Bahrain International Trophy upgraded to Group 1 for 2026, purse rises to $1.5 million
Bahrain’s flagship autumn race jumps to Group 1 in 2026, lifting the purse to $1.5 million and putting it on the map for elite international stables.
Bahrain did more than upgrade a race on June 21. By lifting the Bahrain International Trophy to Group 1 for 2026, the kingdom turned its flagship 10-furlong event into a new campaign target for elite stables deciding where to send their late-season horses, and gave the race a seat at the top table of the autumn international calendar.
The 2026 renewal will carry $1.5 million in prize-money and be run on November 13 at the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club in Sakhir. It will be the first top-level race in Bahrain, a landmark that changes the way horsemen are likely to frame the event: not as an ambitious stop on the calendar, but as a genuine Group 1 prize worth rerouting horses for. The upgrade also comes ahead of the eighth running of a race that was first staged in 2019 and has climbed steadily from Group 3 in 2021 to Group 2 in 2023 before reaching the summit in 2026.
That rise has given the Bahrain International Trophy a recognizable roll of honor and a stronger international profile. Spirit Dancer became the first dual winner after successive victories in 2023 and 2024, while Royal Champion took the 2025 running. Earlier winners included Royal Julius, Simsir, Lord Glitters and Dubai Future, underlining how the race has already drawn established names and horses with form at the highest level.
HH Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa called the promotion a proud moment and linked it to Bahrain’s wider ambition to deepen international collaboration and strengthen its standing in world racing. Bahrain News Agency said the upgrade was described as an historic achievement that reinforced Bahrain’s position among the leading horseracing nations, with support from King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Yusuf Buheji, the Bahrain Turf Club chief executive, said the trophy is the club’s flagship race and that the higher status should help attract more world-class horses and more visitors.
That is the real competitive significance of the move. The Bahrain Turf Club has long said the event is designed to draw global sports media attention and market Bahrain internationally, and Group 1 status now gives those ambitions a sharper edge. With the purse rising to $1.5 million and the race joining the top-level autumn pattern, Bahrain has positioned itself as a destination that can shape, not just host, the final major decisions of a season.
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