It has been a successful time for Saeed bin Suroor in Britain since he left the UAE with the Dubai World Cup Carnival trainers’ title and Dream Castle would cap a fine start for him to the European turf season with win at Newbury on Saturday in the Greenham Stakes.
Almost everything that the Godolphin trainer has sent out from his Newmarket base has run well so far, and although Dream Castle faces a stern challenge from his nine rivals in the race that is over 1,400 metres, Bin Suroor is bullish about a big run and the horse following in the footsteps of his father, Frankel, who dominated the 2011 staging of the event as he won by four lengths.
The manner with which he brushed aside a good field of maidens on his first start at Doncaster three weeks ago has built up hopes.
In preparation for the race, Dream Castle worked last Saturday for his latest assignment, a gallop that pleased his handler.
“Dream Castle won nicely on his first start and his latest piece of work went really well,” Bin Suroor said.
“He is facing better horses now but we have been very happy with his progress so far and I am hoping for a good run again.”
Dream Castle bettered the time set by stable companion Benbatl at Doncaster by 0.07 seconds, but Benbatl found Eminent and Rivet too good at Newmarket on Thursday as he could only finish third.
Bin Suroor is undimmed at Benbatl’s effort on good to firm ground and is still considering a tilt at one of the classics later in the year.
“He ran well, he needs easy ground,” he said. “Any rain would do him good.
“We are still looking at the English or the French Guineas. Maybe a Derby trial — the Dante at York next month. He needs further. Maybe a mile and a quarter or a mile and a half will suit him.”
Bin Suroor’s confidence most likely stems from the fact that he has made the best start to a European turf season for the past five years. So far in Britain in April he has saddled 10 winners from just 26 runners.
Barney Roy is the other Godolphin horse in the Greenham Stakes, and will be ridden by James Doyle.
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