Spirit Dancer on track for Riyadh repeat

Richard Fahey is preparing the globetrotting Spirit Dancer for a return to Saudi Arabia next month.

The eight-year-old has carried the red and white silks of former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson with distinction on foreign soil, notching back-to-back wins in the lucrative Bahrain International Trophy as well as claiming victory in the Neom Turf Cup in Riyadh last February.

He has also performed well in defeat in Dubai and was last seen finishing down the field in the Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin in December.

Spirit Dancer kicked off his 2024 campaign by placing fourth in the Group One Jebel Hatta at Meydan in late January, but Fahey is taking a different approach this year.

“He’s going back to Riyadh for the Neom Turf Cup and we’re quite happy to go straight there,” said the Musley Bank handler.

“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.

“In Hong Kong 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.

“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.”