Tag: Godolphin

Cody’s Wish Aiming for Derby Day Return

Cody's Wish (Curlin), last seen capturing the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile in dramatic fashion at Keeneland Nov. 5, is targeting the GI Churchill Downs S. on the GI Kentucky Derby undercard for his 2023 lidlifter.

The Godolphin homebred returned to the worktab with a three-furlong breeze in :38.80 (2/3) at Hall of Famer Bill Mott's Payson Park base Mar. 1. He breezed four furlongs in :51.80 (32/33) Friday.

“He is doing very well,” Godolphin USA Director of Bloodstock Michael Banahan said. “He looks in fantastic shape. After the Breeders' Cup, he probably needed a little bit of a break, and it did him well. He's a big horse already and he filled out and got even stronger. Bill is very happy with him. He's just stepping it up a little bit now.”

Cody's Wish, an Eclipse Award finalist for champion sprinter, capped his 4-year-old campaign riding a four-race winning streak. He punched his ticket to Lexington with a breakthrough victory over champion sprinter Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) with a career-best 112 Beyer Speed Figure in the GI Forego S. at Saratoga Aug. 27.

The bay is a perfect four-for-four at the site of his intended seven-furlong comebacker, all going a one-turn mile, led by last summer's Hanshin S.

Looking further ahead in 2023, races like the prestigious GI Hill 'n' Dale Metropolitan H. on the loaded GI Belmont S. program could be on the radar for Cody's Wish as well.

“You hate to get too far ahead of yourself, but if he's doing well, we'll certainly be looking in that direction for sure,” Banahan said.

Cody's Wish, one of 20 Grade I winners for leading sire and two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, was produced by GI Gazelle S. heroine and late-running GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint third-place finisher Dance Card (Tapit). His 7-year-old half-brother Endorsed (Medaglia d'Oro) is currently on a three-race winning streak of his own, including wins this winter for trainer Mike Maker in the GIII Fred W. Hooper S. and GII WinStar Gulfstream Park Mile S., respectively.

With G1 Dubai World Cup winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) and GI Carter H. winner Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) already set to join the stallion roster at Jonabell Farm in 2023, the decision was made to have Cody's Wish remain in training for his 5-year-old season.

“We debated it extensively internally,” Banahan said. “After he beat Jackie's Warrior in the Forego, we thought we could go wherever we wanted with him as far as a stallion prospect. Probably what made it a little bit easier, we had two new stallions coming in already and we felt that there was still plenty to achieve with Cody's Wish. We're hoping to have a really big year with him.”

The post Cody’s Wish Aiming for Derby Day Return appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Bahraini Listed Races Attract Godolphin Participation

A trio of runners bearing the Godolphin royal blue will contest the Listed His Majesty The King's Cup Sponsored By Bapco and the Listed Al Methaq Mile in Bahrain on Friday.

G3 Glorious S. winner and Group 1-placed Passion And Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), representing Saeed bin Suroor, and First Ruler (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) from the Charlie Appleby yard both line up in the King's Cup. Appleby also saddles listed winner and multiple group-placed Modern News (GB) (Shamardal) in the Al Methaq Mile.

Appleby said, “First Ruler has got a progressive profile. This is his first test at listed level so we will learn a bit more about him. His profile is going the right way that he doesn't look out of place at this level, but we will be wiser afterwards. The track and conditions should suit him.”

On Modern News Appleby added, “Modern News is a solid campaigner; I was delighted with his last start at Meydan and stepping back up to a mile will suit him. With a nice draw, I think he is the one they've got to beat. He has got a penalty, but I think he can overcome that, and conditions will suit him.”

Zagato (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who won last year's edition of the King's Cup, will attempt to defend his crown for trainer Fawzi Nass. Allan Smith has two in the race for Al Adiyat Racing: Rayounpour (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and Recovery Run (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}).

Smith said, “Recovery Run and Rayounpour have both been in and out of form this season, but they're both working well so we're hopeful. The competition is getting much better in Bahrain and the strength of the horses is amazing in the last three years. We love the competition that's what it's all about, it makes everyone get better horses and improve their stable.”

Smith added, “This is the raceday of our season. It always has been The King's Cup. It's the equivalent to Royal Ascot; it's the pinnacle of racing in Bahrain.”

The feature race, The King's Cup, will be available to watch live on Racing TV and via live stream on The Bahrain Turf Club website at 12:45 p.m. UK time.

The post Bahraini Listed Races Attract Godolphin Participation appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Godolphin Storm to Early Success in G2 City of Gold

Even without the star quality of Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), the Charlie Appleby stable still managed a one-two in the $250,000 G2 Dubai City of Gold Sponsored By Emirates SkyCargo, with Global Storm (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) holding off the late challenge of Kemari (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) to give Godolphin the perfect start to Super Saturday.

The 6-year-old winner was making his first start since last September and, despite being winless for most of last year following a February Meydan handicap success, he had posted some decent placed efforts including when third to the talented Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G2 Princess of Wales's S. at Newmarket's July meeting.

Given a positive ride by William Buick, Global Storm was driven to the front early in proceedings despite being drawn wide in 11, and thereafter the pair dominated proceedings from an easy lead, extending their advantage in the straight to beat Kemari by 2 1/2. The Musabbeh Al Mheiri-trained and Godolphin-bred Daramethos (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) took third, finishing a neck in front of Rakeez (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}).

“This horse had been working with Rebel's Romance and he's a solid old campaigner out here and was just touched off in this race last year by Hukum (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}),” said Appleby. “Will gave him a lovely ride on the front end and dictated it from the back stretch. He'd done plenty of galloping so we were confident he'd be fit enough.”

Buick said, “He had to work to get to the front but he did everything right and he is a very relaxed horse so you never worry about him over-racing. He got to the front and pricked his ears and it was just [a case of ] what he was going to find in the straight. Once he picked up on the apex of the turn I thought it would take something decent to get past him. He was third in this race last year and if you go back to that form and the third in Princess of Wales's, on his day he is a pretty decent horse.”

He added, “Charlie told me to ride him and he told me how to ride him so I thank him for that.”

 

Pedigree Notes

Bred by Grenane House Stud and bought by Godolphin from Powerstown Stud at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up Sale for 260,000gns, Global Storm is the first foal of the Street Cry (Ire) mare Travel, herself bred by Darley and a half-sister to the brilliant but ill-fated Eight Belles (Unbridled's Song), as well as the multiple Jebel Ali winner Escape Route (Elusive Quality).

Travel has a 2-year-old filly by Camelot (GB) named Where I Wanna Be (Ire) and was barren to the same stallion the following year. She was covered last season by No Nay Never.

Saturday, Meydan, Middle East
DUBAI CITY OF GOLD (SPONSORED BY EMIRATES SKYCARGO)-G2, $250,000, Meydan, 3-4, NH4yo/up & SH3yo/up, 2410mT, 2:27.47, gd.
1–GLOBAL STORM (IRE), 126, g, 6, by Night Of Thunder (Ire)
1st Dam: Travel, by Street Cry (Ire)
2nd Dam: Away, by Dixieland Band
3rd Dam: Be A Prospector, by Mr. Prospector
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. (200,000gns Wlg '17
TATDEC; 260,000gns HRA '19 TATAPR).
O-Godolphin; B-Grenane House Stud (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby;
J-William Buick. $150,000. Lifetime Record: GSP-Eng, 23-5-4-6,
$348,922. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-
   style pedigree.
2–Kemari (GB), 126, g, 5, Dubawi (Ire)–Koora (GB), by Pivotal
(GB). (400,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Fittocks
Stud (GB); T-Charlie Appleby. $50,000.
3–Daramethos (Ire), 126, g, 5, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Dark Orchid,
by Dansili (GB). 1ST GROUP BLACK-TYPE. (AED160,000 HRA
'22 ERASEP). O-Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Humaid Al Nuaimi;
B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Musabbeh Al Mheiri. $25,000.
Margins: 2HF, 1 1/4, NK.
Also Ran: Rakeez (GB), Global Heat (Ire), Lost Eden (Ire), Fastnet Crown (Ire), Senor Toba (Aus), White Wolf (Ire), Annerville (Ire), Tides Of War (Ire), Away He Goes (Ire), Green Team (Fr), New Comedy (Ire). Scratched: Rebel's Romance (Ire). VIDEO.

 

The post Godolphin Storm to Early Success in G2 City of Gold appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Guineas Targets Next For Mawj

Either the G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas on May 7 or the French equivalent on May 14 are next for 'TDN Rising Star' Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), trainer Saeed bin Suroor revealed.

Two-for-two at Meydan after victories on Jan. 27 and Feb. 24, the royal blue silksbearer is pleasing bin Suroor since her latest effort.

Bin Suroor said, “She ran really well [on Feb. 24]. She won over six furlongs in England and she came back here over seven furlongs, the way she worked in the morning I thought she could stay the mile. It was worth a try and she was really impressive, she won it easily. She's a tiny filly but she has plenty of speed, she's by Exceed And Excel.”

The Godolphin filly broke her maiden at first asking, earning her 'Rising Star' moniker by 4 3/4 lengths at Newmarket on May 14, and was second in the G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot behind subsequent GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never) in June. She earned a group rosette herself with a half-length victory over future Group 1 winner Lezoo (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) in the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. in July, but finished fourth in the G2 Lowther S. a month later. Her final 2022 appearance was a third to Lezoo and Meditate in the G1 Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket on Sept. 24.

“There are options to run her in the French or the English Guineas, one of those will be the next target with her,” he said. “The way she's done it, she's definitely improved, she did it so well. She's grown a little bit out in Dubai and she's a better filly now. To run her in the Guineas is a bigger step, but we will have a chance.”

The post Guineas Targets Next For Mawj appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights