Godolphin

   Saint-Cloud stages the first Pattern-race Classic trial of 2021 on Tuesday, with the G3 Prix Penelope featuring Godolphin, Ecurie des Monceaux and Ecurie Skymarc Farm's exciting Philomene (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). A half-sister to the G1 Irish Oaks heroine and G1 Prix de Diane runner-up Chicquita (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) and the G1 MacKinnon S. and G2 Ribblesdale S. heroine Magic Wand (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), the Andre Fabre-trained filly was the €1.625-million topper of the 2019 Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale and was off the mark by a short neck from...

Godolphin has been riding a high since annexing last weekend's GI Dubai World Cup with homebred Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) and the operation looks to assert its dominance in the sophomore division Saturday with a pair of TDN Rising Stars, defending juvenile champion Essential Quality (Tapit), slated to run in Keeneland's GII Toyota Blue Grass S. and Aqueduct's GII Wood Memorial contender Prevalence (Medaglia d'Oro). Essential Quality earned his Rising Star status courtesy of a four-length victory sprinting six panels at Churchill Downs last September before handling his step up to...

Racing at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans drew to a close Mar. 28, a meet which saw purses hiked no fewer than three times and featured a typically strong stakes and overnight program supported by a wide swath of horsepeople. Ron Faucheux won his first training title at the Fair Grounds with 40 victories, three better than four-time defending champion trainer Brad Cox, whose successes at the meeting included the GII Risen Star S. with 'TDN Rising Star' Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and the GII Fair Grounds Oaks with 'Rising...

Godolphin's unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star' Prevalence (Medaglia d'Oro) recorded his final breeze ahead of Saturday's GII Wood Memorial S. presented by Resorts World Casino, covering a half mile in a best-of-30 :47.60 at Palm Meadows Sunday morning. "He worked here this morning at Palm Meadows and it went very well and he's flying up there [to Aqueductus] on Wednesday," said conditioner Brendan Walsh. "It looks like he's going into the race in good shape. It's another step now, so we'll find out if he can go the two turns as...

Adventuring opened her career with three off-turf races at Fair Grounds, most recently romping to a 6 1/2-length maiden score going one mile and 70 yards in New Orleans Feb. 16. Moving to the synthetic for this stakes debut, the bay filly was well off the pace set by the loose-on-the-lead Spritz. She made eye-catching progress on the far turn and stormed to the lead into the stretch, momentarily drifting out as the pacesetter fought back along the rail, but Adenturing powered clear once righted for a confident tally. Adventuring...

Any discussion of the world's leading turf sires must include Darley in Europe's Dubawi (Ire), but for all the success he has had with his runners on the grass, his strike rate on the dirt--particularly in Dubai--is nothing short of stunning. The sire of World Cup winner Prince Bishop (Ire) (and Monterosso {GB} on the Tapeta), Dubawi has also accounted for such horses as Hunter's Light (Ire), Benbatl (GB) and Mubtaahij (Ire). The latter took out the 2015 UAE Derby, and as the sun began to set Saturday at Meydan,...

4.20 Doncaster, Mdn, £5,300, 3yo, 10f 43yT KHAIZ (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the latest progeny out of the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Nightime (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), now one of the world's most revered broodmares courtesy of the exploits of this Charlie Appleby-trained colt's full-brother Ghaiyyath (Ire) and her GI Man o'War S. winner Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}). The top-priced colt of the 2018 Tattersalls December Foals Sale at 700,000gns, the March-foaled chestnut carries the silks of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum as he takes on some experienced...

Saturday's $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup may lack the star power of past renewals, but with 14 runners signed on from six countries for the race's 25th renewal it is nonetheless a fascinating event that has the potential to crown a new headliner, the most obvious being Godolphin's American shipper Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper). Trained by Michael Stidham, Mystic Guide broke his maiden by five lengths at second asking last March, and despite the American Triple Crown being re-arranged by the Covid-19 pandemic connections took a patient approach. Mystic Guide picked...

Godolphin's Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper), the current favourite to give Sheikh Mohammed a tenth victory in the Dubai World Cup, has drawn gate six for Saturday's $12 million contest.  His trainer Michael Stidham, who his making his Dubai debut, was clearly delighted with his 4-year-old's starting position. He said at Wednesday's draw at Meydan, "It's perfect. I couldn't be happier." Mystic Guide is one of three runners for the owner each trained in different countries, with the Andre Fabre trainee Magny Cours (Medaglia d'Oro) having drawn 12 and Saeed Bin Suroor's representative...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features a high-profile Tattersalls October Book 1 graduate. 3.55 Lingfield, Novice, £5,300, 3yo, 10f (AWT) POLLING DAY (IRE) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) is one of two John Gosden-trained newcomers in the Godolphin silks and is the apparent first string with Robert Havlin on board. A 625,000gns purchase...

Expected fields have been released for Meydan's $26.5-million Dubai World Cup card on Mar. 27, with 14 Group 1 winners set to line up on the night. The featured $12-million G1 Dubai World Cup is as ever an international affair. Godolphin brings three runners trained in three different countries, headed by homebred Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper), winner last time of the GIII Razorback H. at Oaklawn Park on Feb. 27 for trainer Mike Stidham. Saeed bin Suroor sends out Gifts Of Gold (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who won the Red Sea...

Defending juvenile champion Essential Quality (Tapit) is expected to make his next start in the Apr. 3 GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland, according to trainer Brad Cox Tuesday. The Godolphin homebred, who is slated to post his final major work this Saturday, most recently won the GIII Southwest S. at Oaklawn Feb. 27. "The Blue Grass is what we have zeroed in on," confirmed Cox. "He's done extremely well [since the Southwest]. We breezed him last Saturday [Mar. 13], and we clocked him at a half in :48.20,...