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Benbatl won't run in Coral-Eclipse at Sandown

Benbatl coming home to win the Hampton Court Stakes
Image: Benbatl: Won't be running in the Coral-Eclipse

Saeed bin Suroor will "keep options open" for Benbatl after ruling him out of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown.

The Newmarket handler feels the mile-and-a-quarter Group One prize at the Esher track comes too soon for the son of Dubawi following his below-par effort in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Bin Suroor said: "I was worried about the ground at Ascot. Ten days before he had been working on the Watered Gallop in Newmarket which was different ground and he had been working really good.

"The ground at Ascot didn't suit him."

He added: "We will look at mile-and-a-quarter races for him now, but the Eclipse is too soon for him.

"We are looking at the Juddmonte International as his main target. Before this we could either go for the Sky Bet York Stakes with a penalty or the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis at Munich.

"He has come back sound and we will keep options open for him."

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Trainer Saeed bin Suroor has earmarked the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park in September as a potential port of call for the four-year-old, along with the Juddmonte International Stakes at York in August.

The Newmarket handler reported the colt, who holds entries in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood and Qipco Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, in good form despite not being sighted since March.

He said: "The main aim is the Breeders' Cup Classic. There is a race before that on the dirt at Belmont Park called the Jockey Club Gold Cup on September 29 which he could go for, but I want to run him in a race before that.

"He has started working now and is working well and is in good form. He was not ready for the Eclipse.

"He needs a race in August somewhere and I'm looking to find a mile-and-a-quarter race. There is the possibility of the Juddmonte for him.

"We will talk to Sheikh Mohammed and make a decision, but it is so far, so good."

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