Prince Bishop serves notice for Dubai World Cup

Peter Ward 23:57 08/03/2014
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  • Ready for the big night: Prince Bishop (green) won the Al Maktoum Challenge.

    As has so often been the case, Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor and South African Mike De Kock dominated the Thoroughbred action at Meydan on Super Saturday, sharing five of the races, including the Group 1 features.

    The night’s official highlight, the Group 1 concluding round of the Al Maktoum Challenge went to Bin Suroor, winning the race for a 10th time, who saddled Prince Bishop and Kieren Fallon to land the race over the same 2,000m Tapeta course and distance as the world’s richest horse race, the Dubai World Cup in three weeks time.

    On three occasions Bin Suroor has won this with subsequent World Cup winners (Dubai Millennium in 2000, Street Cry, 2002 and Electrocutionist, 2006), and Prince Bishop was emulating stablemate Hunter’s Light, who won this last year having previously won the middle round of the Al Maktoum Challenge.

    Bin Suroor said: “This is a horse we have always known had big races in him and Kieren has formed a really good understanding with him. We will have to look at the World Cup now."

    The trainer was completing a treble and Fallon a double with the pair earlier combining with Excellent Result, who won the Group 3 Dubai City Of Cold over 2,410m on turf.

    Fallon produced his mount to lead close home and deny stable companion Songcraft in the process.

    Fallon said: “This horse stays further so I knew we would be staying on. He showed a great attitude to get there. He is only a four-yearold and could turn out to be a really nice stayer in time as that was a good race over a trip perhaps short of his optimum.”

    Bin Suroor initiated his treble with Shuruq who became the first filly to win the Group 3 Burj Nahaar, over the same 1,600m Tapeta course and distance as the first round of the Al Maktoum Challenge – which she is the only filly to have won having landed that Group 2 feature at the first Carnival meeting in January.

    She also won last year’s UAE Oaks, and Bin Suroor said: “She is just a totally different filly on this surface which she relishes. We will obviously think about World Cup night.”

    She was ridden by Mickael Barzalona, who added: “She is a really nice filly and has beaten a good field here. I think the Godolphin Mile on World Cup night will really suit her.

    “Silvestre De Sousa told me all about her and I have to thank him for that help.”

    De Sousa missed the meeting through suspension.

    The green and yellow silks of Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour were carried to yet another big race win this season when Raaziq and Olivier Peslier snatched victory in the Group 1 Purebred Arabian Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3.

    Winning trainer Majed Al Jahouri said: “We were very hopeful and knew he was capable of a big run. He will be back for the Kahayla Classic.”

    Like Shuruq, Raaziq would have been ridden by De Sousa.

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