Snellen eyes more Bahrain success

Gavin Cromwell’s Snellen is bidding for more Bahrain success as she prepares to represent Ireland in the Al Dana Cup on Friday.

The Expert Eye filly, who takes her name from the inventor of the eye test chart, was a Royal Ascot winner as a juvenile when coming out on top in the Listed Chesham Stakes in 2023.

Now a four-year-old, the bay travelled to Bahrain in the latter months of last year and made her first start outside of England or Ireland in the Al Muharraq Cup on December 20.

There she was ridden by Gary Carroll and from stall 16 prevailed by a length and three-quarters to become the first Irish-trained winner in the country.

She has remained at the track since and is now preparing to line up again, this time for the Al Dana Cup run over the same 10-furlong trip.

Drawn in stall four and ridden by Scott McCullagh, the filly has more to contend with this time as she has received a significant hike in the handicap.

“She’s very well, we’re looking forward to running her,” said Cromwell.

“She has gone up in the handicap and is carrying a lot more weight, but she has a nice draw and she seems in good order.

“We were pleased with her last time, she had basically only just got off the plane so it’s a slightly different scenario now and she seems to have settled in really well.”

There are no further Irish-trained runners in the race, but British yards are well represented with George Baker’s Lucander, Jack Channon’s Majestic, Charlie Johnston’s Lion Of War, Hugo Palmer’s Box To Box, George Boughey’s Mr Alan and Marco Botti’s Soldier’s Empire all set to run.

There is more British interest in the Al Riffa Cup By BBK, where the George Scott-trained Rocket Rodney looks to regain the title he won by three-quarters of a length in 2023.

The gelding is owned by Victorious Racing and took the six-furlong event under Callum Shepherd during a winter spell in the Middle East.

After a domestic turf campaign he returned to Bahrain late last year and will be ridden by Liam Wright from stall six having kicked off his stint with an unplaced run in the Al Manama Cup.

“He ran a bit below-par on his first run out here this season, but he’s stepping back up to six furlongs now,” said Scott.

“He’s on a mark that he’s capable of winning off, but he would need things to fall right for him this time.

“He has a similar profile to when he went into the race last year, but he is another year older and he’s had a busy time.

“I couldn’t tell you he is improving, but he might be able to hold his form and hopefully that will be enough.”

Many of the same trainers have runners in both Bahrain Turf Series events, with Baker saddling Get It and Kiwano, Botti set to run Jehangeer, Palmer represented by Roman Dragon and Boughey running both Spangled Mac and Walbank.