Saeed bin Suroor excited by Classic contenders Tornado Alert and Elwateen

And he would not have to wait long to fulfill that ambition with Lammtarra striking gold later that same year in the first Derby run on a Saturday since Queen's coronation year of 1953.

In the years that have followed the Godolphin handler has tried to add to that memorable moment, but he has so far been out of luck, although it is not from a lack of trying.

Since that magical moment 30 years ago bin Suroor has seen City Honours in 1998 and Rule Of Law in 2004 fill the runner-up berth while Tobougg 2001, Moon Ballard in 2002 and the mighty Dubawi in 2005 have all gone on to finish third.

On Saturday, for the first time since 2017, bin Suroor will embark on the journey down to the iconic Surrey venue from his base in Newmarket on Saturday in search of a second Betfred Derby crown with this year’s Betfred 2000 Guineas fourth Tornado Alert.

He said: “The Derby is a dream to win for everybody, trainers and owners. When I was a kid in Dubai I watched the racing in the UK. The Derby, the Oaks, Royal Ascot. To me it was the best racing in the world and to me it was a dream to be there and to win.

“To dream about something that is not going to be easy is okay, but for it to happen straight away was great. To win the Derby is something amazing and luckily it happened to me 30 years ago, and it is a day I will always treasure.

“This year we have Tornado Alert in the race, who finished fourth in the 2000 Guineas. The Derby is the best race in the world and it is very tough, but at least he has the class to run there and he will take his chance.”

WATCH: Tornado Alert finishes fourth in the 2000 Guineas

While the days of training in excess of 150 horses are now behind him the enthusiasm could have easily waned for bin Suroor with his numbers just a fraction of what they once were. But that could not be further from the truth, with his passion to find the next champion still burning brightly, something his daily alarm at 3.30am perfectly illustrates.

Bin Suroor said: “As a trainer I’m always looking for quality. I’ve a smaller number of horses now, but luckily I’ve got a couple of nice ones coming through, including Tornado Alert.

“I’ve won all the Classic races in the UK and I’m not far off winning 200 Group Ones. I start at 3.30am every day and I work seven days a week. I wake up every day happy and I’m keen to come in the morning to see the horses. My heart is always still looking for something good for the future.

“That dream starts in the early morning when you see that horse work well then you know where you are going. At Godolphin I’m lucky because the majority of horses that came into the stable before they were quality and with that you know what you are looking for in a good horse.

“You will either be going in handicaps or to Group races, but I saw enough last year that he could run in Group and Classic races."

Pitching a maiden winner into a Classic on their first start of the season requires a leap of faith, but bin Suroor has not achieved what he has done in the sport without trusting his own instincts.

A fourth place on the Rowley Mile vindicated his judgement on this occasion, and bin Suroor is once again confident of another bold sight at a big price from the son of Too Darn Hot given the progression he has seen in him at home.

He added: “I know he ran last year, but he was still a little bit weak. He wasn’t really ready to run in an early race before the 2000 Guineas and I said it would be hard for him to run in a race before the 2000 Guineas and then the 2000 Guineas.

“It was better to take him to the round gallop four times. That is a very hard gallop for them. It is a stiff gallop for any horse to go around and work. In the 2000 Guineas they didn’t think he would be there, but I believed myself with the way that he works in the morning and that he would be good enough to finish his race well.

“I feel in a better place with him here than the 2000 Guineas as that day he was about 90 per cent when he ran. Although he had worked well around the round gallop he was still not 100 percent ready. The 2000 Guineas was like a trial for him and he looks physically and mentally better. I think in the Derby he will run well at a big price."

Like so many in the field Tornado Alert, who is a 40-1 chance with the race sponsor, has to prove he can see out a mile and a half.

However, bin Suroor feels the extra distance will play into his favour on a track that should suit his size and stature.

Bin Suroor added: “Going further than a mile will be better for him. A mile and a quarter I think is the best trip for him, but over a mile and a half if he relaxes in his race he will finish it out.

“He has only had three runs, but physically and mentally he has done good and he is easy to train which is a help.

“Whenever I take him on the different gallops he looks fine. He will be facing good quality horses, but if he is nice and relaxed in the race he is fine.

“He is there with others that I’ve run in the race. The Derby only comes once in their life and if you have one for it then you have to give it a go.

“The big horses, the majority of them, don't tend to handle it as the track is different to any other in the UK.

“I think he will handle it well though as he is not the biggest, while he should be fine in the preliminaries as he was at Newmarket. He is a horse that always tries hard and fights. That is what I like about him. His condition looks good and everything looks nice. I’m really happy and I hope he can finish in the first three."

Oaks dream alive as well

Before attempting to end his lengthy wait for a second Derby success bin Suroor will bid for Betfred Oaks victory number three 24 hours earlier with Elwateen, who was supplemented by Shadwell Estate Company at a cost of £30,000 on Saturday.

The daughter of Dubawi, who is a 8/1 chance with the race sponsor, defied her relative inexperience to finish fourth on just her second career start in the Betfred 1000 Guineas.

He added: “We decided to supplement Elwateen. Jim Crowley has ridden her a few times since the 1000 Guineas.

“She had the one run at Kempton and on that occasion in the last furlong it looked like she got beat, but I told everybody she was 80 to 85 per cent fit.

“She came out and ran well in the 1000 Guineas, but she is another that needs further. Like Tornado Alert she is a medium sized horse that should handle the track. She beat a lot of good fillies in the 1000 Guineas, as a maiden well. I thought she would be close and that is the reason I ran her.

“She has improved really well. Jim has said she will stay a mile and a half. I’m convinced she will get a mile and a quarter, but because she is by Dubawi there is speed there. I know they go a mile and a quarter, but generally they have been better over a mile. She will get 10 furlongs, one hundred percent, but like Tornado Alert, if she can relax in the race she will stay further.”

WATCH: Elwateen was a staying-on fourth in the 1000 Guineas

And while there might have been a powershift at Godolphin, with Charlie Appleby now very much the operation's global number one, the positive personality bin Suroor possesses can help him continue to sift out the odd diamond or two.

He added: “At Godolphin we started with 20 horses, now Godolphin owns thousands. You have them in America, Japan, Australia, France and of course Dubai. It has just got bigger and bigger as a brand.

“My own family have owned horses for generations so for me horses have always been, and will remain, a big passion of mine. We are still trying, although it is not easy, but we had a 1000 Guineas winner two years ago in Mawj.

"You need quality and hopefully we can continue finding it in the future."

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