Godolphin

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 the first runner for highly anticipated first-season sire Shalaa (Ire). 10.10 Deauville, Mdn, €22,000, unraced 2yo, 5fT Lady Bamford's €250,000 Arqana August acquisition CHERIE AMOUR (FR) (Shalaa {Ire}) becomes the first representative for Haras de Bouquetot-based freshman sire Shalaa (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) in this five-runner...

The 12 Godolphin Flying Start Trainees for 2020-2022 were announced on Tuesday. Split evenly between the sexes and hailing from Australia, France, Ireland, the UK and the USA, the dozen students will participate in the Thoroughbred Industry Management and Leadership Programme where they will study and work in Ireland, the UK, the USA, Australia and Dubai. The course is accredited by University College Dublin Michael Smurfit Business School as a Graduate Certificate in Management. The trainees are as follows: George Broughton, UK Samantha Bussanich, USA Devon Dougherty, USA Solène Hudbert,...

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 Wertheimer-bred sibling to a Group 1 winner. 11.25 La Teste de Buch, Mdn, €13,000, unraced 3yo, 10 1/2fT Alain and Gerard Wertheimer's homebred STAMINA (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) is out of G2 Prix de Sandringham third Stormina (Gulch) and thus a half-sister to G1 Prix...

Keeping up its morning theme, Chantilly stages a fascinating renewal of the G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil Longines for the older milers at 11 a.m. on Monday, with Jean-Claude Seroul's beloved Skalleti (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}) back in the limelight following a stellar 2019 campaign. Scaling the ladder effortlessly with wins in the Listed Prix Jacques de Bremond at Vichy in July and G3 Prix Quincey at Deauville August over this mile trip before securing the 10-furlong G2 Prix Dollar at ParisLongchamp in October and G2 Premio Roma at Capannelle in...

6th-OP, $60K, Msw, 3yo, 6f, 4:36 p.m. ET Phoenix Thoroughbred III Ltd's INIS GLUAIRE (Bernardini) debuts for trainer Steve Asmussen. The dark bay, who realized an $825,000 final bid at last year's OBSMAR sale after completing an eighth of a mile in :9 4/5, is a son of Inish Glora (Regal Classic), a two-time Sovereign Award-winning turf female in Canada and dam of five winners from seven to race, including MSW Roan Inish (Elusive Quality) and GSP In Equality (Quality Road). The Apr. 6 foal, bred by Robert Costigan in...

Each of the winners of Britain's all-weather championship categories, which were revealed on Friday, have pledged to donate some or all of their cash prizes to National Health Service charities to aid its ongoing fight against COVID-19. Godolphin, Mick Appleby and Ben Curtis were announced as winners of the owner, trainer and jockey categories respectively, while George Rooke was named champion apprentice jockey, Dubai Warrior (GB) (Dansili {GB}) Horse of the Year and Agent of Fortune (GB) (Kheleyf) Winning Most Horse. Each of the six categories carries a cash prize...

When Sheikh Mohammed purchased Stonerside back in 2008, trainers previously employed by Bob McNair's massive operation, such as Mike Stidham, were kept on board provisionally as the acquired stable of runners transitioned to carry the famed maroon-and-white silks of Darley. "The deal was that we were able to stay in with the horses that we had at the time," said Stidham, who saddled the Stonerside-bred Tizaqueena (Tiznow) to a pair of graded tallies as well as Grade I placing at Keeneland for Darley. "And once those horses were retired, we...

   On the 20-year anniversary of Dubai Millennium's track record-setting victory (a mark that still holds today) in the Dubai World Cup, Tom Frary looks back on the legendary performance by the storied horse. As the final Saturday in March 2000 slipped into evening, an already exhilarated Nad Al Sheba gathering waited with a mix of eagerness and angst for the main event. The fifth running of the $6-million G1 Dubai World Cup featured a beautiful, inspiring bay colt with an edict placed upon him by the talismanic Sheikh Mohammed...

Mystic Guide romped to 'TDN Rising Star'-dom in his second attempt at Fair Grounds Saturday after finishing a troubled third sprinting on debut here Feb. 15. Saving ground in fifth through a :24.07 opening quarter, the flashy chestnut moved off the fence through a :48.59 half-mile. Creeping up two wide on the backstretch, he was four wide turning for home and rolled clear in the lane to win as he pleased. Amani's Eagle (American Pharoah) completed the exacta. Five-time Grade I winner Music Note is also responsible for a juvenile...

An undefeated Grade I winner heading into last fall's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita, Godolphin's Maxfield (Street Sense) appeared well on his way to claiming the 1 1/16-mile championship race and a juvenile title to boot. However, fate intervened. Scratched in the days leading up to the event because of an ankle chip, Maxfield underwent surgery to remove the chip and was subsequently given some down time in Ocala before joining Brendan Walsh's Florida-based string at Palm Meadows earlier this winter. "Since we gave him the break, he's...

Coming into the G2 Dubai City of Gold on the back of some mixed winter form, Loxley (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) held on stoically to repel red-hot favourite Defoe (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) by a rapidly diminishing margin, claiming his first victory since August 2018. Just a short head separated the pair at the wire after Loxley swept from near the rear of the field off the home turn to pass Defoe, bumping him fleetingly in the manoeuvre. The classy grey recovered swiftly to switch into top gear under Andrea Atzeni...

The first Group 1 of the evening at Meydan brought a trifecta for Charlie Appleby in the Jebel Hatta with the class act of the field, Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}), claiming his second win at the highest level and his third victory since returning to training after his failed stud career. Settled towards the rear of the field by William Buick after jumping from the widest gate, the 6-year-old raced a tad keenly at times but made steady progress around the home turn, quickening nicely once switched outside to...