Dubai: Long-serving Godolphin trainer Saeed Bin Surour, who has thus far had a relatively subdued British season, will be looking to picking up the pace at Newmarket’s much-anticipated July Festival where he saddles several leading chances.
A four-time British champion trainer, Bin Surour begins his assault at the three-day event which kicks-off on Thursday when he send out Royal Ascot runner-up Prize Money to contest the 2,600 metre Group 2 Bahrain Trophy, a race that he won two years ago with the ever-durable Cavalryman.
Prize Money was second to Godolphin’s Eclipse-winning Hawkbill at the Royal meeting last month and on the strength of that form will take all the beating in the Festival opener which has attracted a strong field of nine stayers.
The three-year-old son of Authorized will have to demonstrate his stamina but on the evidence of his performance in Ascot’s Tercentenary Stakes he should rise to the challenge.
Shabeeb represents Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, who won this contest in 2004 with Bandari.
Bin Surour must also like the chances of Norfolk Stakes (Group 3) third, Silver Line, who features among a nice-looking bunch of two-year-olds in the Arqana Stakes (Group 2).
Richard Hannon’s Mehmas, who caught the eye when finishing a close second in the Coventry Stakes at the Royal meeting, looks the popular favourite.
Ardad, winner of the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot, also appears to be a key player together with the unbeaten Love Dreams and Broken Stones who will be stepping up in grade.
Ardad represent profile Emirati breeder Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah.
The Grey Gatsby looks to have an outstanding chance of winning his first race since 2014 when he tackles Group Two rivals in the Princess of Wales’s Arqana Racing Club Stakes over 2400m. He has kept exclusively Group One company since winning the French Derby and the Irish Champion Stakes two seasons ago.
Unseasonal rain and consequent soft ground has kept The Grey Gatsby off the track so far this year, but weather conditions are finally forecast to improve this week.
Shaikh Hamdan and Bin Surour also have strong claims in the Princess of Wales’s Arqana Racing Club Stakes with Muntazah and Elite Army respectively.
Denied by Ralph Beckett’s Kinema in last month’s Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot Elite Army will be looking to continue his upward curve in the race which also features the likes of Jockey Club Stakes (Group 2) scorer Exosphere, top-rated The Grey Gatsby and Dubai Gold Cup (Group 1) runner-up and Melbourne Cup (Group 1) fifth Big Orange.
The last named trainer’s Michael Bell said: “Big Orange is a bigger and stronger horse than in 2015 and the recent dry weather means that the ground is finally coming in his favour.
“He’s a very easy horse to train because he is so clean-winded and runs well fresh. He’s in very good shape and acts well on the course but The Grey Gatsby is rated eight pounds higher than him, albeit he is not proven over a mile and a half.”
Newmarket’s July Festival
Feature Races
At Newmarket Racecourse, UK
Thursday, July 7
Princess Of Wales’s Stakes (Group 2)
Arqana July Stakes (Group 2)
Bahrain Trophy (Group 2)
Friday, July 8
QIPCO Falmouth Stakes (Group 1)
The Duchess of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2)
Saturday, July 9
Darley July Cup (Group 1)
Superlative Stakes (Group 2)
