Saeed Bin Suroor shows off private training facility for the first time
David Milnes is given an exclusive look at stunning gallops
Tucked away just off the Snailwell Road in Newmarket is a vast Godolphin site that until now has been off limits to any press or media since its construction nearly 30 years ago.
Although it borders the small settlement of Snailwell, the 250-acre working grounds are locally known as Chippenham, which is the name of an even more distant village where it was rumoured the really good horses pull up.
Originally laid by John Gosden, the site is now the playground of Saeed Bin Suroor, Godolphin’s longest-serving trainer, whose Stanley House Stables lie just on the other side of the busy A14 (thankfully there is an underpass).
Last week, the Racing Post was given first access to the stunning location where so many greats have been nurtured on a private grass gallops and neighbouring lavish Tapeta facilities.
Well out of sight of local workwatchers, legends such as Lammtarra, Mark Of Esteem, Dubawi and Shamardal have all seen action here over the years, and more recently current stable stars such as Thunder Snow, Dream Castle and Benbatl.
The location, just a ten-minute walk, could not be any more convenient for the team from Godolphin Stables and, as it is private, there is no getting up extra early to bag the best ground as there would be on the Limekilns and other bustling facilities.
Bin Suroor, who was crowned leading trainer at the Dubai Carnival for the eighth time in March, said: “We are lucky at Godolphin to have special gallops at Chippenham, which are a real help during the season and Sheikh Mohammed especially likes coming here as it’s very peaceful.
“We have two grass gallops, a four-furlong one for the two-year-olds and a seven-furlong one for the older horses. Even when the gallops are closed in Newmarket, when it’s too firm or too wet, we can come here and it’s fine.
“We have our own watering system when it’s too dry to allow us to continue to use the grass. Many great Godolphin horses have used them over the years and hopefully will continue to do so.”
At the foot of the gallops is a car park where jockeys Oisin Murphy and Josephine Gordon are already in wait to ride work, even though it is 6am. Both riders have had productive spells in the Godolphin blue of late and Murphy had a particularly early start.
He said: “I left home in Lambourn at 3.45am to get here and my last ride is at Chelmsford at 8.45pm tonight. Its a long day but it’s nice being busy.”
After putting the promising Emirates Flight through her paces, Gordon is later at the historic yard, formerly known as Stanley House and built in 1903.
Commenting on current riding arrangements, Bin Suroor said: “Oisin and Josephine rode work this morning, but since last August there is no number-one jockey here. James Doyle rode for us last year but this year we are using the best available.”
At his yard, Bin Suroor has a top team around him, including his assistants Tony Howarth and Chris Burns, and has just welcomed another familiar face back to the fold.
He revealed: “It’s great that we have Kieren Fallon back with us as his experience and feedback is a real help. He was with us in Dubai over the winter and has now joined us full time as a work-rider.”
The four-time champion trainer has won more than 2,000 races in a career that kicked off in 1993 but it is his relationship with ‘the boss’ that shines through.
He said: “I take all instructions on runners direct from Sheikh Mohammed. He may be busy running Dubai but he still finds time for us and I’m looking forward to seeing him at the Guineas meeting, when hopefully our horses will do him proud.”
fonte : RacingPost
Paradise Woods Favored From Four in Kentucky Oaks
Paradise Woods | Benoit photo
Herman Sarkowsky and Mr. & Mrs. Martin Wygod’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Paradise Woods (Union Rags) drew gate four and was installed the 5-2 morning-line favorite by Mike Battaglia for Friday’s running of the GI Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. Bred by Sarkowsky, the bay filly is one of the least-tried runners in the full field of 14 sophomore fillies, with just three starts, but exits the single most dominating performance along the road to the Oaks, an 11-length defeat of Abel Tasman (Quality Road) when last seen in the GI Santa Anita Oaks Apr. 8.
“She’s come a long way fast and its an obstacle to overcome the crowd with an inexperienced filly, but we’ll give it a shot,” said trainer Richard Mandella, in search of a first victory in the race. Riding a five-race winning skein is Miss Sky Warrior (First Samurai), the Kelly Breen-trainee who was made the 9-2 second selection and will break from the middle of the machine in stall seven. The joint third choices are Coffeepot Stables’ Farrell (Malibu Moon), exiting one of the more productive Oaks preps over the last decade, the GII Fair Grounds Oaks, and Abel Tasman (post 13), while Salty (Quality Road) has been pegged as a 6-1 gamble.
Also a veteran of only three races, Salty will have to work out a trip from the 14 hole, though the draw was of minimal concern to trainer Mark Casse. “Well if we got that in the Derby we’d be happy,” he commented. “Our filly doesn’t have a lot of speed, she’s going to drop over and save some ground.”
The field for the GI Kentucky Oaks:
1 Ever So Clever (Medaglia d’Oro), Contreras 20-1
2 Lockdown (First Defence), Ortiz 20-1
3 Mopotism (Uncle Mo), Gutierrez 20-1
4 Paradise Woods (Union Rags), Prat 5-2f
5 Jordan’s Henny (Henny Hughes), Rocco Jr 30-1
6 Vexatious (Giant’s Causeway), Desormeaux 20-1
7 Farrell (Malibu Moon), Hill 5-1
8 Sailor’s Valentine (Mizzen Mast), Lanerie 30-1
9 Wicked Lick (Maclean’s Music), Hernandez 30-1
10 Miss Sky Warrior (First Samurai), Lopez 9-2
11 Tequilita (Union Rags), Saez 20-1
12 Daddys Lil Darling (Scat Daddy), Leparoux 20-1
13 Abel Tasman (Quality Road), Smith 5-1
14 Salty (Quality Road), Rosario 6-1
AE Summer Luck (Lookin at Lucky), No Rider, 30-1
fonte : TDN
#Newmarket: Sabato e domenica le Ghinee inglesi. Ecco i rimasti ed i più attesi per le prime Classiche sul Rowley Mile
Tra il dire ed il fare, siamo entrati nella settimana delle Classiche inglesi. Sabato a Newmarket sul Rowley Mile si corrono le 2000 Ghinee G1 mentre domenica sarà il turno delle femmine delle 1000 Ghinee. Lunedì c’è stato il penultimo stage di forfait, prima della dichiarazione di partenti che arriverà giovedì, e tutti i protagonisti più attesi sono rimasti dentro numericamente rappresentati in 12 unità, non tantissimi, ma con i migliori attesi che saranno della partita. Aidan O’Brien sellerà il favorito Churchill (Galileo), vincitore delle National Stakes G1 e delle Dewhurst Stakes G1 la scorsa stagione, al rientro proprio nella Classica. Il mago di Ballydoyle ha dentro anche il piazzato di Dewhurst e Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Lancaster Bomber (War Front), poi Peace Envoy (Power) come vincitore di G3, Spirit Of Valor (War Front), recente ottavo dell’ UAE Derby G2 nel quale Lancaster Bomber fu quarto. Nei vari trial di inizio stagione abbiamo rivisto all’opera Eminent (Frankel), vincitore delle Craven Stakes G3, ed anche Rivet (Fastnet Rock) con dentro anche il quinto di quella corsa quale Larchmont Lad (Footstepsinthesand).
Nelle 2000 Ghinee correranno anche Barney Roy (Excelebration), vincitore delle Greenham G3 battendo Dream Castle (Frankel), anche lui della partita. Andre Fabre, scintillante ad inizio 2017 in Francia, ha confermato che correrà con Al Wukair (Dream Ahead) dopo la vittoria nel Prix Djebel G3. Maitre Andre ha parlato con enorme fiducia del suo, che cercherà di emulare Zafonic e Pennekamp su quello da lui stesso definito, il miglior tracciato al mondo. Gli ultimi 2 che saranno presenti nella dichiarazione dei partenti delle 2000 Ghinee sono Law And Order (Lawman), vincitore di una Listed a Lingfield, e Top Score (Hard Spun) che la sua Listed l’ha vinta a Meydan. I RIMASTI DELLE 2000 GHINEE QUI.
Domenica invece ci sono le femmine: Nel penultimo stage sono rimaste iscritte 18 cavalle per le QIPCO 1000 Guineas. Presenti le 2 di John Gosden quali Daban (Acclamation) e Dabyah (Sepoy), entrambe di proprietà di Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah. Possibile che Dabyah corra le Poule d’Essai des Pouliches in Francia la settimana successiva. La favorita attuale è Rhododendron (Galileo), che ha battuto Hydrangea (Galileo) nel Dubai Fillies Mile G1 a 2 anni, poi altre speranze irlandesi sono Roly Poly (War Front), Winter (Galileo) e Rain Goddess (Galileo), ancora dentro. Figlio Joseph, ovviamente, presenterà Intricately (Fastnet Rock), vincitrice di G1 lo scorso anno battendo proprio il padre, per cercare di regalarsi la prima Classica inglese al primo colpo. Frankel sarà rappresentato da Fair Eva e Queen Kindly, una non ancora rientrata mentre l’altra è giunta bene quarta di Dabyah a Newbury. Willy Haggas ha dentro Sea Of Grace (Born To Sea), mentre Hugo Palmer presenterà Unforgetable Filly (Sepoy). Andrew Balding avrà Poet’s Vanity (Poets Voice). Poi tra le altre Ce La Vie (Dutch Art), Dream Start (Exceed And Excel), Kilmah (Sepoy), Talaayeb (Dansili) e Urban Fox (Foxwedge). LE RIMASTE DELLE 1000 GHINEE QUI.
 |
