HORSERACING – The Bahrain Gold Cup, the final major race of the kingdom’s horseracing season, has been awarded international Listed status, Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club (REHC) has announced.
The upgrade in the event’s status brings the total of international Pattern and Listed races held at REHC to eight, headlined by the $1.5million Bahrain International Trophy, which this year was given the highest accolade when it was upgraded to Group One.
In recent years the growth of horseracing in Bahrain both in terms of the quality of participants and its international standing has been evident in the upgrades awarded to major races, and the latest to be recognised is the Bahrain Gold Cup.
Staged in April as the curtain-closer for the domestic season, the Bahrain Gold Cup is the first race held outside of the programme of international races to be awarded Pattern and Listed status, and the move underlines the increasing depth and quality of domestically trained horses.
Run over 2,000m (10 furlongs), the 2026 edition of the Bahrain Gold Cup was won by Hi Royal, carrying the colours of Al Mohamediya Racing and trained by Ali Abdulmajeed.
Hi Royal is one six locally trained horses entered for the Group One Bahrain International Trophy, which is scheduled this year for November 13 at REHC.
The promotion follows the news in June of the Bahrain International Trophy being awarded Group One status and last season’s upgrades to His Royal Highness The Crown Prince’s Cup, from Listed to Group Three, and the Al Adiyat Cup, acquiring Listed status.
Prior to that, in 2024, the His Majesty The King’s Cup was promoted to Group Three, and the His Highness Shaikh Nasser Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Cup and the His Highness Shaikh Khalid Bin Hamad Al Khalifa Cup were given Listed status.
The upcoming 2026-27 racing season in Bahrain, which officially gets underway on October 30, will celebrate a notable anniversary in the country’s sporting history as it marks the landmark 50th campaign at REHC.
A stacked calendar of 30 meetings all the way through to April of 2027 will be staged, to be highlighted by a number of world-class races.
Aside from the Group One Bahrain International Trophy, which will feature the all-new Bahrain Long Distance Cup as part of its programme, other highlights are the His Majesty the King’s Cup Festival on March 4 and 5 next year and the His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s Cup Festival on January 28 and 29, before the season concludes on April 16.
The popular Bahrain Turf Series has also been expanded, with the number of races increasing from 12 to 14 through the introduction of a dedicated mile division to go along with the middle-distance and sprint.
The series will be staged across several rounds from December to March.
REHC’s Golden Jubilee marks 50 years since its establishment in 1977.
This historic milestone reflects a distinguished journey of achievement and progress, underpinned by a rich heritage and a clear vision that has shaped REHC’s development over the past five decades.
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