I’m in Barhrain for the last big meeting of the series and the King’s Cup tomorrow. Starting off tonight is a late racing because of the start of Ramadan, the holy fasting season. Therefore we’ll be racing a bit later.
I have five rides today, five rides tomorrow. The pick of the rides today will be the series races and we’re coming back with Soldiers Empire. He’s been running quite well, quite consistent, been placed in the last two horse races of the series races without just getting his head in front. He’s in good form. He’s improved with every run. He’s got a bit of a tricky draw on 14, but hopefully the pace is strong and we can overcome that. Hopefully Soldiers Empire can just take that next step and get his head in front.
In the sprint we’ve got Grand City Hall. He’s had two runs for Marco Botty. The first run just probably needed the run, last run was a very good finish, very close in the last series race. I think the step up to 1200 meters is a positive for him. He’s drawing on the stand side, where a lot of the speed is. Hopefully he can just go that one next step with the step up to 1200 showed really good form as a young horse in Ireland and raced in England, running pretty good times. Hopefully Grand City Hall can take that next step and get his head in front.
Tomorrow is the King’s Cup, which is always a big race to win here in Bahrain. I’ve been lucky enough to win it on Zagato, whom I ride again this year. He is the winner of His Highness Sheikh Nasser’s Cup two weeks ago and is in really good nick. He took the scalp of Phantom Flight, who reopposes today.
It’s a pretty hot contest Godolphin have runners, and John Gosden has brought a contender from England. They’re going to be pretty hard to beat, but Zagato is in great form, loves the track, and stays the distance really well. So I’m hoping he can keep up that rich vein of form and take the King’s Cup again.
In the local King’s Cup, which is for local breds I ride Mudallal, he’s a very tough staying type who never gives up. He ran a really good second last start and is coming back to have another go.
So that’s the pick of the races tomorrow. Hopefully, we can make it count.
