The Crown Prince’s Cup Festival Gets Underway with Elite Horses and a Diverse Lineup of Events

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the Crown Prince’s Cup Festival, sponsored by Cebarco, will take place on Thursday and Friday, January 29 and 30, at the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club (REHC) in Al Raffah.

The REHC continues the preparations for the Festival through a comprehensive program of accompanying events, reflecting the Club’s commitment to delivering a complete entertainment experience. This comes amid growing anticipation among horseracing enthusiasts for competitions marked by the highest levels of excitement, speed, and challenge.

The Festival will feature 17 races over two days, with the participation of 195 elite Bahraini and international horses, ridden by leading jockeys. The races promise intense competition in an exceptional sporting atmosphere that combines excitement and enjoyment.

Racegoers can purchase tickets via the Club’s official website, Bahrainturfclub.com, providing the opportunity to attend, enjoy the Festival’s entertainment offerings, and follow the races across both days.

Participating stables are preparing for strong competition with high-caliber horses holding distinguished records in major races. These horses will compete for the Crown Prince’s Cups for Arabian, imported, and Bahrain-bred horses, in addition to several major titles, most notably: Bahrain Oaks (sponsored by Al Muzdaher Stud), Bahrain Derby (sponsored by Bapco Energies), The Howden Cup, Gulf Air Cup, Investcorp Cup, The Bahrain Mile (sponsored by BBK), Grand Seiko – Bahrain Jewellery Centre Cup, Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup, Lexus Cup, and Bahrain Turf Club Cup.

The first day of the Crown Prince’s Cup Festival begins at 5:30 PM on Thursday, January 29, and includes nine races, two of which form part of the Bahrain Turf Series.

Day 1 Rounds

• Round 1: Gulf Air Cup for Bahraini Purebred Arabian Horses (WAHO) over 1200 meters, featuring 16 maiden horses seeking their first victory.

• Round 2: Lexus Cup for Bahrain-bred horses over 2200 meters. A close competition is expected, given the similar abilities of the horses, with Majarah, Zafarani, and Pegasus among the favorites.

• Round 3: Investcorp Cup for imported horses over 2400 meters. Bleak is considered a strong contender based on his level and results this season.

• Round 4: Grand Seiko – Bahrain Jewellery Centre Cup for Class 4 and maiden Bahrain-bred horses over 1400 meters, with 18 horses participating. The competition is expected to be between Ezz Al Bahrain and Call of Duty.

• Round 5: Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup – Handicap (Imported) over 1600 meters. This race is expected to be highly competitive due to the closely matched abilities of the participating horses.

• Round 6: Bahrain Oaks, sponsored by Al Muzdaher Stud, for Class 1 Bahrain-bred horses over 1800 meters. The mare Wanisa is considered a strong contender after her victories over the same horses earlier this season.

• Round 9 (final round): Handicap race (Bahrain-bred) over 1000 meters, with 11 horses participating, most notably the mares Blues Queen and Alhadba.

Bahraini and International Horses Compete for the Anchorman Cup and the Hawar Cup

The Crown Prince’s Cup Festival includes the fourth round of the Bahrain Turf Series, featuring the seventh and eighth races. These races will showcase top Bahraini and imported horses ridden by leading Bahraini and international professional jockeys.

This strong turnout reflects the growing importance and prestige of the Bahrain Turf Series in the horseracing world, both in terms of participation and horse rankings. The field includes several horses that have previously won and competed in Series races.

The seventh race of the Bahrain Turf Series, the Anchorman Cup, sponsored by Howden, will be run over 2000 meters, with 15 horses competing. Notable contenders include Wave Rider and Soldier’s Empire. The eighth race, the Hawar Cup, sponsored by Cebarco, will be run over a straight 1200 meters, promising fierce competition and a speed challenge among closely matched horses.