The rapidly improving Isle Of Jura (George Scott/Callum Shepherd) stepped out of handicap company with an impressive win in Friday’s feature race at the Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club, the Crown Prince’s Cup, sponsored by Cebarco.
Owned by HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa’s Victorious Racing, the four-year-old continued his rise through the ranks since arriving in Bahrain and winning a Bahrain Turf Series race to land his first pattern race in the $150,000 Listed contest.
Coming from the rear of the field in the 2,000-metre event to power home by 3¾ lengths, Isle Of Jura left a competitive nine-runner field trailing in his wake, with local runner American Flag finishing second and fellow British raider Lucander in third. Out of luck were the two Godolphin owned horses, Local Dynasty (fifth) and Passion And Glory (sixth).
Less than 12 months ago, Isle Of Jura was still a once-raced maiden heading to the horses-in-training sales, where he was picked out by George Scott and bought to run in the red and white colours of Victorious Racing.
A dual winner in the UK last summer, Isle Of Jura has thrived in Bahrain this winter – as winning jockey Callum Shepherd explained. “I just love the way he has grown up since he’s been here,” said the rider.
“He now relaxes very well and he’ll give himself every chance of getting further. Being over here, it’s really made a man of him.
“This horse means a great deal to George and I,” Shepherd went on. “We have always taken this horse very seriously and for him to do that in front of his owners on home soil is really special – we’re delighted.”
Winning trainer George Scott added: “He’s a lovely horse and he’s clearly improving. He’s bred to be a good horse and the sky is the limit with him, although we will just enjoy today first. It’s well documented that His Highness Shaikh Nasser has been a huge supporter of mine and to repay him in this way is so exciting.”
The Hawar Cup, run over 1,200m for the sprint division of the Bahrain Turf Series, produced a one-two for the international visitors led home by Roman Dragon (Hugo Palmer/Ebrahim Nader) for owners Michael Owen and Nick Hughes.
“We’re absolutely delighted,” said former England striker Owen. “He has got speed to burn but we often think he’s better round a turning track than a straight track, so today is a lovely surprise.
“We thought beforehand Box To Box would be in the first three and this horsewould be in the last three, but it happened the other way round!
“Me and Nick own the horse; I bred him and we’ve owned him all his life. It’s my first time here and I am really enjoying it. My old boss, Sir Alex Ferguson, was stood here not so long ago having won the big race, the Bahrain International Trophy, so it’s clearly a lucky spot.”
In second place behind Roman Dragon was ultra-consistent Brazen Bolt, who maintains his lead at the top of the Bahrain Turf Series standings for the John & Sean Quinn training partnership.
The Anchorman Cup (sponsored by Howden), round four in the middle-distance division of the Bahrain Turf Series, produced a fantastic finish in which the locally trained Ecosystem (Ebrahaim Haider/Alberto Sanna) narrowly held off The Parent and Burglar by a head and a neck at end of the 1,800-metre race.
In winning, Ecosystem gave jockey Alberto Sanna a double on the day, following victory in the Bahrain Oaks. Ecosystem was running in the colours of Khalid Abdulrahim, chairman of Cebarco, who sponsored the feature event.
• Visit the Bahrain Turf Club website and full results here
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