The Bahrain International Trophy will be run as a Group 1 event this season

Scheduled for November 13, the race has reached top-level status and will see its purse increased to $1.5 million

The Bahrain International Trophy will achieve in 2026 the definitive milestone for which it was conceived just seven years ago: becoming the first Group 1 race in the nation’s history.

The flagship event of the Bahraini racing calendar, scheduled for November 13 over 2,000 meters on the Sakhir Racecourse turf, received its official promotion to the highest international tier and will simultaneously see its purse increased to $1.5 million.

Since its inception in 2019, the Bahrain International Trophy has consistently gained prestige, attracting elite international stars and establishing itself as a vital autumn fixture on the global racing circuit.

The 2025 renewal marked a pivotal step in this trajectory when Royal Champion (Shamardal) captured the event while it was still classified as a Group 2 with a $1,000,000 purse. The British representative subsequently validated the quality of that performance by taking the Neom Turf Cup (G1) on the turf in Saudi Arabia. Another high-profile performer who helped anchor the race's global reputation is Spirit Dancer (Frankel), bred and co-owned by the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson, who achieved consecutive victories in the 2023 and 2024 editions.

The upgrade to Group 1 status represents a major validation of Bahrain’s strategic blueprint to position itself within the global racing landscape—a policy that pairs the development of its domestic program with a growing presence in European racing through bloodstock investment and sponsorship.

Shaikh Isa Al Khalifa, Chairman of the Bahrain Turf Club and well-known in Europe as the owner of top-flight champion Economics (Night of Thunder), celebrated the milestone: “When we established the Bahrain International Trophy, it was always our ambition and belief that the race would grow to become our first Group 1 race. To have achieved that after only seven years is fantastic.”

The official added: “Bahrain's vision for horse racing is built on international collaboration, long-term development, and a clear ambition to continue elevating the Kingdom’s status on the world stage. I would like to thank everyone who has supported the race in the past, and we look forward to welcoming even more international visitors and world-class horses to the 2026 edition of the Bahrain International Trophy.”