HORSERACING – Royal Champion’s sensational victory last night in this year’s $1.5 million Group One Bahrain International Trophy has a deeper meaning for the eight-year-old gelding’s winning connections.
Trainer Karl Burke expressed his tremendous delight with the historic result, especially with jockey Clifford Lee taking to the saddle.
Lee was all set to ride Royal Champion in the Bahrain International Trophy last year, but could not compete after being involved in a severe, near-fatal cross-country motorbike accident just weeks before the race.
James Doyle took his place and was able to power to first place, but Lee has since defied the odds and returned to racing last April, while also steering multiple other winners before adding his victory yesterday in the kingdom.
“With Cliff back on board after what happened this time last year – Cliff was on death’s door – [this win] means a lot,” Burke told the GDN last night in the winner’s circle.
Burke said that he never doubted the abilities of Royal Champion despite what he earlier admitted has been a sub-par campaign leading up to last night’s spectacle at Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club.
“He just comes alive when you put him on a plane and I think people thought I was joking when I said that I wasn’t sure where we were with the horse and he’s had a very interrupted preparation, but he looked tremendous, so I was very happy with him when I saw him on Tuesday training here,” Burke explained.
“He looked great in the paddock again, so very, very good.”
Royal Champion became only the second back-to-back winner of the kingdom’s most valuable horserace, following in the footprints of Spirit Dancer, who was victorious in 2024 and 2023 for co-owner and legendary football manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
“It’s a great achievement, but all credit to the horse,” Burke said.
“From the draw, we were hoping that Ryan Moore would go forward on Lambourne, and we were going to try and latch onto him. So that worked perfectly.
“Cliff got him, and you don’t want to see too much daylight. He’s a horse who needs to get relaxed as quick as you can, and Cliff did a great job doing that. It was a lovely, trouble-free run through.
“I knew they were all going to come over to the stand side and he had to go a little bit earlier than ideal, because the gap was going to close on him. But the horse quickened up really well, and he was delighted.”
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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