Tuesday Talking Points: Saeed bin Suroor and Owen Burrows under the microscope

Bin Suroor resurgence continues

Saeed bin Suroor has endured a testing time in the last 18 months with Charlie Appleby's emergence and subsequent success firmly establishing him as Godolphin's number one trainer on these shores.

That was a title bin Suroor had proudly held for a number of years but despite winning the Dubai World Cup with Thunder Snow back in March, big-race successes, particularly in Europe, have become few and far between.

Bin Suroor has been happy to vent his frustration on a number occasions, most notably when publicly announcing his displeasure at apparently being sent a poor batch of two-year-olds last season in contrast to the precocious types what were placed under Appleby's care.

A year on and there have been further grumblings from bin Suroor but despite all of this, there have been signs in recent weeks that the good times might well be returning.

Six winners in the last fortnight are hardly earth-shattering numbers but a Group One triumph for Royal Marine in the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp on Sunday will been a huge boost to the stable and Shoot For Gold looked a juvenile of considerable promise when streaking clear to break his maiden at Windsor the following day.

Huge Future has always looked to be a horse with just that and despite things not quite going his way in Meydan over the winter, the son of Shamardal has returned in excellent form, chasing home the classy Saunter at Newmarket before easing to victory at Haydock last month.

The Squirrel Handicap (3.50) won't be a race etched on bin Suroor's bucket list but it is the feature at Leicester on Tuesday and winning it would be a further boost for a stable that has often enjoyed strong returns in the autumn months.

Sky's the limit for Defender?

Mark Johnston generally runs his better two-year-olds at Goodwood - think Secret Brief, Threading and Dee Ex Bee.

With that in mind, big things were rightly expected of Sky Defender following his most promising debut second at the Glorious meeting in August and he was duly sent off a strong 7/4 favourite to win the valuable Convivial Maiden at York when lining up on his next start.

Disappointingly, he turned in a poor display there and while bouncing back to win next time, he only had a neck to spare when landing a modest contest at Musselburgh the following month. Group horse? It seems not.

But don't give up hope. Sky Defender might have won with more to spare than the official margin suggests at Musselburgh and as such, an opening handicap mark of 88 certainly leaves him with room for manoeuvre as he lines up in the Bet At Racinguk.com Nursery Handicap (2.35) at Catterick.

As ever in these events, there is plenty of untapped potential lurking in opposition but the Johnston camp clearly have a high opinion of this colt, who might just be contesting some of the more valuable handicaps on the racing calendar next summer.

Burrows battalion in rude health

Like the aforementioned Saeed bin Suroor, Owen Burrows is another trainer whose season hasn't gone to plan as yet with the early part of the campaign proving a frustrating one for his team.

Unlike bin Suroor, Burrows has no complaints with the support he has received from his patron, Hamdan Al Maktoum, but he knows that in a results business, he needs his horses to deliver.

As such, Burrows will be heartened by the more recent form of his string with seven winners in the last fortnight laced with a fair dose of quality and coming at a healthy strike-rate of 32 per cent.

Laraaib's victory in the Group Three Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot on Saturday put Burrows firmly back on track but it will be the performance of Tabdeed on Friday which will keep him excited over the winters months.

Tabdeed was unbeaten until meeting defeat in Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot but sprinting looks his game judging by his striking display back at Ascot and although it was only a handicap he won, the manner of the display screamed pattern class performer. He could be very good.

When coming back down from the dizzy heights of the weekend, Burrows will be keen to maintain his excellent form with Alsimsaam in the IT Electrical Contractors Nursery Handicap (2.25) at Brighton.

Having finished a fine second on his Lingfield debut back in July, he has bumped into the likes of Dark Vision and Jash since so has every right to find this 0-75 contest much easier to handle.

A beautifully-bred son of Dark Angel, an opening handicap mark of 70 should be within his compass at some stage.

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