Godolphin will try to move on from the Mahmood Al Zarooni scandal with victory in Lockinge at Newbury on Saturday with Farhh (right)

Farhh (near)

 PICTURE: Martin Lynch (racingpost.com/photos)

Farhh can give us vital boost – Bin Suroor

BY JON LEES8:35PM 13 MAY 2013 

SAEED BIN SUROOR is hoping victory for Farhh in Saturday’s JLT Lockinge Stakes at Newbury can help Godolphin’s huge Newmarket operation move on from the doping scandal that has shaken the sport.

Mahmood Al Zarooni’s illegal use of anabolic steroids has tarnished the Godolphin brand, something Bin Suroor has been charged with restoring, and on Saturday he will saddle the stable’s first runner in a European Group 1 race since Al Zarooni was banned for eight years.

Newbury SATURDAY, 18 MAY 2013, JLT LOCKINGE STAKES (British Champions Series) (Group 1) (CLASS 1) (4yo+)

Runners: 32, Distance: 1m, Going: Good To Firm, Channel: CH4

£180,000 guaranteed For 4yo+ Weights colts and geldings 9st; fillies 8st 11lb pay £ 600 pay £ 500

NO. DRAW HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER RTF% JOCKEY OR TS RPR
1 1333-2 Aljamaaheer21  4 9-0 Roger Varian65 Paul Hanagan 110 120 128
 
 
2 4051-3 Amaron39  4 9-0 Andreas Lowe   — 114 131
 
 
3 4618-3 Chil The Kite22  4 9-0 Hughie Morrison50   104 106 125
 
 
4 04232- Cityscape210  7 9-0 Roger Charlton60   124 124 137
 
 
5 411-1 Declaration Of War34  4 9-0 A P O´Brien75   — 80 128
 
 
6 32222- Farhh244  5 9-0 Saeed bin Suroor Silvestre De Sousa 124 136 140
 
 
7 6304-1 Fencing17  4 9-0 John Gosden William Buick — 105 129
 
 
8 9170-4 Libranno22 5 9-0 Richard Hannon76   112 105 131
 
 
9 512-87 Penitent13  7 9-0 David O´Meara41   115 113 131
 
 
10 3006-0 Reply49 4 9-0 A P O´Brien75   — 103 126
 
 
11 285-42 Sovereign Debt17  4 9-0 Michael Bell43   111 104 128
 
 
12 0150-1 Trumpet Major22  4 9-0 Richard Hannon76   114 126 131
 
 
13 1127- Beauty Parlour231  4 8-11 Sir Henry Cecil73 Tom Queally 119 134 136
 
 
While Dawn Approach won the 2,000 Guineas earlier this month for Jim Bolger, who retained the horse in his yard when Godolphin bought a share last year, Bin Suroor is yet to have a winner in Britain in 2013.

However, the long-standing Godolphin trainer recognises the significance a Group 1 triumph could bring in the wake of Al Zarooni’s admission he had administered illegal substances to horses at Godolphin’s other British stable.

Although Bin Suroor operates a separate stable and has not been linked to the case, his string have also undergone drug testing as part of the subsequent BHA investigation for which the test results are still awaited.

“To win this race is very important to us, to start this year with a big winner,” said Bin Suroor. “So far most of the horses we have run have not been good enough to win. This race is very important for us – we have won it four times in the past and it would be very good to see our horse win the race.”

Farhh twice finished second to Frankel in a run of five placed efforts in Group 1 races last year, when his only win came in a handicap at Thirsk, but has been dogged by unsoundness.

The trainer added: “He won first time as a two-year-old and got injured, then he ran one and won one the next year and got injured again – he is an unsound horse – there is always something with him. Then when he worked as a four-year-old he showed some class. It wasn’t easy to beat Frankel, but to finish second twice shows there is class there.

“He ran in France and finished second, but he had a problem, a small chip in his ankle that has kept him away. He had small surgery to get the chip out and spent the winter in England.

“He has been working really nicely and I hope he improves this year. We will start at a mile but I believe a mile and a quarter will be better for him. If he is all right we will take him to Ascot for the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes.”

Farhh was made favourite at a top-priced 100-30 with Coral for Saturday’s contest with Declaration Of War 7-2 and Cityscape 4-1 with Betfred, for the mile race which had 13 acceptors at the five-day stage.

The going at Newbury was good to firm but as much as 20mm of rain is forecast. Clerk of the course Richard Osgood said: “I think it is more likely to be ten to 15mm at the worst. After that we go into sunshine and showers and if we don’t get a large amount of rain we may water on Wednesday. I’d like to go into the meeting on the easy side of good to firm.”

fonte: RacingPost