Gavin Cromwell breaks new ground as Royal Ascot scorer becomes first Irish-trained winner in Bahrain

Gavin Cromwell described Royal Ascot winner Snellen as a "brilliant filly" after she broke new ground for the stable on Friday evening when landing Al Muharraq Cup at Sakhir racecourse to become the first Irish-trained winner in Bahrain.

The three-year-old landed the Chesham Stakes last year to give Cromwell his second Royal Ascot winner and has won twice in Ireland this year, scoring in handicap company at Limerick in June before going on to take a conditions race at Gowran the following month.

A plan was hatched to send her to Bahrain as she would be guaranteed to get her favoured fast ground, and she is set to stay in the Middle East until March with the aim of gaining further black type.

Cromwell said: "She's been a brilliant filly for us, being a Royal Ascot winner, and she also won a couple of times during the year. She needs good ground so we thought Bahrain might be a good idea. 

"She's going to stay out there until March as there's a nice programme for her. Hopefully she can pick up some black type towards the end of the campaign. The plan after that is for her to be put in foal in the spring."

Snellen: won in Bahrain on Friday for trainer Gavin Cromwell Credit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

Gary Carroll gave the daughter of Expert Eye a shrewd ride from stall 16 in the 1m2f event worth $80,000 (£63,000/€76,000), dropping her in and taking full advantage of the splits that appeared in the straight to burst clear in the final furlong to score by a length and three-quarters.

It was Snellen's first attempt at a mile and a quarter, but she saw it out with such gusto that connections are considering a further step up in trip.

Cromwell added: "She had a lovely turn of foot in the finish and, the way she hit the line, Gary thinks she could get further, so we could potentially go a mile and a half."

"They went very hard but Gary gave her a brilliant ride from a wide draw. She didn't jump very well but he took her back and got the splits."

The Danestown stable has a fearsome strike-rate when travelling abroad in recent years with two winners, a runner-up and a third from four runners at Royal Ascot to go with an exceptional record over jumps at Cheltenham. Fiery Lucy also acquitted herself well when contesting the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar last month in the same colours as Snellen, finishing fourth behind Lake Victoria.

Read these next:

Sir Gino and Ballyburn entered for potential juggernaut Kempton clash; 22 remain in contention for Welsh Grand National  

'It's a huge opportunity for the sport' - ITV's Champions: Full Gallop to return for second series in new year 

Join Racing Post Members' Club for the very best in racing journalism - including the award-winning Patrick Mullins 

The Front Runner is our unmissable email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday.