Lord Glitters camp relishing Bahrain test as Jason Watson gets call-up for ride

Lord Glitters has racked up over £1.8m in prize-money on his travels around the world and his globetrotting lifestyle continues in Bahrain where he is being prepared for Friday’s International Trophy, in which he will be ridden for the first time by Jason Watson.

The £500,000 contest is in its third year and has been granted Group 3 status for the first time, with a field befitting its growing prominence featuring the likes of Barney Roy and his Godolphin stablemate Zakouski.

Lord Glitters, who was fifth in last year’s race, has been ridden by Danny Tudhope in all but one of his last 15 appearances and 24 of his 32 starts since being purchased from France in 2017, during which time he has landed two Group 1s – the Queen Anne Stakes two years ago and the Jebel Hatta in Meydan in March.

However, with Tudhope out with a neck injury, trainer David O’Meara has turned to 21-year-old Watson, who split from Roger Charlton earlier this year, for the ride.

1.00 Sakhir Friday: Bahrain International Trophy card

Speaking poolside at Bahrain’s Ritz Carlton hotel after personally drawing Lord Glitters in stall 12 for the 1m2f contest, O’Meara said: "Danny is just coming back from an injury, he did something in his neck and he's not quite fit enough for Lord Glitters this time.

Lord Glitters completes his canter at Bahrain's spectacular Sakhir racecourse on Wednesday morningCredit: Edward Whitaker

"Jason’s a very good rider, he’s already won a couple of Group 1s and he’s only 21 so I hope he’s looking forward to the ride, I think he is. Danny has got a commitment to ride for Clipper Logistics and on the days when he has to ride for them Jason has been slotting in very capably and hopefully that can continue."

Only Tudhope has ridden more winners for O’Meara in 2021 than Watson, but that is not indicative of any formal relationship, according to O’Meara.

"I’m not a formal kind of a fella," he said. "It’s working well and Jason enjoys riding for us and he’s doing a good job. As long as he’s happy we’ll continue as we are."

Lord Glitters: the 'phenomenal' horse who likes to get into a bit of trouble

Lord Glitters finished last of ten when an 80-1 shot for the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on his last start on British Champions Day, but seemed full of life when completing a strong canter on Sakhir’s turf track on Wednesday morning.

The gelding will be nine in January and plans are fluid reagarding his future, but if things go well on Friday O’Meara is hopeful of a return to Dubai early next year.

He said: "He's in good form out here and when he won the Jebel Hatta his last quarter was very fast so he's still able to produce a good finish given the right circumstances, but to do it he’s got to relax.

"We’ll see how Friday goes and we’ll consider Dubai again, he thrived out there last winter. With a gelding like him you need to hunt for a bit of prize-money."

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