Godolphin

It's Royal Ascot once again, but not as we know it. No crowds, no fashion, no Queen. It is a case of "Royal Ascot At Home" for virtually everybody this year, even for the main players whose money makes it all possible. That said, at least there is still Frankie, Aidan O'Brien, Wesley Ward, Sir Michael Stoute and Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and all the other working equine and human cast and crew that make this week so special. One of Britain's most brilliant racehorses of recent years, Battaash...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Hakodate, Hanshin and Tokyo Racecourses: Saturday, June 13, 2020 8th-TOK, ¥14,360,000 ($134k), Allowance, 3yo/up, 2000mT LOUD AND CLEAR (c, 3, Giant's Causeway--Melody Maiden, by Saint Ballado) improved for a solid debut fourth over this distance Apr. 4 to graduate last...

An expected Kentucky Derby favorite, Godolphin homebred Maxfield (Street Sense) suffered a non-displaced condylar fracture in his right front leg Wednesday morning while breezing a half-mile at Keeneland. The Brendan Walsh trainee joins a growing list of 3-year-olds now off the Derby trail as Wells Bayou (Lookin At Lucky) was found to have bone bruising also on Wednesday morning. Within the past two weeks, the race also lost the undefeated Bob Baffert colts Nadal (Blame) and Charlatan (Speightstown) due to injuries. "He wasn't cooling out right after the work," Walsh...

Dalham Hall Stud resident Territories (Ire) (Invincible {Ire}) became the latest freshman sire to have sired a winner when Haras de la Gousserie's Rougir (Fr) pounced late to garner Wednesday's Prix Pauline over seven furlongs at Chantilly. 2nd-Chantilly, €22,000, Mdn, 6-10, unraced 2yo, f, 7fT, 1:29.76, g/s. ROUGIR (FR) (f, 2, Territories {Ire}--Summer Moon {Fr} {SP-Fr}, by Elusive City), originally named as Lune de Printemps (Fr), was restrained to settle off the pace towards the rear for most of this debut. Inching closer once into the straight, the 8-1 chance...

Though coming off an impressive win in the GIII Matt Winn S. at Churchill Downs, Maxfield (Street Sense) will not start in the GI Belmont S., this year the first leg in the Triple Crown. His next start will come instead in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. July 11 at Keeneland. The news that Maxfield was headed to the Blue Grass was first reported by the Daily Racing Form. "It's really a matter of trying to make the proper progressive steps," said Jimmy Bell, the president and racing manager...

Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum's Fooraat (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was penalised seven pounds for winning her Oct. 25 debut tackling seven furlongs at Newcastle and delivered an emphatic performance to earn TDN Rising Star status on seasonal return in Tuesday's British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies' Novice S. upped to one mile at Chelmsford City. The March-foaled bay was sharply into stride and assumed immediate control. Comfortable on the lead throughout, the 11-8 second choice had the measure of all 10 rivals when called into action approaching the final furlong and powered...

European champion Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) is doing well following his third-place finish in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas and will point to the G1 St James's Palace S. at Royal Ascot. Trainer Charlie Appleby  reported the Godolphin runner to be none the worse following his effort on the Rowley Mile on Saturday. The Shamardal colt suffered the first reverse of his career in the wake of Kameko (Kitten's Joy) and Wichita (Ire) (No Nay Never). Prior to the Guienas, Pinatubo won each of his six juvenile outings and boasted a...

Golden Melody (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}), a William Haggas-trained newcomer, became the first winner for her Kildangan Stud-based freshman sire (by Lope de Vega {Ire}) with a 2 1/4-length success over six furlongs at Haydock. 6th-Haydock, £6,400, Nov, 6-7, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:15.03, g/s. GOLDEN MELODY (IRE) (f, 2, Belardo {Ire}--Chanter {GB}, by Lomitas {GB}) was well away to stalk the leaders in a handy fourth through halfway in this first go. Shaken up when angled into an open lane passing the quarter-mile marker, the 4-1 chance seized control approaching the...

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 last year's Tattersalls October top-priced yearling. 1.15 Newmarket, Mdn, £6,400, 2yo, 6fT NOBLE DYNASTY (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the 3.6million gns Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1-topping sensation who represents the Charlie Appleby stable and is one of four Godolphin representatives. A half-brother to the yard's...

A four-time Grade I winner in training at Santa Anita under Bob Baffert, an undefeated homebred Triple Crown hopeful, and a two-year-old named a 'TDN Rising Star' after winning on debut by almost nine lengths. This year, Street Sense is a stallion sales manager's dream. The champion juvenile and GI Kentucky Derby winner's race record speaks for itself, but now his top progeny are looking to make this their sire's biggest year yet. Street Sense spent a year in Japan in 2013 after starting off his first five years at...

Strongly-supported for Saturday's G2 Betfair Dahlia Fillies' S. at Newmarket, Godolphin's G2 Prix de la Nonette winner Terebellum (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) justified the burden of 10-11 favouritism to provide Frankie Dettori with his first winner in the royal blue since 2012. Travelling smoothly in mid-division early, the bay moved to Magic Lily (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) and into the lead passing the two-furlong pole before holding Queen Power (Ire) (Shamardal) to score a shade comfortably by 1 1/4 lengths. Making a bold impression with a 4 1/2-length winning...

Godolphin's Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) had proven capable of scintillating performances at times during his 2019 campaign and he pulled out another tour de force at Newmarket on Friday when dominating the G1 Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup. Left in no man's land after his imperious 8 1/2-length success in the Feb. 20 G3 Dubai Millennium at Meydan, the 5-year-old who had spreadeagled his opposition in the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden made up for a missed opportunity on World Cup night in some fashion here. Quickly to the head of...