Godolphin Colt On Target For Epsom

Saeed Bin Suroor is hoping to saddle recent Newbury maiden winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Dubai Thunder (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 Investec Derby June 3. The Godolphin colt made an explosive debut under Adam Kirby winning by 10 lengths last Friday and Bin Suroor feels he is well capable of fulfilling his entry at Epsom. “Yes, of course I would like to take him to Epsom,” said the trainer. “We will talk to Sheikh Mohammed and he will make the decision. I want to check the horse next week, but the good thing is that he is in the Derby.” Dubai Thunder never made it to the track as a juvenile and it seems the patience Bin Suroor showed is now paying dividends. “You couldn't run him last year, he was very backward. It was only in October time that he started to show something. I didn't want to push him, it would have been the wrong time to do that. I have looked after him over the winter. He has come back and the way he won on Friday was good.” Godolphin have not enjoyed much luck in the Derby in recent years and despite his lofty position in the international stallion rankings Dubawi has only had two Derby runners so far. However team Godolphin have certainly been going great guns this season and Bin Suroor is hopeful this top level success will continue. “We've got these horses running in Group races and possibly the Derby that we have not had for three years. This year it has changed. We have these horses that have come back from last year and improved physically and mentally and have shown some class in their races. It is making things exciting.”

Fellow Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby had news about his one-time G1 1000 Guineas fancy Wuheida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) who suffered a stress fracture which ruled last year's Group 1 winning juvenile out of her early season target at Newmarket. “She is doing well. She is back in light exercise and is jogging. We are pleased with her progression, but she still has a long way to go as yet race-fitness wise,” Appleby said. The trainer is reluctant to put a time-line on when she will be back in competitive action and added, “She will tell us when she is ready. She has progressed and things have been going well since the start of her recuperation. She is doing what is being asked of her and taking it well. I am not saying that she is going to go to Royal Ascot, but at the same time I am not saying she won't go there.”