Godolphin's Bin Suroor unveils a Dubai Treasure to crown Newmarket showcase

The curtain came down on another unforgettable Dubai Future Champions Festival, the crown jewel of Newmarket's autumn racing season, with a fittingly poetic ending and one that could not have been scripted better.

The racing spectacle, staged over two absorbing days at the Rowley Mile and dedicated to showcasing the stars of next season, was headlined by Dubai’s most successful racing operations, with Godolphin and Darley, who together with Emirates Airline sponsored eight races over the weekend.

And it was a Dubai victory that brought proceedings to a perfect close.

The Listed Modern Games British EBF Boadicea Stakes (L) provided the fitting finale, and it was Godolphin legend Saeed bin Suroor who struck with a horse aptly named Dubai Treasure. Ridden with confidence by champion jockey Oisin Murphy, the Godolphin-bred son of Exceed And Excel stormed home to seal a deeply satisfying win for one of the great trainers of the modern era.essence

Veteran Godolphin handler Saeed bin Suroor has amassed over 2,000 career wins and counting. - Photo Godolphin

“Winning here at Newmarket always means a lot,” Bin Suroor, who has saddled over 2,000 career wins, told Khaleej Times. “This is home for so much of what Godolphin stands for, not least racing excellence. Dubai Treasure is a lovely filly with a big heart, and to win on a weekend supported by Emirates Airline, Godolphin, and Darley makes it even more special.

“The quick ground and six furlongs suited her style of running. We will take her back to Dubai now and look for a Group race for her. The Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint could be a long-term possibility, although we will need to see how she progresses over the winter.”

While Bin Suroor added another chapter to his storied career, Charlie Appleby, his Godolphin stablemate, endured a quieter second day at the festival, but his runners still impressed with consistency. Appleby saddled a trio of third-place finishers, including Distant Storm and First Conquest, both showing promise for next season.

Distant Storm, third in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes, once again underlined his Guineas potential, while Appleby confirmed that the colt would be “given a well-earned break before preparing for the Classics next spring.”

First Conquest, meanwhile, filled third in the Too Darn Hot Darley Stakes, and is now expected to winter in Dubai.

There was further celebration for Dubai connections when Hankelow, trained by Karl Burke for the 1998 Epsom Derby winning owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, made all to win the Emirates Autumn Stakes. The two-year-old colt, ridden positively by Clifford Lee, repelled all challengers up the famous Newmarket dip to win by a length and a quarter from Appleny’s Al Zanati.

At just 28, Clifford Lee, who began his career in showjumping before transitioning to racing, has evolved into a rider of real composure and grit, as he demonstrated on Saturday. His understanding with Burke’s horses continues to deliver results, with Hankelow standing out as one of the stable’s most exciting juveniles.

The Dubai Future Champions Festival once again reinforced how deeply Dubai’s influence runs through the essence of British racing.