Godolphin stalwart trainer Saeed bin Suroor was first appointed in 1995, the year before the inaugural Dubai World Cup.In the ensuing 18 years, he has now won five times, starting in 1999 with Almutawakel, owned by Sheikh Hamdan.
As an Emirati, the Dubai World Cup, the whole meeting and the preceding Carnival, are special for the trainer, who explains: “When His Highness Sheikh Mohammed created Godolphin, it was very much to promote Dubai on the world stage – we are a Dubai-based racing operation who target big races all around the world.
“As a local, I take great pride in what we have achieved here in Dubai, and of course, worldwide.
“However, the Dubai World Cup meeting is an obvious focal point of our season – which is basically 12 months long. The eyes of the world are on us and we host the world’s best racehorses in our own backyard. That has always been a big thing for us – international, topclass, horse racing here in the desert.
“The introduction of the Carnival has furthered that and added to the impact racing in Dubai has on the annual international racing scene.
“We start here, at Meydan, in January with the Carnival which reaches its climax on Saturday with the Dubai World Cup meeting. We then move the majority of the horses to England and campaign them from there.
“Godolphin is basically about the worldwide stage and targeting the big races internationally.
“They do not get much bigger, or international, than the World Cup meeting, which generates unparalleled interest in Dubai’s racing, both locally – where it is a massive socialevent as well – and worldwide.
“The atmosphere on World Cup night is amazing – especially if we have a winner – particularly in the World Cup itself. The reception Dubai Millennium received in 2000 when he won was amazing, and the delight of Sheikh Mohammed seeing his favourite horse win the race he had been named for (2000 – Millennium) was unforgettable.
“However, the international focus is the main key and Sheikh Mohammed is the first to congratulate the winners – Victoire Pisa winning the World Cup in 2011 for Japan just after the earthquake and tsunami in their country springs to mind.
“But it is not just about us and the racing. The social scene is immense and the meeting is one of the big social occasions in the UAE, a date in most calendars.
“Meydan is a massive venue and will be packed on Saturday – a great venue for a great race.”
The second Godolphin trainer, Charlie Appleby, is saddling World Cup night runners for the first time in his own name.
He said: “It is really exciting to have my first World Cup night runners on what is certain to be an amazing occasion.
“The World Cup night atmosphere is always amazing – it was at Nad Al Sheba and it is at Meydan.
“I have long been involved with Godolphin and enjoyed plenty of World Cup nights, but this one is going to be a little bit special, having runners in my own name. “I cannot wait.”
