Bin Surour handed charge at Moulton Paddocks

Thursday, May 09, 2013

Dubai: Long-serving Godolphin handler Saeed Bin Surour will temporarily take charge of Moulton Paddocks stables in Newmarket, England, as soon as the facility has been given the go-ahead to resume its operations by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).

The stable has been locked down since trainer Mahmoud Al Zarouni was banned from racing for eight years by the BHA for administering steroids, which are illegal in the UK, to 15 horses in his care.

The BHA discovered the irregularities following tests carried out on 45 horses in Al Zarouni’s care. Subsequent to Al Zarouni’s ban the BHA re-visited Moulton Paddocks to conduct further tests on the remaining horses.

A statement on the Godolphin website yesterday (Thursday) said: “Saeed Bin Surour is taking over the training licence at Moulton Paddocks, Newmarket, on a temporary basis until a new trainer is appointed by Godolphin for that property.”

The BHA confirmed it has received an application for a temporary licence from Bin Surour, who is currently authorised to train at the Godolphin Stables, at Snailwell Road in Newmarket.

Adam Brickell, director of integrity, legal and risk for the BHA, said in the Sportinglife: “We have informed Saeed Bin Surour and Godolphin that the BHA will not be re-licensing the yard until the test results are known for all the Godolphin owned horses stabled in Newmarket.”

Under the Rules of Racing, once approval has been granted for the licence, no runners from the yard will be allowed for 14 days.

Yesterday’s (Thursday) Godolphin statement added: “The test results for horses at Moulton Paddocks are still awaited and there will be no runners from there until they are all known.”

Bin Surour, who was born in Dubai, has been overseeing the training of Godolphin horses on a daily basis since his appointment in 1995.

He has helped Godolphin claim the champion owner title in Britain on eight occasions — 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2012 — and leading owner in the Republic of Ireland in 1998.

Bin Surour has also won the British Trainers’ Championship on four occasions (1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004).

To date Bin Surour has trained 1,611 winners in the famous blue colours of the stable including 171 Group 1 winners.

By Leslie Wilson Jr Racing & Special?Features Writer