Bin Suroor looking to Wolferton Stakes with Shining Blue

Exciting four-year-old learns plenty in Ripon triumph.

Shining Blue is likely to be seen next in the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot having maintained his unbeaten record at Ripon.

Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, the son of Exceed And Excel won on his debut at Leicester just 10 days ago having been unraced as a two- and three-year-old.

He created such an impression that day, though, when winning unchallenged by two and a half lengths, that there was a degree of attention on his second outing.

It was far from a penalty kick, as he was giving a stone to Sir Michael Stoute’s promising Kiteflyer – with some in the field getting almost double that.

Awkward from the stalls, apprentice Stefano Cherchi soon bustled him up to make the running where the 4-6 chance was keen and doing a little too much.

Once into the home straight he began to look uncomfortable on the Ripon ridges, too, and while Kiteflyer proved disappointing back in third, David O’Meara’s newcomer Time Quest pushed him all the way, eventually going down by just a neck.

“He’s a nice horse and he’s improving all the time,” said Bin Suroor.

“He won well first time and despite not liking the track – I could tell by his action – he’s done well to win again.

“He was very keen early, but he still won. He’s clearly improving and now we have some options.

“We’ll look for the Listed race at Ascot over 10 furlongs maybe, that might be the race for him.

“He’s quite a big horse and you could see the track didn’t suit him today, Ascot is much flatter and he will like that better.”

As for why he did not make his debut until this year Bin Suroor added: “He was just weak, it was that more than anything really.

“He hadn’t been showing much at home until March, then he started improving.”

Cherchi said: “He was a bit keen and this track wasn’t the best for him, but he’s still won.

“Mr Bin Suroor was keen for me to give him a race today so that when he steps up in class he knows a bit more. He had plenty left.

“I’m sure he’s got a bright future ahead, he’s the best horse I’ve ridden anyway.”

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