Tag: Saeed bin Suroor

Newbury Friday Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Following two fascinating days of action at Newmarket, the flat turf action moves on to Newbury featuring the Dubai Duty Free Golf World Cup Conditions Stakes.

There are only six runners but it is possible to make a case for each of them. The favourite is the Godolphin-owned Winters Moon, a daughter of New Approach trained by Saeed bin Suroor. She is entered in the England and Irish classics and certainly has the best form in the book.

She won her maiden at Newmarket when beating Shagah by a length before finishing a one-paced third behind Muraaqaba at the same course. She could not compete with the smart Elm Park in the Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury next time but ran a fine race when third to Together Forever in the Group 1 Dubai Fillies’ Mile.

She stayed on really well that day after being shuffled back early on. The runner-up was Agnes Stewart while Lucida was back in fifth, both fillies with classic pretentions. That was over a mile on softer ground but she ran as though she will relish the extra two furlongs.

The big danger could be Star Of Seville, trained by John Gosden. She didn’t look anything special when beaten into third on her debut but she made all to win by six lengths at Doncaster next time. She also has 1000 Guineas and Oaks entries and has to be respected, as does the unbeaten Ooty Hill. Roger Charlton’s grey colt won well at Newmarket in soft ground in October and could be one to follow this season.

The seven furlong handicap that follows looks wide open but it is difficult to ignore the claims of Her Majesty The Queen’s Capel Path. Sir Michael Stoute’s horses are shaping as though they need a run but Capel Path looks on a very tempting mark.

The son of Street Cry ran green on his debut and was well beaten at Sandown next time before winning impressively at Newcastle. Graham Lee looked as though he had plenty up his sleeve when beating Taysh by four lengths. There are any number of dangers here including Mujassam, Upstaging and Sugar Boy who all won last time while top weight Strong Chemistry is not out of it.

Our final selection at Newbury is Lucky Beggar in the 3.55. The grey is trained by Charles Hills and won this race last year off only a 1lb lower mark. He was never really involved in the Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster where he was held up off a slow pace. I would expect Jamie Spencer to try to force the pace here, tactics which have paid off handsomely for Lucky Beggar in the past.

Winters Moon 2.50 @7-4 Ladbrokes

Capel Path 3.25 @6-1 Ladbrokes

Lucky Beggar 3.55 @11-4 Bet365

Local Time to boost classic claims in UAE Oaks

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

Local Time could put herself in the picture for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket by winning the UAE Oaks impressively at Meydan on Thursday.

The daughter of Invincible Spirit has won her last five races for Trainer Saeed bin Suroor who is looking for an incredible tenth win in the race. Last year he won the UAE 1000 Guineas and Oaks with the smart filly Ihtimal. She was only beaten three-quarters of a length at Newmarket behind Miss France and finished an unlucky fifth in the Oaks at Epsom. Tragically, she met with a fatal accident on the gallops in January.

Hopefully there will be a brighter future for Godolphin’s latest star filly who would need to be supplemented for the Newmarket classic. That is by no means unlikely and she looks impossible to oppose in the Oaks with stable companion Good Place her nearest market rival.  James Doyle partners the favourite with William Buick aboard Good Place, an improving daughter of Street Cry who should appreciate the step up in distance.

She has been slowly away in both of her races in Dubai this winter but will have plenty of time to settle in this small field. The only realistic danger to the Godolphin duo is Mike de Kock’s Shahrasal who was third in the UAE 1000 Guineas. It is difficult to see any reason why Local Time cannot confirm the form and I don’t see the extra furlong and a half posing a problem.

There are plenty of familiar names in action on Thursday’s card including Outstrip and Safety Check in the Zabeel Mile. Outstrip has been disappointing since winning the Breeders’ Cup juvenile in 2013, although he did finish within three lengths of Kingman last season. He was slowly away here last month and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the grey fitted with some headgear at some point during the summer.

His stable companion Safety Check was an emphatic winner of a Group 2 here last month but steps up to a mile. Six of his seven wins have been over seven furlongs and he could be vulnerable over this distance. Brendan Powell’s Dark Emerald is on a hat-trick while Johan Strauss, Darwin and Short Squeeze are others with claims in a very competitive event.

Local Time 1000 Guineas Newmarket @40-1 888Sport

Local Time 40-1 for 1000 Guineas after UAE romp

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Meydan provided flat racing fans with a taste of things to come this year with a top quality card on Thursday. The returning Dubai World Cup winner African Story failed to overcome his lengthy absence but there is no doubt who was the star of the show. Godolphin filly Local Time blew away the opposition in the UAE 1000 Guineas, winning by three and a quarter lengths.

The race was billed as a re-match between Local Time and Ad Idem after the pair had been separated by just a short-head in the trial two weeks’ ago. Ad Idem, trained by Mick de Kock, set out in front but was always travelling too keenly in the hands of Paul Hanagan. James Doyle sat in his slipstream before moving upsides with other three furlongs to run.

It was already obvious that Local Time was going much the better and she strode clear to win impressively. Stable companion Good Place ran on well to take second with Ad Idem dropping right away to finish last. A year ago I was very keen on the chances of Ihtimal for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket after a similar performance. She went on to win the UAE Oaks by a record margin before finishing third at Newmarket.

Could Local Time be in that class? She was officially rated only 89 after beating Astrelle in the Oh So Sharp Stakes in October (coincidentally a race won by subsequent Guineas winner Miss France in 2013), a rating revised to 99 after her trial victory. I would imagine this latest win puts her up to around 106. The current 1000 Guineas favourite is Aidan O’Brien’s Found who was third to Cursory Glance (112) in the Moyglare Stud Stakes before winning impressively in France. In terms of the ratings, Local Time is a lively outsider but the bookmakers quotes vary from 16-1 with Stan James to 40-1 with 888sport.

The problem for ante-post backers is guessing Godolphin’s plans for the filly. It seems very likely that she will follow Ihtimal by running in the UAE Oaks before a decision is made regarding Newmarket. If she wins well there, she could run in the UAE Derby or the Guineas. Godolphin may even be tempted to run her in the Kentucky Oaks, given her improved form on dirt.

African Story was always going to be up against it in the Al Maktoum Challenge after almost a year off the track. He never threatened to get involved, eventually finishing seventh behind Frankyfourfingers and Prince Bishop.

Local Time 1000 Guineas @40-1 888Sport, 32Red

UAE 1000 Guineas Preview

Posted on by Online Betting Pro

The cold snap has limited the racing action in the UK largely to the all-weather so far this week. Hopefully temperatures will climb sufficiently by the weekend for a cracking Newbury card featuring the Betfair Hurdle and the return of Sire de Grugy in the Game Spirit Chase.

The 1000 Guineas may seem a long way away but Godolphin are already preparing their team and the UAE 1000 Guineas takes place at Meydan on Thursday. Last year we were keen on the chances of Ihtimal for the Newmarket classic after she stormed to success in Dubai. She ran a cracker to finish third and went on to finish fifth in the Oaks, although she may have done better at Epsom with a more judicious ride. Sadly, Ihtimal had to be put down last month after sustaining an injury in Dubai.

The famous blue silks could be carried to victory again this year by the improving Local Time. She won the Group 3 Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket last season and won the UAE 1000 Guineas trial recently. She looked to have too much to do with a furlong to travel but clawed her way to the front to beat Ad Idem by a short head. She meets that four-year-old on identical terms but has an extra furlong to travel. She does not have the turn of foot of Ihtimal but she has the heart of a lion and can come out on top.

I will also be keeping an eye on Charlie Appleby’s unbeaten filly Yodelling who is unbeaten after two starts. She is out of that good mare Echoes of Eternity and will probably be better suited by middle distances later in the year.

Racing fans will also be looking forward to seeing 2014 Dubai World Cup winner African Story returning to action after almost a year. He lines up in the Group 2 Al Maktoum Challenge at 5.40 for his first start since providing Saeed bin Suroor with his sixth winner of the big race.

African Story broke the track record when beating Mukhadram but that was a massive step up on his previous form. I would be surprised if he is at his peak after such a long lay-off. Prince Bishop won the September Stakes at Kempton and has a history of winning after a break while there are several recent winners including Le Bernardin and Cooptado. I was more impressed with the former and he could cause an upset if striking for home early in the straight.

The closing race is the Cepsa Mile, a handicap for four-year-olds and upwards over a mile. Magic City got no run at all when running at Lingfield recently and it will be interesting to see how he goes after flitting over to Dubai for Richard Hannon. I have him down as a seven-furlong specialist but he was a close third in the Betfred Mile at Goodwood and the Shergar Cup Mile at Ascot. Richard Hughes takes over from Sean Levey and let’s hope he can weave a way through this large field.

Local Time 3.55 Meydan @5-2 Betfair

Le Bernardin 5.40 Meydan @12-1 Bet365

Magic City 6.15 Meydan @10-1 Bet365