Saeed bin Suroor's gelding had not run since running down the field in the Dubai Sheema Classic last March, writes Geoffrey Riddle.

Saeed bin Suroor's gelding, Sharestan, had not raced since running down the field at the Dubai Sheema Classic last March. He won Saturday in England. Satish Kumar / The National
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Sharestan made his British turf bow a winning one when the former Dubai World Cup Carnival runner took the Listed Doonside Cup at Ayr Racecourse on Saturday.

Saeed bin Suroor’s gelding had not run since finishing down the field in the Dubai Sheema Classic in March.

Formerly with John Oxx in Ireland before transferring to Bin Suroor, Sharestan showed some of the dash that resulted in his Al Rashidiya Trial victory in Dubai in January as Kieren Fallon drove him all the way to the line to deny Qatar Racing’s Willie The Whipper by a neck.

It was not all success for Bin Suroor, however. Over at Newbury, Kassiano, another of Godolphin’s Carnival contingent, finished last in the Dubai Duty Free Legacy Cup, won by Princess Haya of Jordan’s Camborne.

Newbury also hosted the Wathba Stud Farm Cup, a Purebred Arabian race that was won by Sophia, ridden by Sam Hitchcock.

There is real momentum to Purebred Arabian racing in Britain and a racing official confirmed that next year’s World Arabian Horse Racing Conference would be staged in London in May.

During the five-day conference, two Purebred Arabian races are scheduled in addition to a proposed 120km endurance race starting at Newbury Racecourse.

“It is very exciting for us to have the conference coming to the UK,” said Genny Haynes, the ARO director. “The global Arabian racing community is constantly growing and we are very much looking forward to showcasing UK Arabian Racing on the international stage.”

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