Yes, the winning post is there for Charlie Appleby to claim his first Bahrain International Trophy with Royal Fleet for Godolphin and in the hands of William Buick.
Narrowly missing out on winning last year with Barney Boy, Royal Fleet is Charlie Appleby’s sole entry having won the Bahrain Turf Club Foundation Stakes of 1m2f at Goodwood in September.
In coming off good placing in his last two starts, including third in the Bahrain International ‘automatic invitational’ Darley Stakes of 1m1f at Newmarket, to the now withdrawn Alflaila.
Having successful campaigned in Dubai earlier in the season, he took out the Dubai Millennium Stakes of 1m2f at Meydan in February, having earlier been Group 2 second placed twice.
Now the winner of 6 of his 11 starts, Royal Fleet won his only start at 2 years over 7f at Kempton, followed by wins at Doncaster, Newmarket and Yarmouth in four starts at three years.
Home bred and raced by Godolphin, and sired by their all-conquering Dubawi, the 4yo gelded Royal Fleet is from the Group 3 winning Dansili mare Zibelina, also the dam of Royal Crusade.
With Charlie Appleby being crowned British Champion Trainer with 143 wins and over £6.17million in stakes, the Bahrain International Trophy would also highlight this year for Godolphin.
As Godolphin were also Leading British Owner with 139 win and £6.97million, it was Charlie Appleby who trained the ill-fated Coroebus to win the 2000 Guineas and St James’s Palace Stakes.
In also claiming the French classic Poule d’Essai des Poulains with Modern Games, he went onto win the Breeders’ Cup Mile having last year taken out the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
Rebel’s Romance made it three Group 1’s with the Breeders’ Cup Turf, the Preis von Europa and Grosser Preis von Berlin, while Mischief Magic won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
At Royal Ascot it was Naval Crown winning the Platinum Jubilee Stakes, while in the Americas Nations Pride won the Saratoga Derby and Mysterious Night claimed the Canadian Summer Stakes.
With Royal Fleet drawing Gate 10 of the 10 horse field, the Bahrain International Trophy will be run on Friday over 2000m on turf, and is a Group 3 of £600,000 with £360,000 to the winner.
He will carry the 58kg weight for Northern and Southern Hemisphere 4yo’s and Older, with Northern Hemisphere 3yo’s weighted on 56.5kg, Fillies and Mares allowed 2Kg, and no penalties.
In fact the withdrawal of Alflina on Monday due to a small fracture in the near fore fetlock was a blow, as Alflina had won two of the three ‘Automatic Invitation’ events run in Britain and Ireland.
In last winning the ‘invitational’ Darley Stakes at Newmarket, Alflaila. had first qualified by taking out the Strensall Stakes at York, while Luxembourg won the Royal Whip Stakes at The Curragh.
Also from Godolphin is Andre Fabre’s 2021 third placed Bahrain International Magny Cours who is a last start winner of the Prix de Coye at Chantilly, and will be ridden by Mickael Barzalona.
Godolphin’s highly successful Saeed bin Suroor has Daniel Tudhope riding his Royal Ascot winner Dubai Future, with Richard Kingscote on Sandown Gala Stakes winner Passion and Glory.
The Irish hopes rest on the 5yo mare Insinuendo for Willie McCreery and jockey Oisin Orr, while from Chantilly its Carlos Laffon-Parias with Riocorvo, German Andres Schultz with Monty, Norway’s Niels Petersen having King David, and of course Frankie Dettori on Dilawar for Fawzi Nass.
