Shuruq Lands Saeed Bin Suroor Record Eighth UAE Oaks

Godolphin Claim 1-2-3 in Group 3 Feature

HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was in the parade ring to witness his Godolphin operation dominate both feature races at the eighth meeting of the 2013 Dubai World Cup Carnival at Meydan this evening.

Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor added to his phenomenal record in the Group 3 UAE Oaks with Shuruq supplying him with an eighth victory. Second in both the UAE 1,000 Guineas Trial and UAE 1,000 Guineas, the filly was able to reverse the form of both those races when chasing home Godolphin-owned duo Music Chart (Trial over 1400m) and Lovely Pass (Guineas over 1600m). They are both trained by Mahmoud Al Zarooni and Lovely Pass was second on this occasion, one place ahead of Music Chart to give Godolphin a 1-2-3.

Paul Hanagan rode the winner and Bin Suroor has yet to decide on future plans for her, although she could try and emulate stable companion, Khawlah who won both this race and the UAE Derby in 2011. She remains the only filly to have completed the double.

“My initial thought is that we are likely to take her back to England but we will all have to sit down and talk about it, said the trainer. “These conditions clearly suit her so the UAE Derby is at least a consideration.”

Earlier Al Zarooni was saying virtually the same thing after Now Spun made a winning local debut in the Listed Meydan Classic, a three-year-old turf race over 1600m. Beaten on his debut in England, he won his second start and was making it two wins from only three outings with a smooth victory under Mickael Barzalona.

Al Zarooni said: “The UAE Derby has to be a possibility but he clearly goes well on turf and has won both his races on the grass. Sheikh Mohammed and Simon Crisford will have the final say.”

Barzalona was completing a double having earlier initiated a brace for Bin Suroor when steering Kassiano to a very easy victory in the opening 2200m handicap on the all-weather. It was a third 2013 victory for the fast improving four-year-old and Bin Suroor said: “He is going to have to go up in grade after that which was a very impressive effort. We will have to try and find one more race for him on this surface he has thrived on.”

Another horse set to go back up in class is the Ali Rashid Al Raihe-trained Mufarrh, runner-up in the 2011 Godolphin Mile but who missed the whole of last season after injury. Hanagan was initiating his own double in the process and said: “The horse has a touch of class but keeps losing ground at the stalls. He has plenty of ability and that should have done his confidence a lot of good.

“It would be nice to get him back to the Godolphin Mile.”

Dhruba Selvaratnam opened his 2013 Dubai World Cup Carnival account with stable jockey James Doyle aboard United Color who finished fast and late to win the 1200m all-weather handicap. Doyle said: “It was his first start on this surface and he has relished it. I guess we will be back on Super Saturday.”

The trainer was denied a double in the concluding turf handicap when his Jaasoos was second, just as he had been 12 months ago, to the Mike De Kock-trained Anaerobio. De Kock’s runner was finally opening his local account at the eleventh attempt.

Pat Cosgrave rode the winner and said: “He has run so many good races in defeat and really deserved to finally win one.”

Godolphin’s Shuruq under Paul Hanagan claims the Group 3 UAE Oaks sponsored by Al Dana Wealth Management, for Saeed Bin Suroor. Credit: Dubai Racing Club//Andrew Watkins