Glacius taking aim at big Bahrain prize

All roads lead to the Middle East when Hugo Palmer’s Grade One winner Glacius continues his globetrotting adventure in the Bahrain International Trophy next month.

The three-year-old son of Too Darn Hot had a fruitful trip Stateside with victory in the Saratoga Derby before a valiant second under a 4lb penalty in the Nashville Derby last time out.

“He’s been very well since he came back from Nashville, Hugo is very happy with him. He’s just lightly training away, and we’ll pick him up closer to the time. It’s very much all systems go for Bahrain with him,” said Rob Speers, racing manager for owner Ibrahim Araci.

“Ten furlongs appears to be the perfect trip for him at the moment. We’d like to explore further with him, but we probably won’t do that until next year.

“I did chat to Hugo and did discuss Breeders’ Cup Turf, but that’s a mile (and) three and a half furlongs and at the moment he’s being campaigned at 10 furlongs.

“Even though he’s out of a sister to an Oaks winner, we just thought finding out on the world stage at the Breeders’ Cup about whether he stays wasn’t the time to do it. We might investigate that closer to home next year.

“Ironically we planned an international campaign for him this autumn because we expected the ground to go, but the ground is still quick everywhere in the UK and France.

“We made that plan, Bahrain it is, and then get back from Bahrain and take it one trip at a time and see where we get to. Obviously the fast ground in Saudi and Dubai would suit him, but we will just have to see race by race.”

Meanwhile, Speers believes the George Boughey-trained Libertango has silenced her doubters with her Cheveley Park Stakes performance as she prepares for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

The No Nay Never filly only found Aidan O’Brien’s Sun Goddess too good at Newmarket and connections remain optimistic ahead of her next assignment at Keeneland on October 30.

“Everything is great with Libertango, she’s come out of the race really well,” Speers said.

“From a personal point of view, she got rated 115 and I think that is much more like the filly that she is. The handicapper left her at 107 after the Lowther and I couldn’t work that one out.

“She ran an extremely good race, I’m proud of her run in the Cheveley Park, the only thing different if we could change anything would be if we could have been drawn next to Sun Goddess rather than Senorita Bonita, then we could have tracked Sun Goddess and tried to pounce on her late like at Ascot.

“She raced super, she’s come out of the race super, she’s improving and taking a step forward every time she hits the racecourse.

“I think any doubters about her have been silenced by that performance and I’m really pleased about that.

“We see that all the time at home at how good she is and now she’s confirmed with the public by what’s she’s capable of.”