Godolphin star Benbatl has returned to training, raising conjecture that he will be set for a second WS Cox Plate bid in October.
The Saeed bin Suroor trained Benbatl, winner of last year's $6 million Dubai Turf at the World Cup meeting at Meydan, has not raced since he visited Australia last spring to take on Winx in the Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley.
The 5YO son of champion sire Dubawi made quite an impact in his two Australian starts, beating fellow Godolphin visitor Blair House in the G1 Ladbrokes Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield before finishing a gallant second to Winx in the Cox Plate when the great mare recorded her historic fourth successive win in the wfa championship.
It was an admirable performance by Benbatl as it came at the end of an arduous 2018 campaign that saw him race nine times on three different continents for wins in three G1 races in Dubai, Germany and Australia.
Bin Suroor said he was happy with Benbatl's condition and is open minded about his next international campaign that is expected to kick off in September.
"He's doing good and is back to work," Bin Suroor said.
"We gave him a break and let him take his time after a hard season.
"Right now we are looking for a race maybe in September.
"It could be in Germany or America or Canada – there are options for him and he will run when he is ready."
Last year Benbatl arrived in Australia in time to leave quarantine and contest the Caulfield Stakes 14 days before he took on Winx in the Cox Plate.
With WInx now in retirement and the value of the Cox Plate soaring to $5 million it would be a surprise if Bin Suroor is not weighing up another Melbourne visit for Benbatl against America's Breeders Cup meeting at Santa Anita in the first week of November.
Benbatl has had only 16 career starts for seven wins and four placings earning more than $A6.8 million prizemoney.
His two spring starts in Melbourne earned him a Timeform rating of 129, easily the highest figure in the 4YO age group in Australia this season.
Benbatl was rated four pounds clear of Best Solution and Pierata on 125 followed by Trapeze Artist (124).
The 6YO sprinter Santa Ana Lane topped this season's Australian Timeform ratings on 130 ahead of Winx, Benbatl and Happy Clapper on 129.
• A tendon injury has ended Melbourne Cup aspirations for OTI Racing's promising European stayer Amade.
OTI Racing's managing director Terry Henderson said the five-year-old gelding won't race again until the next norther season.
"He'll be out until around March next year," Henderson said.
OTI Racing purchased a 50 percent share in Amade after he won five successive races in Europe. He has since raced twice for OTI for a second in the All-Weather Stayers Championship (3200m) at Lingfield in the UK before shipping to New York to win the G2 Belmont Gold Cup (3200m).
