Bowerman bags Qatar prize on big weekend for McGuinness team

Alan Magee
February 19, 2021 6:19 pm

Saltonstall and Harry’s Bar in the hunt for Saudi success.

Bowerman gave trainer Ado McGuinness a notable international success with victory in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Cup in Qatar on Friday.

The seven-year-old overcame a wide draw to scoop the GBP 83,000 first prize in the local Group Two contest over a mile at Doha.

Ridden by Ronan Whelan, Bowerman led inside the furlong and held Dominus by a neck. It was the perfect start to an important couple of days for the McGuinness team and in a further boost Betrayed and Thrumps Dream gave the County Dublin trainer a double nearer home in Dundalk.

“It’s been a very special day. Ado’s brother Laurence passed away a few weeks ago so we all needed a bit of a lift. He was obviously looking down on us today,” said McGuinness’ assistant, Stephen Thorne, from Dundalk.

“Ronan (Whelan) gave Bowerman a remarkable ride. We were drawn wide and the stats were against us, but he was very cool on the horse.

“He picked up well and won well at the line. Our ex-apprentice Ian Brennan is representing us out there.”

McGuinness himself is in Saudi Arabia supervising his two runners there on Saturday.

“Ado is in Riyadh were we have Harry’s Bar and Saltonstall running and fingers crossed we can get a bit of luck there,” Thorne added.

“Saltonstall is prominent in the betting and his race has cut up, so we just need a bit of luck. It’s a race for a million dollars, and Harry’s Bar is in the dirt sprint – a million-and-a-half race.

“It’s dream stuff to even be represented by them.”