Trainer Gavin Cromwell and jockey Gary Carroll made history when the talented filly Snellen became the first ever Irish trained winner in Bahrain with victory in the $80,000 Al Muharraq Cup (sponsored by Texel Air) at the Rashid Equestrian and Horseracing Club (REHC) yesterday.
A winner as a two-year-old at Royal Ascot, Snellen was trainer Gavin Cromwell’s first ever runner in the Middle East and the 2000m race, the opening middle-distance race in this season’s Bahrain Turf Series, was her first attempt at the trip. Held up off the pace, Snellen and jockey Gary Carroll weaved their way through the sixteen-runner field to win in impressive fashion.
Back in second was Majestic, for Jack Channon and David Probert, with fellow internationals Lion Of War (trained by Charlie Johnston) and Box To Box (trained by Hugo Palmer) filling the other placings.
Looking back at the race, trainer Gavin Cromwell said: “She didn’t break very well and Gary took her back and rode her for luck, they got all the splits and she was really good, she certainly showed a turn of foot. The plan is to run again here in two weeks’ time.”
Winning jockey Gary Carroll said: “She does have a bit of class about her. She’s going on four now and she’s got bigger and stronger and loves fast ground. It was her first time at a mile and a quarter, and she loved it, I think she’ll go further too. I got a lovely run through and all the gaps came at the right time.
“It’s great to have a winner here in Bahrain, it’s a lovely track, lovely country, everyone has been so nice since we arrived and hopefully, we will be back plenty more!”
Swift Asset more than lived up to his name when blazing a trail to victory in the opening leg of the Bahrain Turf Series sprint division, the 1000m Al Manama Cup (sponsored by Al Salam Bank). This was a triumph for the locals, for trainer Jaber Ramadhan and jockey Abdulrahim Jassim, with the latter enjoying his first Bahrain Turf Series victory.
Indeed, the first four home were all locally trained, with the eight-strong international contingent barely getting a look-in. The best of the visitors being Roman Dragon (trained by Hugo Palmer), in fifth, followed by James Ferguson’s Jubilee Walk in sixth.
Formerly trained in the UK by Richard Hannon, Swift Asset has thrived in Bahrain in the care of trainer Jaber Ramadhan. The gelding won twice last season and today landed a memorable victory under top-weight in the $80,000 handicap on his first run of this campaign.
Speaking after the race, the winning rider, Abdulrahim Jassim, said: “It’s a great feeling. It’s my first Bahrain Turf Series win. It’s really means a lot, we all look forward to these races and to win one is special. I feel blessed and grateful.”
Trainer Jaber Ramadhan added: “The jockey did a great job on him, playing catch me if you can. This race was the plan from the beginning of the season. We kept him for this day because he’s 98 rated and had he run, we may not have got in to today’s race. It’s very exciting to win such a big race with so many quality horses.”
The next two races in the Bahrain Turf Series take place on January 3.
Earlier, Zeal raced to victory past Al Nuwayef and Luna in the 1,000m race for local-bred horses to clinch the REHC Cup. The winner, owned by Mohammed Khalid Abdulrahim and trained by Haider Ebrahim, was ridden by Alberto Sanna.
Watch My Tracer, owned by Victorious and Fawzi Nass, trained by George Scott and ridden by Daniel Muscutt, won the Bahrain Bourse Cup after fending off Gumais of Al Mohamediya Racing. Royal Scimitar finished third.
Celtic Champion, of Al Mohamediya Racing, claimed victory in the sixth race while Hercules, owned by Abdulla Fawzi Nass, was the winner of the fourth race.
In other races, Touch The Moon, of Victorious, clinched the Celebrate Bahrain Cup and Galatia, owned by Shaikh Hamad bin Abdulla bin Isa Al Khalifa, lifted the REHC Cup.
The opening race of the day was won by Al Saqlawy 1874, of Victorious.
Present on the occasion were National Guard Commander General Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa, and Isa Bin Salman Education Charitable Trust chairman, Labour Fund (Tamkeen) chairman and REHC chairman Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
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