. And possibly some Meydan action. And Wolverhampton…
#havehorsewilltravel…
York’s Ebor meeting starts today. Rain around. Remarkably. The big battalions moving their battle from the sales ring to the playing field. Ombudsman and Constitution River. Item too. Almaqam not a no hoper at big odds if storms arrive…
Strength in depth. Both Action and Devil’s Advocate rode high in ante post markets through the winter. Today, they will act as pacemakers and go off at 200/1 or bigger…
Test Cricket returns. Phew…
