Dubai Future to renew rivalry with Illinois in Goodwood Cup

Gold Cup third Dubai Future will bid to provide trainer Saeed bin Suroor with a fourth victory in the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup on Tuesday.

Previously successful with Kayf Tara (1999), Schiaparelli (2009) and Cavalryman (2014), the veteran trainer will this year saddle a nine-year-old who has split his time between England and Middle East while developing into a seasoned stayer.

He missed the entirety of the 2024 season but has been in good form since his return to action in Dubai earlier in the year, with an unplaced run in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier seemingly just a blip as he got back on track behind Trawlerman and Illinois in last month’s two-and-a-half-mile Royal Ascot feature.

“Dubai Future is in good form, he worked on Thursday and he’s in very good form,” said bin Suroor.

“He had to take a little break, but he is doing very well as a nine-year-old, he settled well at Ascot and that was a good run in the Gold Cup.

“He’s in very good condition and we’re looking forward to getting him out again.”

Dubai Future is one of eight runners declared for the showpiece event on day one of the Qatar Goodwood Festival and renews rivalry with Aidan O’Brien’s Gold Cup runner-up Illinois, as well as John and Thady Gosden’s fourth home Sweet William.

O’Brien has a second major contender in the form of runaway Bahrain Trophy winner Scandinavia, while the Gosdens fire a three-pronged assault, with the improving Copper Horse Stakes winner French Master and Military Academy also in the mix.

Alan King will be hoping for some ease in the ground for his 2021 Goodwood Cup hero Trueshan, with the field completed by the David Menuisier-trained Sunway, who tests his stamina over two miles for the first time after finishing fourth in the Hardwicke at the Royal meeting.