 |
|
| Staff Writer |
 |
Spirit Dancer is being primed for another overseas assault as trainer Richard Fahey plots a return to Saudi Arabia next month.
The battle-hardened campaigner, sporting Sir Alex Ferguson's distinctive red and white colours, has established himself as a formidable force on the international stage, with consecutive victories in the Bahrain International Trophy complementing his triumph in the Neom Turf Cup at Riyadh last February.
Despite finishing unplaced in the Gr.1 Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin in December, following a creditable effort in Dubai earlier, the Musley Bank team remains unfazed.
Whilst Spirit Dancer opened his 2024 account with a fourth-place finish in the Gr.1 Jebel Hatta at Meydan, Fahey is adopting fresh tactics this term.
"He's going back to Riyadh for the Neom Turf Cup and we're quite happy to go straight there," the Yorkshire handler revealed. "We ran in the Jebel Hatta beforehand last year, but he's had two trips away this time, going to Bahrain and Hong Kong, so I wanted to give him a bit of time off before getting ready for Saudi."
The trainer highlighted how racing patterns in Hong Kong failed to suit his charge: "They don't go a great gallop which doesn't suit him. They sort of pull the races up and sprint and he loves them to go quick and grind it out."
Expressing satisfaction with Spirit Dancer's current condition, Fahey added: "He's come back in great nick, everything is good and we can always look at going to Dubai after Saudi if things go well."