In 2021 being the season of Charlie Appleby, it’s the Bahrain International Trophy on Friday that surely culminates a magnificent year in winning 17 Group and Grade One races.
Adayar was magnificent in taking out in the Derby Stakes at Epsom, courtesy of a dare-devil ride by Adam Kirby, followed by the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes under William Buick.
Hurricane Lane directly followed in winning the Irish Derby, the Grand Prix de Paris and St Leger Stakes when ridden by William Buick, and as with Adayar is sired by the unbeaten champion Frankel.
At the 38th Breeders’ Cup it was a three-win celebration for Charlie Appleby and his UAE based Godolphin as leading owners and breeders, with all three winners ridden by William Buick.
In all three being sired by Dubawi, it was Yibir who won the Longines Turf, Space Blues the FanDuel Turf Mile and Modern Games the Juvenile Turf, in having been first withdrawn in error.
The four times Gr1 winner Barney Roy, leads for Godolphin in the Bahrain International Trophy of €550,941 to be run at Sakhir Racecourse over 2000m on turf, and ridden by James Doyle.
In coming off a good fourth when favourite in the Darley Stakes at Newmarket, Barney Roy had his Bahrain mission void in 2020 when injured following his win in the Grosser Preis von Baden.
In fact, the Darley Stakes is his only start this year, when last season he also won the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis and Jabel Hatta, and as a 3yo the St James’s Palace Stakes, having not raced at four.
Now a 7yo bay gelding, by the multiple Group winner Excelebration, Barney Roy has won 8 of his 17 starts from 1m to 1½m, and is the best produce of the non-placed Galileo mare Alina.
William Buick takes the ride on the last start dual Ben Marshall Stakes winner Zakouski for Charlie Appleby, having only raced three times this year also for a win in the Al Rashidiya at Meyan.
In having much an Australian pedigree, Zakouski is the family of the champion sire Lonhro, Albrecht and Niello, and bred by Godolphin is a 5yo bay gelding by the highly influential Shamardal.
With Royal Julius being the inaugural Bahrain International Trophy winner for France in 2019, its Andre Fabre who has Magny Cours for Godolphin, being a last start winner of the Prix Perth
With Mickael Barzalona riding Magny Cours, its Frankie Dettori who again rides for Godolphin on the Saeed Bin Suroor trained Dubai Future, who was previously stakes placed third at Kempton.
In finishing fifth last year for Geoff and Sandra Turnbull, Lord Glitters is the mount of Jason Watson for David O’Meara in having scored his second Group 1 success in the Jebel Hatta in March.
In stepping-up, it’s the 3yo filly Fev Rover for Richard Fahey and jockey Paddy Mathers who was third in the Newmarket 1000 Guineas, having won the Prix de Calvados for Nick Bradley Racing.
The Charlie Hills trained Pogo now attempts 2000m for Kieran Shoemarkin, being second in the Joel Stakes, and Hector Crouch riding Foundation Stakes winner Victory Chime for Ralph Beckett.
Jessica Harrington’s International Stakes winner Cadillac is to ridden by Shane Foley, with new owner Jurgen Sartori having Penja with German Andreas Suborics, and ridden by Cristian Demuro.
In Simir winning last year for Fawzi Nass, today he has Emperor of The Sun to be ridden by Lee Newman, Qaader by Adrie de Vries and Naamoos by David Egan, while Jalil Al Mallah’s What A Welcome will be ridden by Phil Dennis.
