Bahrain Pride gives John Dance first Listed success as a breeder in Ripon romp

Bahrain Pride added further gloss to his family's page with a ready success in the Listed EBF Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy Stakes on Monday, providing John Dance with his first Listed success as a breeder in the process.

The victory also earned Bahrain Pride's dam an upgrade as her Showcasing colt (lot 937), consigned by Salcey Forest Stud, will be sold at Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 2.

Bahrain Pride, owned by KHK Racing Ltd, was a 125,000gns purchase from Salcey Forest Stud at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.

Having gone unsold at Book 2 the following year, the son of Kodiac was then purchased by Stroud Coleman Bloodstock for 300,000gns at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up in June.

Out of an unraced Sea The Stars mare, the juvenile colt was a narrow winner at Windsor on his debut earlier this month and his latest success was a boost for Dance's burgeoning breeding aspirations.

John Dance: with his pride and joy Laurens after success in the 2018 Matron StakesCredit: Caroline Norris

Dance said: "Life Of Pi is a half-sister to a horse we had in training called Immortalised, a Frankel who's out in Dubai now, and we saw she was unraced and available as a broodmare prospect.

"For her first foal to win a Listed race is brilliant. It gives you a bit of confidence that you can do it as breeders and it's worth persevering with."

On Life Of Pi, who visited Calyx this year but failed to get in foal, he added: "She went to Calyx as she has a good half-brother by Invincible Spirit so we wanted to use the same sire line. We'll probably keep her in the UK this year and try to find something down the Invincible Spirit line."

The Mill Reef Stakes could be next for Bahrain Pride, and winning rider James Doyle told Sky Sports Racing: "I rode him on debut a couple of weeks back at Windsor, he did everything right on quite testing ground, putting the race to bed late on. It was much the same today. He bounced out nicely, travelled really strong and I got a bit of cover early. He looks a nice prospect.

"The Mill Reef could be an option for him possibly; he’ll definitely cope with better ground I would say."

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