Saeed bin Suroor backing rookie Cieren Fallon in John Smith’s Cup

Fallon made the breakthrough at the highest level last weekend when winning the July Cup at Newmarket aboard the Roger Teal-trained Oxted. It was testament to Fallon’s prowess that he was entrusted with Oxted when he had no previous experience of Group One races and was unable to use his three-pound apprentice rider’s weight allowance because of the prestige of the contest.

Nevertheless Godolphin trainer Bin Suroor has been one of the youngster’s bigger supporters to date, and enjoyed a good working relationship with his father Kieren, the six-times champion jockey, both towards the back end of his career and subsequently in retirement as he still rides out regularly.

Great Example was unraced at two and will head to York with solid claims, having gone close in two big handicaps on his last two outings.

“Cieren rides him, hopefully. It was nice to see him win at Newmarket, he’s doing very well – to win a Group One as an apprentice, it’s amazing really,” said Bin Suroor.

“He hasn’t been doing it very long, so to be where he is already is very good. When you watch him you think it’s his father, he has copied him. The way he moves his hands – it could be him.

“His father is with him all the time, teaching him. He walks the track with him and it is working very well for him.”

As for Great Example, Bin Suroor said: “He just works nicely at home, he’s not a horse that shows you lots in the morning, but just enough. Hopefully come the race we get the right result. He’s been well, he’s in the right race and we’re looking for a good run from him.

“He’s not had many races so hopefully there should be more to come, we’ll see this weekend. His last two races were good.”

Meanwhile, Bin Suroor’s stable star Benbatl is back in training ahead of a return to action later this summer.

The six-year-old has demonstrated his versatility late in life by proving just as effective on dirt when winning a Group Two at Meydan before finishing third in the inaugural Saudi Cup behind Maximum Security.

He was favourite for the Dubai World Cup before that meeting was cancelled at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Benbatl is well. We gave him a break after Dubai,” said Bin Suroor. “In August we will start looking at races for him. He’s in the Juddmonte at York and when we get closer to the race we’ll see how he is.

“Whether he stays in training next year, to go to Saudi Arabia and Dubai again, we’ll have to see how he runs this year. He’s a very consistent horse and always shows his class.

“He’s as good on turf and dirt and ran a big race in Saudi. He was favourite for the World Cup, they all had him to beat.”

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