The $1.5-million Bahrain International Trophy has attained Group 1 status for the first time and drawn 12 horses from all over the world to compete on Friday. Aidan O'Brien, who is currently even with his previous mark of 28 Group 1 wins in a calendar year, has targeted the race with G1 Derby and G1 Irish Derby hero Lambourn (Australia).Under the watchful eye of Cathy Grassick and Mick Flanagan, the entire has been training well in Bahrain and will be ridden by Ryan Moore from stall nine.“We've brought a very good horse who has enjoyed a nice little refreshing break since his run at Leopardstown [last of eight in Irish Champion Stakes],” said Flanagan.“Seeing Pat [Keating's] smiling face after his work tells us it's all systems go and I hope we can break this record.“The long sweeping track will suit him as he stays all day and also has a turn of foot. He should go well.”One of the stiffest challengers of the Coolmore partners entry is last year's winner, Royal Champion (Shamardal), who represents the executors of the late Sheikh Mohammed Obaid and trainer Karl Burke. A winner of the G1 Neom Turf Cup this February, the eight-year-old gelding has been fourth in both the G1 QEII Cup in Hong Kong in April and the G2 York Stakes in July.Burke said, “They tell me that 11 is a lucky stall. It wouldn't have been my first choice, but we've got a bit of pace next to us with Lambourn and Galen, and they should go forward.“He was our first Group winner outside of Europe when winning here and our first runner in Hong Kong. We had to back off him and get him ready for a summer campaign [after Hong Kong]. We got him to York where he needed the run, and after that I thought he's a horse that needs to run fresh. That said, from the day we left here we were looking forward to coming back.”Another to watch is Imad Al Sagar's Baroud (Frankel), who is trained by Andre and Lavinia Fabre. The three-year-old colt won the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano in August and has been off since.Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Imad Al Sagar, said, “We are really excited, I know Imad is thrilled to bring his homebred son of Frankel here. After he won in Deauville, Imad wanted to go for a Group 1 and so the plan was made to come to Bahrain and I think that you just have to find out and why not find out in such a race as this.”Godolphin and Charlie Appleby are represented by Military Order (Frankel), who found the Listed Diamond Stakes his for the taking in September. The six-year-old gelding ran third in the Bahrain International Trophy when it was still a Group 2 last year.Said Godolphin's managing director Hugh Anderson, “First and foremost he's an extremely well-bred horse that Charlie always thought had lots of potential. He felt he would get better as he got older, which has proved the case, and he's been prepared for this as well as he possibly could be.“The draw [stall five] will be OK for him and we think the way this race has developed is a great credit to Bahrain. We will always support it if we possibly can.”Hugo Palmer runs both GI Saratoga Derby hero Glacius (Too Darn Hot) from stall six and Seagulls Eleven (Galileo Gold) has drawn the rail.“I think he needs to raise his game again – his two runs in America were very good, but he probably needs to find a slightly new level in Bahrain,” Palmer said of Glacius. “But he's a lightly-raced, young, improving horse, so I don't see why he can't find that new level.“He's not a confirmed front-runner by any means – we made the running in Saratoga just because we'd been through the race and we couldn't see any pace. We've been very happy with him out in the Kingdom now as well. He's travelled over great and training nicely out there.”Palmer's other entrant, Seagulls Eleven, was most recently third to the reopposing Wimbledon Hawkeye (Kameko) in the G2 Prix Dollar on Arc weekend.“His last run was great,” he said. I was delighted with how he ran in the Prix Dollar and I think he's getting used to stretching out now. I think the angle with him I suppose is that he's unexposed at this new trip – he's only had one run beyond a mile and he ran very well.“He wasn't far behind Wimbledon Hawkeye, who I expect will be favourite for this race, so he doesn't have a lot to find with him and if he improves and goes well again over the trip you never know. We might be in the mix.”Gulf Of Bahrain Cup Well SupportedThe $400,000 Gulf of Bahrain Cup sponsored by Finpro attracted a bevy of overseas raiders and there is a distinctive Irish flavour to proceedings. Willie Mullins is sending both Gaucher (Frankel) and The Reverend (Lope De Vega) into battle in this 2800-metre turf affair. The former will leave from stall 10 and is the mount of William Buick, while the latter will have the services of Ryan Moore, and sports several handicap victories in both the UK and Ireland. He has the fence.Other leading Irish NH trainers Gordon Elliott and Henry de Bromhead are also represented with Samui (Siyouni) under James Doyle from stall eight for the former; and Royal Ascot hero Ascending (Awtaad) is the mount of Clifford Lee. Bromhead's Ascending will leave from stall 13.De Bromhead said, “He's travelled over fine, worked nicely this morning [Wednesday] and must have a good chance, considering how unlucky he was at York.”The post Aidan O’Brien Eyes Group 1 Record With Lambourn In Bahrain appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.