Al Nayyir camp considering Dubai Gold Cup bid after Riyadh run

Tom Clover has said it is “all systems go” for Al Nayyir as he prepares for the Red Sea Turf Handicap in Saudi Arabia, with a potential tilt at the Dubai Gold Cup in the pipeline.

The seven-year-old has impressed since moving to Kremlin House Stables from French trainer Julien Carayon last year, finishing second by a short head behind Vauban on his debut for Clover in the Group Two Lonsdale Cup at York during the Ebor Festival.

He followed that up with a brilliant eight-length victory in the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes at Newmarket in September before a fifth-placed finish in the Long Distance Cup on Champions Day at Ascot.

Al Nayyir will now head for the lucrative Red Sea Turf Handicap on February 22 and the son of Dubawi could remain in the Middle East for the Dubai Gold Cup on March 30, should he produce a respectable performance in Riyadh.

“He went to Chelmsford on Thursday and had a gallop around there,” Clover said.

“Luke (Morris) sat on him and he is happy with the horse, he galloped out well and we are looking forward to taking him to Saudi. At the moment, it’s all systems go to go to Saudi.

“I think we will probably go to Saudi and if he runs well out there, we might think about Dubai.

“It’s pretty fluid, to be honest. Whether he can get in the top three home, then we might think about the Gold Cup, but it’s certainly a conversation we’ll have all being well.

“They are the next two races we have pencilled in, as long as he’s OK, and I suppose we will take it from there afterwards.”