Bahrain: Snellen fancied to go well in feature race

After making history last month when Snellen became the first Irish-trained winner in Bahrain, trainer Gavin Cromwell is hoping for another landmark success on Friday when his filly runs in the Crown Prince’s Cup, one of Kingdom’s premier races.  

A Royal Ascot winner at two, Snellen announced her arrival in Bahrain with an impressive win in the Al Muharraq Cup, round one of the Bahrain Turf Series. She now steps up in grade to Listed company for the $150,000 Crown Prince’s Cup over 2000m, the same course and distance she won over in December.  

Cromwell believes the weight allowance his filly receives could prove decisive.

He said: "We’ve been very happy with Snellen, she is training well and has really acclimatised to her surroundings. 

"Obviously she is stepping out of handicap company, but she now gets all the allowances and we are hopeful of a big run. She shouldn't be far away.” 

Snellen will need to stop the George Scott bandwagon though, with the Newmarket trainer already on five wins in Bahrain this season in addition to exciting sprinter West Acre winning in Dubai last week. Scott runs Phantom Flight - fresh from victory in round three of the Bahrain Turf Series - as the trainer aims for successive wins in this prestigious Listed prize after success for Isle Of Jura last year.

In what looks to be an open and competitive renewal of the Crown Prince’s Cup, the seven-runner field is completed by four of the best locally-trained horses with that quartet headed by Sovereign Spirit, while Passion And Glory from Dubai represents trainer Saeed bin Suroor and owners Godolphin under rider Dylan Browne McMonagle.   

The winner of the middle-distance division of the Bahrain Turf Series receives a bonus prize of $40,00 and Majestic bids to press his advantage in the current standings on Thursday.

Trained by Jack Channon and running in the colours of his father, Mick, Majestic is arguably in the form of his life despite now being a seven-year-old. The winner of the Cambridgeshire in 2022, Majestic was runner-up to Snellen on his Bahrain debut and then went one better next time out in the Al Dana Cup, giving him a total of 25 points and a seven-point lead in the division. He runs in the Anchorman Cup (sponsored by Howden) next off a career-high mark of 99.

After delivering an ice-cool ride last time, Seamie Heffernan keeps the ride on Majestic in what could prove a productive few days for the Irishman as he also partners Snellen in the Crown Prince’s Cup.  

The Hawar Cup (sponsored by Cebarco) is the sprint race in the Bahrain Turf Series on Thursday and ten of the eighteen runners are internationally trained. They include two runners for in-form trainer George Scott in City House and Rocket Rodney, as well as two for Bahrain regular George Baker, with Stewards Cup winner Get It lining up and and Desert Cop making his debut for the yard.

Bahrain Turf Club ambassador, Tom Marquand, is among the leading riders in action at the Crown Prince’s Cup Festival, and he will be wearing the colours of Economics when he rides Instinctive Move for Al Adiyat Racing in the Hawar Cup, one of seven rides the Group 1-winning jockey is due to take over the two days.