HORSERACING – RICHARD Fahey, trainer of last night’s Bahrain International Trophy winner Spirit Dancer, revealed after the race that he had declared “in jest” that they would win yesterday’s $1million event.
Spirit Dancer became the first back-to-back victor of the prestigious Group Two event for co-owners Sir Alex Ferguson and Ged Mason, making history in the kingdom in front of a massive crowd at Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club in Sakhir.
“We were drawn in the same stall, stall 11, and I said to Sir Alex last night that our stall is ‘one-one’, and that we were going to go ‘one-one’ in the race,” Fahey told the GDN with a laugh. “It’s not very often that you say things in jest and it happens. It’s fantastic!”
Fahey praised the seven-year-old winner and his jockey Oisin Orr for how they battled back in the race to win by a length-and-a-quarter from runner-up Lead Artist.
“It was a good race to watch – especially since we won!” Fahey said. “He didn’t look like it at first – he was struggling to get past the second horse. But he ran a mighty race and I’m delighted for us and the team.
“The horse got the trainer out of trouble!”
Meanwhile, seven other races were held yesterday as part of an exciting eight-race card, headlined by the Bahrain International Trophy.
In race one for the World Arabian Horse Organisation Cup, Kuheilan Al Adiyat 1894 was the winner for Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s Victorious Racing, trainer Yousif Taher, and jockey Abdulrajim Jasim. Braveheart won race two to lift the Lexus Cup for L&L Racing, AM Smith, and Lee Newman; while Byline triumphed in race three for the Economic Development Board Cup for Al Adiyat Racing, Smith, and Seamie Heffernan.
Ava Go Joe won the Grand Seiko-Bahrain Jewellery Centre Cup in race four for AMS Racing, Ali Jan, and Ebrahim Nader; Alhadba lifted the Gulf Air Cup in race five for Al Mohamediya Racing, Abbas Al Mawali, and Hasan Al Saffar; Instinctive Move won the Beyon Cup in race six for Adiyat, Smith, and Heffernan; and Zagato won the Bapco Energies Cup in race seven for Mohamediya, Fawzi Nass, and Andrew Breslin.
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