Staying was the order of the day in Thursday's G3 Bahrain Trophy and Earle Mack and Team Valor LLC's Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) had no deficit in that regard as he powered to an emphatic success in course-record time for the 13 furlongs. Having lost out by a neck to Private Secretary (GB) (Kingman {GB}) when runner-up in the Listed Cocked Hat S. over an extended 11 furlongs at Goodwood May 24, the 13-2 shot travelled comfortably with two behind early as the field ignored the runaway Severance (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}). Delivered by Jamie Spencer to take the measure of the G2 Queen's Vase third Nayef Road (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) a furlong from home, the bay met the rising ground with relish to register a four-length verdict over that rival and string out the field.
“I was happy with the way he travelled and the way he went and put the race to bed,” trainer David Simcock said of Spanish Mission. “We had been aiming him at a $1million race at Belmont [the Sept. 7 GI Jockey Club Derby] as he's got two American owners, but the way he's done that you'd have to start thinking about the St Leger. I didn't put him in it, as we were thinking of America. Everything he does at home he does quietly. He is a laid-back horse that tracks his lead horse and only does what is in front of him. He needed to step up on what he did at Goodwood. I'd say the race in America is still the main objective, but the owners might change their mind. Earle Mack has a big thing about English racing, while Team Valor might want to stick to the other side of the pond. It is a nice problem to have.”
Spanish Mission, who had won a 10-furlong Chelmsford conditions event in November before finishing fifth over an inadequate mile in Kempton's “Road To the Kentucky Derby” Conditions S. Mar. 6, is out Limonar (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}) who registered a listed success at a mile for the Carlos Laffon-Parias stable. That makes him a half-brother to the useful Shadwell sprinter Mokarris (More Than Ready), who took the Listed Rose Bowl S. before finishing runner-up to Blue Point (Ire) (Shamardal) in the G2 Gimcrack S. Limonar, who is a half-sister to the GI Shoemaker Mile S. winner Talco (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}) from the immediate family of the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas-winning sire Bachelor Duke (Miswaki), also has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Medaglia d'Oro and a colt foal by Mastery.
Thursday, Newmarket, Britain
BAHRAIN TROPHY S.-G3, £175,000, Newmarket, 7-11, 3yo, 13fT, 2:39.96 (NTR), g/f.
1–SPANISH MISSION, 127, c, 3, by Noble Mission (GB)
1st Dam: Limonar (Ire) (SW-Fr, $124,447), by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Trylko, by Diesis (GB)
3rd Dam: Gossamer, by Seattle Slew
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GROUP WIN. ($125,000 Ylg '17 KEESEP; 60,000gns RNA 2yo '18 TATBRE). O-Earle Mack & Team Valor LLC; B-St. Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-David Simcock; J-Jamie Spencer. £99,243. Lifetime Record: 5-2-1-1, $152,347. *1/2 to Mokarris (More Than Ready), SW & GSP-Eng. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Nayef Road (Ire), 127, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Rose Bonheur (GB), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (100,000gns Ylg '17 TATOCT). O-Mr Mohamed Obaida; B-B. V. Sangster (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. £37,625.
3–Nate The Great (GB), 127, c, 3, Nathaniel (Ire)–Theladyinquestion (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). (30,000gns RNA Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Mildmay Racing & D. H. Caslon; B-Mildmay Bloodstock & D. H. Caslon (GB); T-Archie Watson. £18,830.
Margins: 4, 3 3/4, 2. Odds: 6.50, 3.00, 20.00.
Also Ran: Barbados (Ire), Ranch Hand (GB), Waldstern (GB), Boerhan (GB), Eagles By Day (Ire), Severance (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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