Bahrain on the agenda for Royal Ascot winner as Gavin Cromwell eyes lucrative pots

Royal Ascot winner Snellen will be stationed in Bahrain for the coming months as Gavin Cromwell eyes some lucrative pots starting with the Al Muharraq Cup on Friday.

The three-year-old provided Cromwell with his second Royal Ascot success from as many runners when landing the Chesham Stakes last year and has won twice from eight starts in 2024, landing a handicap at Limerick and a conditions race at Gowran Park during the summer.

The Expert Eye filly will step up to 1m2f for the first time on Friday in a race won by the George Scott-trained Isle Of Jura last season before he went on to land the Hardwicke Stakes.

Cromwell said: "It's a longer trip for her, but I'm told that you'd want a mile or a mile-and-a-furlong horse for that trip over there as it's a sharp track. It's a nice track and you'd want gears on it, but there's plenty of stamina in her pedigree anyway."

There is strong British representation in the US$80,000 (£63,000/€76,000) contest with Lucander set to carry top weight for George Baker, while George Boughey is responsible for Oliver Show and Mr Alan. Hugo Palmer, Charlie Johnston, Jack Channon and Ian Williams are also represented.

It will be the first step of an extended stay in the Middle East for Snellen as Cromwell intends to keep her there for the coming months, before she is put in foal, to take advantage of the generous prize-money on offer.

"She's there until March as there's a race for her every couple of weeks," he said. "She'll run on Friday in a mile-and-a-quarter handicap and Gary [Carroll] is going across to ride her.

"It's $80,000 for nearly all of the handicaps, while there are conditions and Listed races towards the end and the money steps up again. She's more than likely going to be put in foal in the spring and she wants fast ground."

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