Clover sets sights on Red Sea riches with Al Nayyir

Tom Clover’s Al Nayyir has a Red Sea return on his agenda after a successful spell in the Middle East last year.

The son of Dubawi joined Clover in the early stages of the 2024 season, having previously been trained in France by Romain Le Dren Doleuze and Georges Doleuze ahead of a brief stint with Julien Carayon.

He arrived in Newmarket with some taking form to his name, including a lucrative few months last winter when he was second in the Al Khail Trophy, fourth in the Red Sea Turf Handicap and then second in the Dubai Gold Cup.

A return to warmer climes for those races has naturally been pencilled in since, but prior to that he had a domestic campaign in Britain to enjoy.

Second to Vauban in the Lonsdale Cup at York on his first run in Britain since he was a two-year-old, the gelding then won the Rose Bowl at Newmarket and was a creditable fifth on soft ground in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot.

After a winter break the time has come for him to head on his travels again, with the Red Sea Turf Handicap the first port of call and the Dubai Gold Cup under discussion for later in the year.

“He’s training really well, he looks great and we’re very much planning to go to the Red Sea Turf,” said Clover.

“It’s exciting, he had this sort of a programme last year so hopefully we’ll go there and then he’ll go to Dubai again.

“That’s the plan, all being well, he’s training well and we’re really pleased with him.

“We gave him a break and now he’s fresh and very well within himself, with a bit of luck he can be in the mix out there as there are some really valuable pots.

“It’s very exciting for his owner and for all of us, it would be great if he could win a big one.

“It was just too soft for him at Ascot, he doesn’t mind genuine soft ground but when it’s bottomless, it is very hard work.

“He’ll get better ground out in Saudi, so we hope he’s lucky and he can go well out there again.”