HORSERACING – PHANTOM Flight was produced with a perfectly timed challenge by jockey Benoit De La Sayette last night to provide owners Victorious Forever and trainer George Scott with a memorable victory in the 2026 running of the His Majesty the King’s Cup, run in honour of His Majesty King Hamad.
The win at Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club (REHC) was Phantom Flight’s fourth success in the kingdom and a first Group race win in a career that has spanned five years.
The runner-up was the defending champion, Sovereign Spirit, with European Group One winner Calif in third.
In attendance during last night’s events were Prime Minister’s Court Minister and REHC High Committee chairman Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa along with other high-ranking officials.
The Group Three HM the King’s Cup for imported horses is the most prestigious prize in Bahrain’s racing calendar, and it offered a prize fund of $400,000.
It was also a momentous result for De La Sayette, being his first success in a Group race and the perfect way to round off his first winter based in Bahrain.
The red and white colours of Victorious Forever were last carried to victory in The King’s Cup by Isle Of Jura in 2024, also trained by Scott.
Two other races for HM the King’s Cups were also held yesterday at REHC.
In the race for Bahrain-bred horses offering $55,000 in winnings, Realm took the win for Mohammed Khalid Abdulrahim and Haider Ebrahim, with Ebrahim Nader in the saddle. Baraak was second for Al Mohamediya Racing, Ali Abdulmajeed, and Neil Callan, while Midhaal took third for Shaikh Isa bin Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa, Abdulla Kuwaiti, and Abdulrahim Jasim.
The other HM the King’s Cup was contested between Arabian horses, with $20,000 in prizes up for the taking.
Kuheilan Al Adiyat 1894 triumphed for Victorious Forever, Yousif Taher, and Jasim, finishing well ahead of runner-up Obeyan 1777, competing for Al Khaldiya, Fawzi Nass, and Husain Makki. Tuwaisan 1844 finished third for Khaldiya, Yousif Alboainain, and Abdulla Faisal.
Meanwhile, trainers Daniel and Claire Kubler have enjoyed a very productive first season in the kingdom and the improving Piz Nair provided them and Al Adiyat Racing with a Listed win yesterday following victory in the Al Methaq Mile.
In a thrilling renewal Piz Nair, under Faisal, held off the late challenges of Hi Royal and Byline.
Earlier in the day, over 5,000km away in England, the Kublers had enjoyed further success with a win at Lingfield Park with Londoner. And they had been in the winners’ enclosure again on Thursday in Bahrain, saddling the winner of the final race of the 2025-26 Bahrain Turf Series.
This season’s series wrapped up Thursday night, with victory in the Al Fateh Cup, sponsored by Bapco Energies, going to Dubai Bling, trained by Hugo Palmer.
Worth $100,000 and run over 1,200m, the Al Fateh Cup attracted the best of the Bahrain-based sprinters and a strong international challenge of seasoned campaigners, but it was the lightly raced four-year-old who prevailed under a cool ride by Stephane Ladjadj. Co-owned by former footballer Michael Owen, Dubai Bling had finished third in rounds one and two of the series.
“Beforehand, I received a message from Mr Palmer, he was only concerned about one thing; getting cover, getting cover, getting cover!” said Ladjadj. “Luckily it was easy for me to do because I was first into the starting gates and so we waited a long time and my horse then missed the jump, but that helped me to get cover quickly.
“Also, the horses around me were good enough to lead me until the last furlong, and in the end my horse did very well. Every race he has run here, he was knocking the door and he deserved a win.”
The final Bahrain Turf Series race of the season was The International Handicap, run over 2,000m, also worth $100,000.
Nader is enjoying another wonderful season and is well ahead of all his rivals in the race to be Bahrain’s champion jockey. However, one item missing from this season’s CV was a win in a Bahrain Turf Series race. His joy and relief at putting that right was evident in his celebration when Lord Montague, running in the colours of Adiyat for the Kublers passed the post first.
“This was the last Bahrain Turf Series race of the season and I really wanted to win it,” said Nader. “Last time out, this horse, he was so fresh, but today he settled well and I was able to sit handy, which was the instruction from the trainer, so I sat patiently and the pace was really fast.
“Then, when I showed him the way, he showed a very good turn of foot. He did it well and I think next year he’ll be an even nicer horse.”
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