Saeed bin Suroor

  The highlight of Friday's Dubai World Cup Carnival card is the G2 Zabeel Mile Presented By Emaar Beachfront. Saeed bin Suroor's Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) is riding a four-race winning streak since failing to win at the DWCC last term. One of three in the race for Godolphin, the 5-year-old entire won Royal Ascot's Royal Hunt Cup in June and followed up in a Newbury listed affair a month later. Successful in the G3 Strensall S. versus Meydan Group 1 winner Lord Glitters (Fr) (Whipper) on Aug....

Frankie Dettori has tested positive for Covid-19 and will therefore miss his rides at Meydan on Friday as he self isolates. "I won't be riding this weekend, as I've tested positive for Covid," the jockey said in a video posted to Twitter. "I'm restricted in my room for a few days. I'm feeling a bit under the weather, but I've had my vaccine so we should survive. I'll keep you posted, but I'm not going to be doing much anyway." The Saeed bin Suroor-trained Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire})...

Friday marks the second week of the Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan in Dubai, and three group races are slated to go ahead, as well as two G2 UAE Derby preps on the seven-race card. Godolphin fields a typically strong hand in the 1800-metre G2 Al Rashidiya Presented By Riviera Beachfront By Azizi on grass, which is an early pointer to the G1 Dubai Turf at the end of March. Aiming for a sixth consecutive renewal, the royal blue silks will be carried by a quintet from trainers-Charlie Appleby...

Dual group winner Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) pleased trainer Saeed bin Suroor in his work on Thursday and is being pointed at the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup in February. Godolphin's 5-year-old son of Nafura (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who won the Listed Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot on June 16, added the Aug. 21 Strensall S. prior to signing off last season with a narrow victory in the G2 Prix Daniel Wildenstein at ParisLongchamp on Oct. 2. "He worked today and he worked really well, he's in good...

The 2022 Dubai World Cup Carnival lasts from Jan. 14-Mar. 5, Super Saturday and begins on Friday. The 19th edition of the DWCC features enhanced purses and a new group of turf races, the Jumeirah Series. Anchoring the first seven-race card-six Thoroughbred and one Arabian race--is the $250,000 G2 Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1 Presented by Nakheel, which attracted a field of 14. Meydan veterans abound in the 1600-metre dirt contest, with 2021 G2 Godolphin Mile hero Secret Ambition (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) signed on, one of five for...

Godolphin homebred Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}--Nahrain {GB}, by Selkirk), a multiple Group 1 winner in Dubai, Germany and Australia, has been retired from racing and will take up stallion duties at Big Red Farm in Japan. A fee for the 7-year-old, who is Dubawi's top earning, will be announced later. Trainer Saeed bin Suroor said, "Benbatl was a great horse for Godolphin, winning many important races throughout the world including Group 1 contests in Dubai, Germany and Australia. "He was the ultimate professional in everything he did, which made him...

Fresh off August wins in Newbury's Listed Steventon S. and York's G3 Strensall S., Godolphin's 4-year-old colt Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) continued the operation's perfect start to Arc weekend and played the pantomime villain role to a tee by denying local hero The Revenant (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) a third straight win in Saturday's G2 Qatar Prix Daniel Wildenstein at ParisLongchamp. He carried the Godolphin second colours and also usurped The Revenant at the tills, going postward as the 17-10 chalk and occupied a forward third, inching into second...

Kheleyf (Green Desert--Society Lady, by Mr. Prospector) has died at Haras des Faunes. He was 20. The news was first reported by the Jour de Galop. Bred by Darley and a great grandson of bluehen Fanfreluche (Northern Dancer), Kheleyf made his first four starts for the David Loder yard, with a second in the G3 Norfolk S. and a conditions win his best performances. Transferred to Saeed bin Suroor for his 3-year-old year, he won the G3 Jersey S. first out at three and was also third in the G2...

Globetrotting multiple Group 1 winner Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is fresh off a record-breaking G2 Joel S. victory at Newmarket, has been confirmed for QIPCO Champions Day on Oct. 16, as long as the ground is not too heavy. The Godolphin colourbearer, who has earned top-drawer victories in Dubai, Germany and Australia, was winning his second Joel S. His first start of the season was a second in the G2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood in August after almost a year away from the racecourse. Benbatl holds entries in both...

Confirming his love for Newmarket's Rowley Mile once again on Friday, one of the oldest TDN Rising Stars around Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) showed up in uncompromising mood to break Kameko's track record over the 2000 Guineas track and trip when repeating his 2019 success in the G2 Joel S. Third behind that Classic hero in this 12 months ago, Saeed bin Suroor's veteran warrior had been a short-head second to Lavender's Blue (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in Goodwood's G2 Celebration Mile having blown the start on his only...

Now a 7-year-old, Godolphin's Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) still has relatively few miles on the clock as he launches his 2021 campaign in Saturday's G2 tote Celebration Mile at Goodwood. With nine pattern-race victories on his portfolio including the 2018 G1 Dubai Turf, G1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis and G1 Ladbrokes S., he has been in the wilderness since finishing third defending his title in the G2 Joel S. at Newmarket in September. "Benbatl had a nice break earlier in the season and we decided not to take him out to...

York's Saturday action kicked off in style, with the apple of Saeed bin Suroor's eye Real World (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) again demonstrating his raw quality as his love affair with the impressive Marco Ghiani continued in the G3 Sky Bet and Symphony Group Strensall S. Dynamic in the June 16 Royal Hunt Cup at a mile and the 10-furlong Listed Steventon S. at Newbury July 17, Godolphin's progressive and as-yet untested 4-year-old was exposed on the wing early racing two lengths off the pace. Carting his rookie jockey to...