Trainer John Gosden will be doing something he has never done in his illustrious career at the end of November when sending his first runner to Bahrain to compete in the inaugural Bahrain International Trophy.
The £200,000 pursed race is set to take place on November 22nd over 1 mile 2 furlongs with the contest gaining plenty of traction having potential runners from England, France, Germany and Ireland.
Gosden is set to send his Royal Ascot second Turgenev who was strides away from landing a five timer for Frankie Dettori on the Thursday of this seasons royal meeting in the Britannia Handicap.
Turgenev has a huge chance of landing the first ever running of this race in Bahrain having solid form throughout the British flat season.
After his second at Royal Ascot he then went to Newmarket that although fourth in a Listed six runner field, still gave a good account of himself which allowed him to keep improving for his later runs.
The three year old owned by Princess Haya of Jordan headed to Goodwood in the Group Two Celebration Mile and finished anothe good second behind Duke Of Hazzard for trainer Paul Cole.
His final run of the season came in September in the Listed Fortune Stakes at Sandown and again he was a good second but this time behind a superstar in King Of Change for Richard Hannon who franked that form when winning the Group One QE II Stakes at Ascot on British Champions Day.
(Credit Racing Post) Thady Gosden, pupil assistant to his father, said: "Turgenev is an intended runner in the Bahrain International Trophy and worked nicely in preparation for the race on the Al Bahathri on Saturday. The plan is to fly him out there next weekend and we are very much looking forward to the race."
Other British runners that could make the journey to Bahrain include Coolagh Forest are Pivoine (Andrew Balding), Mountain Angel (Roger Varian), Afaak (Charlie Hills) and Wargrave (George Baker).
Joseph O'Brien is not a trainer shy of taking his horses all round the globe to try and land winners and he could send his runner Red Tea.
(Credit Racing Post) Sheikh Salman bin Rashid Al Khalifa, executive director of Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing club, said of the new venture: "We’re hosting one race this year and it’s definitely going to be a stepping stone towards bigger events in the future.
"I’m sure the plan is to host more international races and we would love to attract a big number of owners and trainers to race in Bahrain.
“It’s just another opportunity. Dubai is around the corner and a lot of people send their horses there during the winter to race, so we thought it would work really nicely for people to have another option in the region."