'He could make up into a Cup horse' - Newmarket trainer targeting top staying prizes after encouraging Dubai run

El Habeeb, Kevin Philippart de Foy’s first ever runner in Dubai on World Cup night at Meydan last month, was far from disgraced when finishing fifth in the Dubai Gold Cup and now has big targets at home and abroad.

The four-year-old finished hard on the heels of some smart types in the Group 2, won by Broome, and was only a length and three-quarters behind Subjectivist in third.

Granted a better passage, De Foy thinks his improving stayer could have finished in the frame and he will have another chance to prove himself soon, when he tackles the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes at Ascot on May 3.

The Newmarket trainer said: “We were thrilled with how El Habeeb ran in Dubai and hopefully in time we could have an Ascot Gold Cup horse on our hands. 

"The first two in the race, Broome and Siskany, had flown by the time he got going in the straight, but with a better early position he could have finished in the frame or at least where Subjectivist was. He travelled well in the race and stayed on well at the end, so hopefully that sets him up for a good season.”

Last year El Habeeb ran respectably in the Derby and the St Leger and scored in between in calmer waters at Wolverhampton. After Doncaster, he won the Listed Noel Murless Stakes at Ascot, and he is on his way back to the Berkshire track for his next outing.

De Foy said: “El Habeeb likes Ascot so we plan to go back there for the Group 3 Sagaro Stakes next month. We might avoid the top horses with him this year but, in time, hopefully he could make up into a Cup horse.”

El Habeeb will not be tackling the Gold Cup at Ascot just yet but has another Cup on his agenda for 2023.

De Foy added: “I know his owners are keen to run him in the Belmont Cup in the US this summer so we may look in that direction. Now we know he can travel abroad with no problem, it opens up many more doors."

Read these next:

'He's certainly back in the picture' - Subjectivist given Sagaro option before another Ascot Gold Cup bid      

'He's been a great servant' - Broome pips Siskany to land Dubai Gold Cup in track record time    

Tom Segal and Paul Kealy had 10-1 and 9-1 Saturday winners - get their tips and much more with 50% off Members' Club Ultimate Monthly 

Good Morning Bloodstock is our latest email newsletter. Leading bloodstock journalist Martin Stevens provides his take and insight on the biggest stories every morning from Monday to Friday.