English/Ire
Bahrain Turf Series returns with international interest
The Bahrain Turf Series returns on Friday, with nine international runners on a competitive card.
With a prize fund of $80,000 for each of the six sprint and six middle-distance races held during the Bahrain Turf Series, which runs December to March, it has attracted various different trainers from the UK and Ireland.
In the 1000m Al Manama Cup, previous course winner Roman Dragon, trained by Hugo Palmer will take on George Boughey's Spangled Mac and the George Baker-handled Desert Cop. They will be joined by Jack Channon's Chief Mankato, who will be having his first outing in Bahrain.
"Chief Mankato is a very talented horse," said Channon. "He came to me last year and it took him a while to settle in and find his feet and it took me a while to figure him out too. He has a massive engine, but he does also have his little quirks.
"He's a horse that loves quick ground, loves a fast pace and I think the 1000m and 1200m races on the straight track will really suit him. Also, I think the climate will suit. He's a horse who performs better at the height of the English summer and I think he will relish being based in Bahrain rather than running on the all-weather tracks over the winter.
"He's at the right end of the handicap to maybe go and win more than once and we hope he can make up for us missing out on the Bahrain Turf Series bonus as we did with Majestic last season."
The opening middle-distance contest of the Bahrain Turf Club, the Al Muharraq Cup, sees five international contenders including the George Baker-trained duo Max Mayhem and Nesthorn.
A Juddmonte home-bred, Nesthorn started his career with Francis-Henri Garffard in France with a debut victory before being sold at the Tattersalls October Horses-In-Training sale, following some disappointing efforts.
Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore are set to have their first Bahrain runner in the same contest with Dain Ma Nut In, who will be ridden by the returning Callum Shepherd.

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