Bin Surour hoping Hunter’s Light can shine in Singapore

Dubai: After the excitement of the Derby trials and Group 1 Lonckinge Stakes in England, the racing spotlight shifts to Singapore where Godolphin handler Saeed Bin Surour will be looking to recapture the Singapore Airlines International Cup (G1) after a gap of eleven years.

Bin Surour saddles dual Group 1 scorer Hunter’s Light, who will bid for redemption after finishing seventh behind Animal Kingdom in the $10 million (Dh36.7 million) Dubai World Cup at Meydan in March.

The Emirati handler saddled Grandera to land the spoils at Kranji Racecourse in 2002 and believes that Hunter’s Light will have a good chance of repeating that feat should he reproduce his earlier Dubai form where he won two rounds of the prestigious Al Maktoum Challenge.

Bin Surour told the Godolphin website: “Hunter’s Light has done very well over the past year, winning a pair of Group One races.

“I was very pleased with his efforts in Dubai and he is in good form at the moment.

“A mile and a quarter is his best trip and he has settled in well at Kranji. He has been working really nicely and I am hoping for another good run.”

Prior to competing at the Dubai World Cup Carnival Hunter’s Light scored big-race victories in the Group 1 Premio Roma at Capannelle, Italy, and the Group 2 Anatolia Trophy at Veliefendi, Turkey.

He opposes 12 rivals including the French-bred Meandre, who finished 2 1/4 lengths in front of him in the Meydan showpiece.

A three-time Group 1 winner, Meandre makes his first start for Dubai-based Doug Watson, who said on the Singapore Turf Club website: “Win or lose, it’s a first learning experience that I will take away, and hopefully, I can build on it in the future.

“Meandre was trained by Andre Fabre and I’m still learning about him. There’s not much of him, but he’s a proven horse on the international stage, having won three Group 1 races and did well to run sixth in the Dubai World Cup.

The field also includes three-time European Group One winner Pastorius, dual Hong Kong Group One scorer Military Attack and Dubai World Cup runner-up Red Cadeaux.