Bahrain International Trophy: Wimbledon Hawkeye tops deep field in upgraded feature

Freshly upgraded to Group 1 level, Friday’s Bahrain International Trophy (G1) has attracted a deep field commensurate with its status. British shipper #10 Wimbledon Hawkeye (4-1) is the one to beat, but there are also opportunities to find value in the Sakhir feature, which goes off at 11:35 a.m. ET. 

Wimbledon Hawkeye was purchased by Bahraini connections over the summer expressly for this race, and the plan has come together nicely. Notwithstanding his 4-1 odds in the North American past performances, he figures to be the favorite.

The George Scott trainee brings stellar form that stacks up with the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1). Wimbledon Hawkeye has traded decisions with Map of Stars, the close runner-up to Benvenuto Cellini at Keeneland, and he also missed narrowly in a pair of top-level events to Hotazhell, who tired to seventh in the Turf after looming dangerously in the stretch. Significantly, both of Wimbledon Hawkeye’s near-misses to Hotazhell came at this 1 1/4-mile trip, in the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis (G1) and the Irish Champion (G1). 

Wimbledon Hawkeye has since captured the Prix Dollar (G2), also in the vicinity of this distance, on Arc weekend, where he quickened best to defeat #11 Zaydann (11-1), pacesetter #9 Seagulls Eleven (21-1), and the subpar favorite, #6 Phineas (10-1), who wound up sixth. 

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Zaydann or Phineas move forward in the rematch. Both are progressive four-year-olds with upside for high-profile connections.

Zaydann, an Aga Khan Studs homebred trained by Francis-Henri Graffard, had won five in a row prior to an ambitious attempt at the Juddmonte International (G1). Although he checked in fifth, he was only a couple of lengths behind the dethroned champion Ombudsman (fourth). 

Note that Graffard had thrown Daryz into the deep end in last year’s Juddmonte as a learning experience, and the loss at York paid dividends later in the fall. The parallel isn’t exact, but Zaydann is likewise eligible to keep improving. The Dubawi colt, a grandson of the unbeaten champion Zarkava, is intriguing in his first foray outside of Europe. If post 12 doesn’t help his chances, he should drop back early in any event.

Phineas, a Wertheimer et Frere homebred, saw a four-race winning spree snapped in the Dollar. But the venerable Andre Fabre is willing to press on to this major international target, suggesting that he still believes there’s more to come from the Lope de Vega gelding from the immediate family of multiple Group 1 star Aventure. 

Fabre, who is now a co-trainer in the league with daughter Lavinia, sends out another promising contender in three-year-old #12 Baroud (14-1). Last seen breaking through with his first stakes coup in the Aug. 15 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano (G2), the Frankel colt resurfaces here to make his Group 1 debut versus older horses. 

Hugo Palmer is also double-handed here, with Saratoga Derby (G1) hero #13 Glacius (11-1) joining older stablemate Seagulls Eleven. Freshened by design since his runner-up effort in the Sept. 5 Nashville Derby (G2), Glacius acquitted himself well against elders earlier this summer. The son of Too Darn Hot had placed third in Sandown’s Gala S. to #8 Sallaal (6-1), who would have been a prime player but unfortunately scratched on Thursday. 

The Nashville Derby angle is interesting because Wimbledon Hawkeye had graced Kentucky Downs last year, when just edging Burnham Square. Might Glacius offer similar potential to develop on the world stage?

Godolphin’s #5 Military Order (10-1) was only third in this race a year ago, beaten by #7 Royal Champion (3-1) and #2 Galen (15-1). This edition is tougher. Yet Military Order may be arriving in sharper form for Appleby this time around. Pointing to a return to Bahrain, the Frankel gelding resumed from a 10-month layoff to dominate the Sept. 25 Diamond S. on the Dundalk Polytrack. The caveat is that Military Order tends to look better on all-weather surfaces. 

#4 Lambourn (16-1) is liable to be overpriced, even though he is bidding to give Aidan O’Brien a record-breaking 29th Group 1 win this season. Last year’s Epsom/Irish Derby (G1) hero has suffered the indignity of pacemaking duties for Ballydoyle hotshots on occasion, but he remains capable when allowed to run in the right spot on his own merit. A case in point is his front-running victory in the May 8 Huxley (G2) at Chester, where he gamely outdueled Bay City Roller.

There’s other speed on tap here, especially Galen and likely Seagulls Eleven on the rail, but in former days, Lambourn wasn’t necessarily a need-the-lead type. If Ryan Moore works out the right trip from post 9, the son of Australia can factor at generous odds.