Saeed bin Suroor may have found a promising prospect in Elwateen, who made an impressive winning debut at Kempton on Wednesday.
Regarded highly by her trainer, the daughter of Dubawi and Group One winner Tawkeel was sent off as the 4-6 favourite under Kevin Stott. She demonstrated her class by holding off George Boughey’s Orchid to win by a length. Archie Watson’s Del Ray, who had previously underperformed in the Star Stakes, bounced back to finish third, adding further credibility to the form.
Elwateen is entered in the Group One bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket on October 11. While her future plans are still under consideration, the filly's potential appears promising.
Bin Suroor told Racing TV: “She’s a nice filly, and I’ve always liked her. For a two-year-old, she has shown some class in her morning work. Tonight, she was about 80 percent fit, so there’s room for improvement, and she looked like she needed the race. She’s entered the Group One Fillies’ Mile, but we’ll assess how she recovers from this race before making any decisions with Sheikha Hissa. We’ll need to see how she improves from this race, but I’m confident she will develop significantly. If she performs well in the UK, there’s a chance she could be taken to Dubai, but if not, she might be a candidate for the Guineas if she continues to progress.”
Although Bin Suroor is primarily known for his work with Godolphin horses, Elwateen races in the Shadwell colours of Sheikha Hissa, the same colours worn by his 1999 Dubai World Cup winner, Almutawakel. Bin Suroor also trained Mawj, who won the 1000 Guineas last year. Comparing his new prospect to the Classic winner, he said: “Mawj showed plenty of speed, but this filly is likely suited to seven furlongs or a mile. In the future, she might even go further, but she seems like a nice filly.”