Bahrain's booming horse racing scene at heart of kingdom's grand sporting ambitions

F1 and golf already well established while investment in infrastructure continues apace

Former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is presented with the trophy after his horse Spirit Dancer won the Bahrain International Trophy. Picture: Supplied

Bahrain is dreaming big when it comes to the future of sport in the country.

Investment in the sector is a key part of its economic and social development strategy with the pace of change phenomenal – and the kingdom is barely at the start of its journey.

Bahrain is actively positioning itself as a top destination for sports tourism by hosting international events such as the opening Grand Prix on the Formula One calendar.

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The sovereign wealth fund of Bahrain, Mumtalakat Holdings Company, is the majority shareholder in McLaren who have now won back-to-back constructors’ championships, and one of their drivers, either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri, will seemingly take this season's drivers’ title.

In 2004, Bahrain was the first country in the Middle East to host an F1 race, and its pioneering efforts have gone on to include staging the Asian Youth Games earlier this year, as well as developing supporting infrastructure such as Bahrain Sports City which will include a 50,000-seat stadium and the Bahrain Surf Park, designed to provide elite surfing experiences.

Football academies from three world renowned clubs, Juventus, Real Madrid and AC Milan, have also been established, while it is an increasingly big player in e-sports and enjoyed its best performance at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris with four medals. Bahrain also hosts a DP World Tour event in January while a Sergio Garcia-designed course is in the pipeline.

The Bahrain International Circuit has been hosting F1 races since 2004. PA

As Sheikh Salman bin Rashed Al Khalifa, High Committee’s Representative for International Racing, said: “Sport does so much in terms of positioning and promoting the kingdom globally. There are lots of advantages linked to sport.

“This is mainly from the tourist side and from attracting foreign investment. There are a lot of benefits. It positions the kingdom of Bahrain internationally. Sport has a lot of angles which add value in different ways.”

This week another kind of horsepower, racing, takes centre stage at the $1 million Bahrain International Trophy at the Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club.

Friday night's race is now recognised as a Group 2, and for the past two years has been won by Sir Alex Ferguson, the former Manchester United manager, with his horse Spirit Dancer.

Racing is in the DNA of the Middle East. The UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have shown the way with its big Festivals and massive prize money. Bahrain has ambitions to be part of that, as Ed Veale, the Director of Racing and International Relations at the Bahrain Turf Club, attests.

“The International Trophy is our showcase race where you have the eyes of the racing world on us,” he said. “This week is very important because it's a chance for us to show what we're building beyond just this one race and connecting with the rest of the world in showcasing what the country has to offer.

Sir Alex Ferguson's horse Spirit Dancer is a two-time winner of the big race in Bahrain. Picture: Supplied

“The club is rapidly becoming part of a broader national vision of how we transform a country that has deep equestrian heritage into a world-class sporting and social institution. I really like the idea of the club here being described as a national institution of which people here are proud.”

A 12-race Turf Series between December and March has prize money of in excess of $1m which is open to international as well as domestic challengers, is now in its fifth year.

“Owners come from very different walks of life, whether it be Sir Alex Ferguson, or Anthony Oppenheimer both of whom are guests this weekend. Racing builds bridges and if that bridge brings people here, it's fantastic for the country,” Veale continued.

Bahrain is keen to play its part in the powerhouse that is Middle East racing and is an active participant in the Gulf Co-operation Council which fosters relations between regional racing jurisdictions.

“There's a collective effort to help each other grow,” Veale explained. “And I really believe the region is an extremely exciting place to be for racing over the next few years.

“Where Bahrain fits into the jigsaw is the fact that we have a very welcoming racing jurisdiction in terms of the events that we put on, the hospitality we can give our guests, while at the same time we're building a competitive racing product.”

The GCC has a meeting in Bahrain this week with members staying on to watch the International Trophy race.

The driving force behind the racing initiative is Sheikh Isa Salman Al Khalifa, the chairman of the Bahrain Turf Club and who is a grandson of the King, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Two sons of the King, Sheikh Nasser and Sheikh Khalid are partners in Victorious Forever, a flourishing.

The sport is very much a passion for Sheikh Isa. He is a formidable owner in his own right both in Bahrain and in Britain and Ireland. In September his horse, Economics, won the prestigious Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.

Ralph Beckett, whose horse Pride of Arras is competing in the International Trophy, said: “I train for Sheikh Isa and Victorious Forever, and their enthusiasm is palpable.

“It is terrific that they are emerging as a force. Bahrain is on the front foot in every sense.”