Maftool Seeks More Guineas Joy In Poulains

Time/Date - 15.08hrs local time/Sunday, May 10, 2015
Racecourse/Country - Longchamp/France
Surface/Distance - Turf/1m

Maftool returns to turf for the Group One Poule d'Essai des Poulains, the French 2000 Guineas, over a mile at Longchamp, France, on Sunday, May 10.

The three-year-old colt, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, made three appearances on dirt at Meydan, UAE, earlier this year.

Maftool stayed on to take second, beaten eight lengths by Mubtaahij, in the Group Two UAE Derby Sponsored By The Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group over nine and a half furlongs on March 28.

The Godolphin horse beat Mubtaahij by a head in the mile Group Three UAE 2000 Guineas Sponsored By Al Tayer Motors on February 12 and was third to the same horse in the seven-furlong UAE 2000 Guineas Trial Sponsored By DP World UAE Region on January 15.

The son of Hard Spun was successful on two of his five starts in the UK last year, including an impressive victory on turf in the seven-furlong Group Three Somerville Tattersall Stakes at Newmarket in September.

Dane O'Neill, retained by Maftool's owner H H Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, takes the ride.

Saeed bin Suroor commented: "Maftool ran well out in Dubai, winning the UAE 2000 Guineas and finishing second in the UAE Derby.

"We decided to miss the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket and aim him at this race. He has been working well and I am looking to see a good run from him.

"Good ground would be ideal but he should be fine on good to soft."

Maftool, drawn 11, faces 17 rivals including Group Three Prix Djebel runner-up Make Believe, Group Two Vintage Stakes victor Highland Reel, Group One Vision.ae Middle Park Stakes third Muhaarar and Karar, who was second to Territories in the Group Three Prix de Fontainebleau.

Godolphin has won the Poule d'Essai des Poulains with Vettori (1995), Bachir (2000) and Shamardal (2005).