Real World the right horse for Baaeed battle in Lockinge, says Bin Suroor

Saeed bin Suroor accepts Flat racing's newest superstar Baaeed will be hard to beat in Saturday's Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes, but the trainer believes he has an ideal horse on his hands for Newbury in Real World.

Bin Suroor, Britain's champion trainer four times, has five victories in the Lockinge on his CV, although he has not had a Group 1 triumph since Thunder Snow struck in the 2019 Dubai World Cup.

In Real World, who is unbeaten in five starts on turf, Bin Suroor has a live challenger for Newbury's spring highlight, but the brilliant Baaeed – 4-11 with Paddy Power and Betfair to prevail – is a formidable rival.

Lockinge card and betting

An 8-1 chance, Real World won the Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot last summer and went on to land a pair of Group 2s, but he made little impact on dirt in the Saudi Cup and Dubai World Cup.

"We're ready for action,'' Bin Suroor said on Monday. "Real World is doing really well and worked today. It was his last piece of work and he worked well.

"He came back from his last run well and just didn't handle the dirt. We're not going to run him on dirt again, we'll just concentrate on turf. He prefers good ground, but I think he could run well if it's quicker."

Saeed bin Suroor in Dubai earlier this yearCredit: Edward Whitaker

Cape Cross in 1998 was the Godolphin trainer's first Lockinge winner and Farhh in 2013 was his most recent. "It's a good race – one we've won a few times," Bin Suroor added.

"We have a good record in it and Real World is the right horse to run in it. Baaeed looks the best horse in the race, but our horse runs well at a mile and he's improving physically. We'll go there and take our chance against Baaeed, but I'm really happy with my horse."

Bin Suroor, who has yet to finalise a rider for the five-year-old, has saddled just three winners in his adopted homeland this season, but his passion for the sport is undiminished.

"In the summer, I get up every day at 3.30am," he revealed. "I love it. This is my 28th season training and we'll try to be at the top again on Saturday."

Baaeed, whose flawless 2021 campaign included wins in the Prix du Moulin and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, is not the only threat to Real World as Aidan O'Brien fields last year's 1,000 Guineas heroine Mother Earth, fit from winning a Group 3 at the Curragh in March.

"She's in good form," said O'Brien of the 4-1 second favourite. "We gave her a run at the Curragh to have her ready for the Lockinge. We're very happy with her and we think she has matured from last year. She had some very good runs and she was a bit unlucky a few times. Physically she has come forward since last year.

"She did it well at the Curragh. It was competitive enough. They didn’t go very fast and she was back a little bit so she had to get going early to win, but we were happy enough with her run."

Mother Earth: Aidan O'Brien's Lockinge runnerCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

The ground at Newbury, which also races on Friday, was described as good on Monday morning.

There is the chance of a shower this week and clerk of the course Keith Ottesen said: "There's a low-pressure system working its way in for midweek, but there's plenty of uncertainty around that and whether it gets as far south as us. It's no massive deal and we might get a couple of millimetres. We'll be around 16-17C and it might just warm up for Saturday, which would be nice.

"It's been dry and we've had no measurable rain in the last couple of weeks, so we've been working away at the track and it's good ground. We'll see what happens in the next few days and if we need to intervene if there isn't any rain."

Ottesen saw Baaeed at Haggas's Newmarket stable on Monday morning and added: "The Lockinge can be a competitive race some years, but it's also a starting point for the outstanding miler from the previous year. We had that last year with Palace Pier, who Baaeed beat on his last run.

"It's great for us to see the reigning champion miler starting at Newbury and he's not ground dependent in any way, but the track will be fair for everyone. I saw him this morning and am getting excited now."

Lockinge confirmations

Baaeed William Haggas
Chindit Richard Hannon
Etonian Richard Hannon
New Mandate Ralph Beckett
Real World Saeed bin Suroor
Sir Busker William Knight
Sunray Major John and Thady Gosden
Alcohol Free Andrew Balding
Mother Earth Aidan O'Brien

Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes (3.20 Newbury Saturday)

Coral: 1-2 Baaeed, 9-2 Mother Earth, 7 Real World, 12 Alcohol Free, 16 Chindit, 25 Sunray Major, New Mandate, 50 Sir Busker, Etonian

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