Insinuendo out for a fairytale farewell in Bahrain Trophy

Smart mare is heading to the sales.

Willie McCreery would love to see Insinuendo sign off on a high note as she prepares to take on the boys in the Bahrain International Trophy.

The five-year-old is heading to the sales ring at Tattersalls at the end of the month and is expected to find herself in a new role as a broodmare, meaning her bid to claim Group Three honours at Sakhir is likely her final run.

Last seen at Ascot in October, the mare was handed a Group One assignment in the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes, finishing third of 14 to Emily Upjohn at a huge price of 80-1.

Prior to that she was well beaten when unplaced in the Prix de l’Opera – another Group One – but her earlier Curragh outings this year were all fruitful as she was narrowly beaten into second in the Park Express Stakes, the Royal Whip and the Blandford.

“She seems to have travelled very well, she seems very relaxed out on the track so I’m really happy with her,” McCreery said.

“She’s been a great mare, we’re excited to see her run. It’s amazing to be here, everyone’s been so well looked after, including the horses, so we’re very thankful.

“We were meant to come last year but she had a little setback, so we are delighted to take up the invitation this year.

“She is a big, free-actioned filly who we didn’t run until the September of her three-year-old career because she took time to grow into herself. She’s a big, mature mare now and she loves her training.

“She’ll wear a hood. She’s worn it in her last two races. We thought two or three runs ago to leave the hood on her and it seems to have settled her to save that kick for the final couple of hundred yards.”

He added: “I’ve looked at her last three or four runs and she’s had the quickest final furlong of any horse in the race. There’s a good, long straight to the track here, so if we can still be in contention turning in, we’ll be laughing.”

Though Owen Burrows’ well-fancied Alflaila was ruled out of the contest due to injury, the European contingent is still a strong one due to a quartet of Godolphin runners.

Charlie Appleby’s Royal Fleet is set to be partnered by William Buick and heads to Bahrain in consistent form.

Andre Fabre runs the internationally-campaigned Magny Cours, a close third in the race last year, while Saeed bin Suroor is also well represented and will saddle two, Passion And Glory and Wolferton Stakes winner Dubai Future.

Dubai Future
Dubai Future (Megan Rose Photography)

“Both horses are very well, they travelled well and are very settled,” Bin Suroor said.

“They’ve done some quiet canters here and have pleased us. The draw (Dubai Future in stall three, Passion And Glory in four), I think, is very lucky for both of them.

“Passion And Glory looks particularly well, he is a big horse and a very different horse to previous years – we are looking forward to running them both.

“Dubai Future has shown he is a better horse than last year. He is a top horse who always tries his best. He’s in the right race and this is the right trip.

“It depends on the race and how fast they go but I’d like to keep him handy, maybe in third or fourth. There are only 10 horses in the race but if he can be behind (the pace) it will be good for him.

Passion And Glory
Passion And Glory (Megan Rose Photography)

“Both of them are doing well and they are rated similarly. I can’t see much difference between them. Dubai Future always tries hard. If the pace suits Passion And Glory, I think he also has a good chance. It’s an open race and any horse can win it.”

Also hailing from Europe, specifically Norway, is Oslo-based trainer Niels Petersen, who is represented in the race by King David.

The seven-year-old entire ran in Dubai in the early part of the year, then travelled home and has since enjoyed a four-race winning streak in Group and Listed contests.

“I must say that he has improved a lot this year. We had him in Dubai last winter and he ran in a couple of decent races but this season he’s stepped up,” Petersen said.

“Even though he is getting older, he has definitely shown his best this year.

King David
King David (Megan Rose Photography)

“We were thinking about this race in late summer. We had his last run in August and I said to the owner that this could be a potential target if we could get him in, so we left him as he is a good ground horse and in Scandinavia it tends to get pretty soft over the autumn.

“We left him off with a mind to get him ready for this and it’s fantastic to be here.”

Of the significance of a potential victory in Bahrain, the trainer added: “It would mean the world, of course, we are a small racing community and just to be a part of this is a big win in itself.

“We hope for a good run on Friday and we’ll see if we can make a good impression.”

Monty, trained in France by Andreas Schutz, takes his chance in the race after an impressive domestic season that has seen him win two Group Threes.

Frankie Dettori will ride for the home side as he is booked to partner Fawzi Nass’ Dilawar, with Pensiero D’Amore running for Mohammed Hasan and Riocorvo completing the field for Carlos Laffon-Parias.

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