McGuinness eyeing big money prizes in Middle East Ado McGuinness enjoyed a career defining season in 2020 and is eyeing big money prizes in the middle east in the New Year with some of his stable stars. This season saw the Lusk handler saddle his first stakes winners with highlights including a Group 3 success for Bowerman at Dundalk in September and Current Option winning at the same level at Tipperary in October. Others to star for the yard included Listed winners Saltonstall and Harry's Bar. McGuinness has steadily improved the quality of his inmates over the last few years and is now looking to broaden his horizons with a talented team:- The Saudi Cup meeting is held in February and McGuinness has eyed some of the races on the undercard:- “We are thinking of going to Saudi with Saltonstall, Current Option and maybe Bowerman. The plan was to go to Lingfield on Good Friday but we are following the money as they say! “There is a mile and two race for Saltonstall and I would like to bring him to Saudi and run him off the plane rather than have him out there for weeks. “Current Option is a tough horse and takes his racing well. I’d love to take him out there as I think he’s going to improve again next year and we can have a lot of fun with him. “I think he’s the best horse that I have in the yard. “Bowerman needs to run twice more on the all-weather to qualify for Lingfield. That will be the target for him. “There is a race for him in Dundalk and we will have to find one other race. “We will make plenty of entries for the horses and then assess the opposition and decide from there.” Dubai is another option for some of the runners from Skylark House Stables and Pure Nature is set for a trip to the United Arab Emirates. The Phoenix Thoroughbred owner filly was an impressive winner at Dundalk earlier this month which saw her raised to an official mark of 91. “The horses for Dubai travel out around the January 14th and Pure Nature will definitely go there. She has improved no end and the staying races out there will suit her. “The heat will suit her as well and there is races over a mile and a half and a mile and six (furlongs). She would be in off bottom weight there, while Harry’s Bar and Dream Today are also on the team.” Harry’s Bar was bought out of James Fanshawe’s yard for 75,000 guineas at the Newmarket Horses-in-Training Sale in October before making a quick return on the investment in the Listed Belgrave Stakes over six furlongs at Dundalk the following month. Dream Today has yet to run for McGuinness but will also carry the colours of Shamrock Thoroughbreds after being snapped for 47,000 at Doncaster in September. The five-year-old gelding won three times earning just short of a quarter of a million pounds when trained by Jamie Osborne. “We could go to Saudi with Harry’s Bar and run him in a sprint on the dirt. The American sprinters didn’t go there last year and, if they aren’t going, then I’ll be going! “Dream Today came out of Jamie Osborne’s. He’s a nice horse and hasn’t run for us before. He’s won in Meydan before so that’s why we are anxious to get him back out there and he’s well handicapped.” (GC & AM)
