GAVIN Cromwell enjoyed a notable success last Friday, when the filly Snellen brought a first-ever Irish-trained winner in Bahrain.

Gary Carroll made history, when the talented filly took victory in the $80,000 Al Muharraq Cup (sponsored by Texel Air).

A winner as a two-year-old at Royal Ascot, the daughter of Expert Eye was trainer Gavin Cromwell’s first-ever runner in the Middle East and the 10-furlong race, the opening middle-distance race in this season’s Bahrain Turf Series, was her first attempt at the trip.

Held up off the pace, Snellen and jockey Gary Carroll weaved their way through the 16-runner field in impressive fashion to win by a length and three-quarters.

Second was Majestic, for Jack Channon and David Probert, with fellow internationals Lion Of War (Charlie Johnston) and Box To Box (Hugo Palmer) filling the other placings.

Looking back at the race, trainer Gavin Cromwell said: “She didn’t break very well and Gary took her back and rode her for luck, they got all the splits and she was really good, she certainly showed a turn of foot. The plan is to run again here in two weeks’ time.”

Winning jockey Gary Carroll said: “She does have a bit of class about her. She’s going on four now and she’s got bigger and stronger and loves fast ground. It was her first time at a mile and a quarter, and she loved it, I think she’ll go further too. I got a lovely run through and all the gaps came at the right time.

“It’s great to have a winner here in Bahrain, it’s a lovely track, lovely country, everyone has been so nice since we arrived and, hopefully, we will be back plenty more!”

UAE – Meydan

THERE were two group contests on the Meydan card last Friday.

The Group 2 Al Rashidiya Sponsored By Emaar over 11 furlongs went to the Frankel four-year-old Measured Time for Charlie Appleby and William Buick.

A Grade 1 winner at Saratoga in the summer, the colt had little trouble justifying his short odds, winning by seven lengths.

The jockey-trainer combination also won the listed Business Bay Challenge Sponsored By Emaar over a turf seven furlongs, with favourite Native Approach beating Ben Coen on San Donato.

William Buick had won the opening listed five-furlong dash contest on Cover Up for Simon and Ed Crisford, giving the rider a treble on the card.

Ben Coen partnered the favourite Meshtri for trainer Michael Costa in the Group 2 Al Maktoum Mile Sponsored By Emaar on the dirt and they made all the running to win by three lengths. Coen and Costa went on to complete a double, winning a handicap with outsider Keffaaf.

Tadhg O’Shea and trainer Bhupat Seemar combined for a treble on the card.