Yibir powers home in G3 Bahrain Trophy

Yibir produced a strong staying performance and paid a compliment to two of his stable-companions with a decisive victory in the G3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket, UK, on Thursday, 8 July.

The son of Dubawi was stepping up to a mile and five furlongs having started his season with three appearances in Derby trials, including a close third behind Alenquer and subsequent Derby hero Adayar in Sandown Park’s G3 Classic Trial.

Yibir also ran well when chasing home Lone Eagle in the Listed Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood in May, with the winner going on to take second behind Hurricane Lane in the G1 Irish Derby.

Held up in a clear fourth of the five runners by James Doyle, Yibir progressed to dispute third with half a mile to race and stayed on powerfully between runners to take up the running over a furlong out. The Charlie Appleby-trained three-year-old opened up daylight over his rivals in the final half-furlong, hitting the line strongly to prevail by two and a half lengths over Mandoob.

Charlie Appleby said: “We always felt that Yibir’s size and scope as a juvenile meant that his three-year-old season was going to be his year, hopefully going on to his four-year-old season as well.

“He became a bit frustrating after his first couple of starts this year. It was soft ground at Chester, when we went out on the pace, and then we purposely made a point of trying to get him to settle better at Goodwood, where he ran a great race behind Lone Eagle.

“We gelded him after that start because we felt that we still weren’t getting the full potential out of him. His homework was always very good but a bit awkward looking, similar to when he was racing. Since being gelded, he has straightened his work up and thankfully straightened up in his races.

“Our middle-distance three-year-old division is very strong this year, so we haven’t got any immediate targets for Yibir. He is falling into the pack as a horse with very much a four-year-old career and there are a few that we need to map out their autumn campaigns. I am just pleased that he has got his head in front now and he will gain some confidence from that. He is going to be an exciting horse as a four-year-old.”

James Doyle added: “I was very pleased with Yibir, who won like a very nice horse. If you go through the form book, his first run of the year was pretty exceptional form and his Goodwood run was good.

“We kind of lost him a little bit, hence the gelding – he is a cheeky chap who enjoys life. Speaking to Charlie and William [Buick], they felt that we could maybe let the other horses get on with it and ride Yibir to come home.”