Saeed bin Suroor confirms Queen Elizabeth II Stakes aim for Benbatl
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 5 Dec 2023
Benbatl will be aimed at the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on Champions Day following his impressive victory at Newmarket last week.
Returning after a lengthy absence, Saeed bin Suroor’s five-year-old looked a class apart in the Joel Stakes – brushing off the challenge of John Gosden’s King Of Comedy, who had previously run well in the St James’s Palace Stakes and Juddmonte International this season.
In the immediate aftermath, Bin Suroor raised the 10-furlong Qipco Champion Stakes as a possible alternative to the QEII – with his charge having won Group Ones over the longer distance in Germany and Australia.
Watch what our experts had to say about Benbatl's victory at Newmarket
However, the Godolphin trainer has now confirmed his charge will stick to a mile at Ascot on October 19.
“He came back well after the race and the plan now is to take him to the QEII,” said bin Suroor.
“He’s a horse who had been showing his class in the morning and was a Group One winner in the past – he won it well and he’ll be ready for Ascot now.
“A stiff mile is his best trip, I think, but he stays a mile and a quarter. I talked to Oisin (Murphy) and he agrees with me that the QEII is his race and I spoke to Sheikh Mohammed, who gave me the green light for the QEII.
“He’ll be ok with a bit of cut in the ground but we wouldn’t want it too soft.”
Mountain Hunter was the winner of a Listed race on the same afternoon – but his big targets are overseas, as they are with Chelmsford winner Bin Battuta.
newmarket
16:45 Newmarket - Friday September 27
Watch how Mountain Hunter got up close home to win at Newmarket
“Mountain Hunter beat a good horse in Loxley to win a Listed race. He’ll go out to Dubai, but we could look to find a race before he goes,” the trainer added.
“We had him in the Melbourne Cup but he’s suited by Dubai racing, as is Bin Battuta.”
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