The success of the Dubai-based Godolphin stable in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup yesterday was not confined to the on-track performance of Overbury. Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor and jockey Frankie Dettori ensured that Godolphin's victory was also in the public relations stakes. The 29-year-old trainer of Overbury - and a host of other horses in Dubai and Britain - spent 20 minutes happily answering all and any queries from the local press. He rounded off by insisting that any time any local racing journalist was in Dubai, a call to him would ensure a trip round the Godolphin stables. Bin Suroor has leapt to international racing prominence in less than three years but he has earned his spurs. He revealed that he first became interested in racing when his brother gave him a horse for his 11th birthday. 'After that I was hooked. I have been a trainer for eight years and with Godolphin for the past three years,' he happily explained. Dettori is also a huge winner - on and off the track. From Doncaster to Dubai they cheer him and Hong Kong racegoers were no different. His double was a delight - for them and for Frankie. The inquiry into the run of Asian Glory a week previous ended yesterday with the stewards accepting the explanations offered by champion trainer John Moore and rider Victor C. F. Chan. The Stewards reviewed the patrol film and Moore gave an undertaking not to run the gelding over less than a mile in the foreseeable future. Popular Brent Thomson has returned to England, but not before leaving Queensland with a real flourish. The former retained jockey to Brian Kan Ping-chee won the Easter Cup at Eagle Farm and went on to complete a holiday treble at the Brisbane track. Thomson took his tally to a remarkable 22 winners, having originally gone to the Gold Coast on holiday. He decided to ride trackwork and in a couple of races to get in shape before returning to England and his new base at Newmarket. The New Zealand-born rider and new bride, the former Samantha Baring from Newmarket, landed in England late last week. Mick Kinane's decision to miss the QEII Cup meeting to ride at the Curragh on Saturday was vindicated by results at Irish racing headquarters. Kinane rode a treble for retaining trainer Dermot Weld to get his Irish season off to a flying start. Kinane lost his Irish title to John Murtagh last season but is intent on regaining it - despite the fact he will be spending much of the season in England. Macau racegoers of a few seasons ago will remember her as sparkling Swedish lass Jenny Moller, who won quite a few races at Taipa. Then she met and married former Hong Kong rider Bobby Vance and they returned to his native New Zealand. Jenny turned to training and Bobby continued in the saddle and she has had a real success. Last week she sent out her second Group One winner to claim the Ellerslie Sires Produce Stakes. As a rider in New Zealand she also won a Group One race so Jenny has made a considerable impact. Love To Dance, who won at Ellerslie for her, and Be Boss, her other Group One winner, are both owned by Hong Kong racing identity Eddie Lo in partnership with Vance's mother, Bonnie.
