Best bet for the horse racing Friday 19th November

Eyes are turned to the Middle East and the Kingdom of Bahrain on Friday with the £500,000 Group Three Bahrain International Trophy being held at Sakhir racecourse. It is due off at 1.00 our time so if you are working you can nip to the Bookies and take in a little Middle Eastern action during lunch.  

Best bet for the horse racing at Sakhir racecourse

I have tipped Zakouski twice already this season and he won on both occasions; out in Dubai for the Group Two 1m1f Al Rashidiya back in February and then at HQ in Listed mile 888Sport What's Your Thinking Ben Marshall Stakes in October. As I said in October the five-year-old is still relatively lightly raced and could have more to offer yet. Trip of 1m2f should be fine, he clearly doesn’t mind travelling and thrives in the climate out in the Persian Gulf, three of his six career wins have been at Meydan, Dubai. William Buick rides suggesting he is the stable No.1 and he is my selection at 7-2 which I have taken with Power on Wednesday afternoon - Hills were 2’s.  

This has been the aim for stable mate Barney Roy for a while it appears and the seven-year-old has to be feared. European raider Penja is interesting getting the weight-for-age as a three-year-old but all his form is on softish going in France; this is his first start for new trainer Andreas Suborics. Andre Fabre has sent Magny Cours, another in the ownership of Godolphin, over from Chantilly but I think he’d prefer softer conditions as well. Charlie Hills sends Pogo over from his base in Lambourn. The five-year-old was second in the G.2 Joel Stakes behind Benbatl when last seen and will need a bit more to take this I reckon.  

Be lucky