King David in Bahrain: The Trials and Tribulations of a Horse in Form.

Peterson explained that after recruiting King David, he worked with the Thoroughbred for three seasons, the first of which was spent "getting to know the horse" in the Danish stables."I said to the owner, I would like to bring him to Dubai to get to know him better," and further, "to get to the bottom of him."

Despite initial doubts, Peterson acknowledges that "it is of course in the most difficult batch of the 1600s and 1800s." Consequently, he admits, "We’re trying to do in two months what you normally do in four": it is "hard to make them peak, and it’s difficult to prepare to race abroad."

Peterson locates a critical problem in preparing his horses in Norway and Denmark, due to the lack of a year-long training regime and the necessary facilities.

"In Scandinavia, you more or less stop training the horses at the end of the window." If there are no facilities, then you have to train them right back up again. It’s better to train them the whole time. Peterson’s method applies to none other than King David: "We keep him on the roll, as we have done all season, and he’s been outstanding."

The reason King David disappointed last year in Dubai, Peterson admits, is because "we didn’t have him well enough." It’s as simple as that. In addition to the problem of "a dirty throat down there with sickness among many horses,"

Peterson is full of confidence in King David after bringing him back to Scandinavia to rest. In all four races, King David has won them all. "He is enjoying his game when you give him time." We worked with him last week, and it’s probably the best I’ve ever seen of him. He is obviously in the deep end, but it's fun to train.

The journey to Bahrain

He is a nine-furlong horse, and after what people told me about the place, it’s a good fit for him. Let’s see how good he is.

Peterson expressed delight with King David’s current form and condition. "We travelled to Dubai with him, and he came down very well and happy." So he seems to be a very good traveller. King David will travel to Luxembourg and then to Bahrain, according to Peterson, and everything will "swing around quite quickly to the race."

The race itself, he says, "of course, will be tough with some good horses." He accepts King David’s initial position prior to the race: "in the bottom part, but I find him good enough to go." I think the surface will suit him and the profile of the track. He is a smart horse, and he runs a little off the pace.

Peterson will be looking forward to checking out the track himself. He has entered a few other horses in the Bahrain series and in Dubai. Those he has entered he describes as "different kinds of horses, well handicapped." Among these are "a string of lovely two- and three-year-old horses I would love to bring down."

Previous winners of the BIT include the 2021 champion, Lord Glitters from France, whose re-racing rate was 115 and who, out of 13, achieved the winning time of 2 minutes, 1.91 seconds going good. In 2020, Simsir from Ireland, with a pre-race rate of 105, achieved first place out of 14 at a winning time of 2 min, 0.29 sec.

Beyond Bahrain to Dubai

King David remains in Peterson’s considerations for Dubai, but due to "quarantine rules" and being outside the EU for more than 90 days, it will force the King into quarantine for a month. Peterson plans to return King David back to Scandinavia after Bahrain but omits that he’ll "maybe go back out again, together with another horse—perhaps two or three—from the Danish stables," with the additional potential of "five or six horses from Norway."

From the colder climates of Scandinavia to the warmer Middle East conditions of Dubai, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia, there are extra challenges in training preparations and the travel itself. "Some horses are not suited for all the travelling and flying, but of course it's individual."

Transitioning into a warmer climate is, in Peterson’s estimation, "often more difficult than coming into a colder climate." This can make it "sometimes harder to cope with the likes of Dubai." Nonetheless, he remains confident, saying, "Travel- and weather-wise, I’m not too worried because it’s a matter of looking after the horses."

Peterson does, however, locate a more general issue. "I think in Scandinavia we are probably a little too soft, not perhaps in a negative way." The season here is so long that we have a lot of time off, but the horse doesn’t need half a year off. The benefit of travelling with the horses is that you can bring them away for the winter and keep training them at a certain level.

Peterson believes that by working all year, "it's easier over a long time spectrum to adjust your horse into certain races to peak form."

"I live in Norway, but I’m all Danish."

Born on a racecourse just outside of Copenhagen, Peterson’s introduction to the sport came from his parents' influence. Peterson's father had shares in a few horses. We always went racing on Saturday. It was great; we enjoyed it. As his elder sister became an apprentice, Peterson recalls fondly, "I was always around the stable," and "when I got a bit older, I started leading up horses to races, whilst I rode a little also."

After high school graduation and entry into college, Peterson underwent military service, serving his time in the Cavalry Guards for a year. Upon discharge, he humorously admitted, "It was hard to go back to school after earning money." So, he travelled to Germany in the 1990s, where he would watch the trainers every morning. Observing them, he admits he began to think, "If it doesn't take much more to be a trainer, I could be a good one."

"This was my cocky little attitude at the time," he admits. But After a few years in Germany, upon returning to Scandinavia, Peterson suffered a horse-riding accident. Unable to ride for 5 months, while recovering, he encountered a few Danish trainers who asked him whether he could take their horses to ride in Germany. As a German speaker, he was able to accompany the horses to these races while gradually reintroducing them to jump riding.

Around this time, Peterson began working with a Norwegian trainer, who would ride and train horses at the owner’s stables. However, what transpired after the trainer departed left Peterson with an opportunity. They asked me if I would like to train them. And that's how it began 25 years ago, with three or four horses.

To this day, he runs a "big operation," with approximately 50 to 55 horses in Denmark and 15 to 20 in Norway. At such a scale, he admits, it is "a considerable thing for Scandinavia." Surprisingly, Peterson remains a little startled by his successes.

"We are fortunate to win as much as we do," he says, listing just some of his achievements: "12 years running with the champion in Norway," he says, adding that he recently won a double championship in Denmark.His horses have previously been crowned "Swedish champions several times." He is especially pleased to have met his "satellite yard" for two years in a row.

Still, Peterson insists, "It’s been fortunate."

There will be more to come.

When asked to name his most memorable accomplishments, he says it's "difficult to place them like that."For Peterson, it can often be "the story behind the horses" that makes it important to him. It is hard to pick one.

But as for the future, Peterson would love to win the Dubai World Cup, but admits that currently "we probably don’t have the horses for it." In light of the world's classic races, he is candid: "We're probably not in that league, but we can dream."

As a self-proclaimed adventurer, he is realistically aiming for "a big race in the Middle East," such as the Bahrain International Trophy or the Saudi Cup, or "something in that international handicap to put you on the map internationally."

As for now, Petersen remains grounded but optimistic. "Every winner is a good winner."

The upcoming race in Bahrain may determine whether Petersen’s dreams of international success outside of Scandinavia can be achieved sooner than expected, and much of this attention will be looking to see how King David can continue his successful form abroad and overcome his previous disappointments in the Middle East.