Dios Mio! Spanish Bay Re-groups In Singapore

Spanish Bay (pic. Singapore Turf Club)

 

He wasn’t going to give in!

Spanish Bay was a relative outsider in Sunday night’s S$200,000 Group Three Saas Fee Stakes in Singapore but, despite a bumping duel with the eventual runnerup, the James Peters trained sprinter eventually endured to notch up his second black type victory in a thriller.

Purchased as a yearling by Michael Freedman and Michael Wallace, Spanish Bay races for Bernard Lee’s Horizon Stable who also won the Saas Fee Stakes three years ago with another Australian-bred flyer in Holy Empire. At that time, Peters was assistant trainer to Freedman.

During his tenure in Singapore, Freedman trained a host of topline gallopers including – memorably – the I Am Invincible stallion, Super One, Singapore’s Champion 2YO who is now standing at Newgate Farm in Australia.

English-born, Peters, has clearly learned his lessons well and it was a polished performance by Spanish Bay on Sunday: “When he can dictate from the front like that, he’s hard to beat,” Peters said post race.

Bred in NSW, Spanish Bay is by Redoute’s Choice’s Blue Diamond winner, Nadeem, who has sired over 150 winners including Group One Dubai Golden Shaheen hero, Sterling City, South African stars Mujaarib and Tajmeel, Happy Galaxy, Sharnee Rose and Triple Asset.

Spanish Bay is Nadeem’s first stakes winner in Singapore.

Meanwhile, Spanish Bay is out of the Rory’s Jester mare, Belle Jest, a close relation to the Khaptivaan family.

The Power of Passion

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