Godolphin

Benbatl Likely For Champions Day

Globetrotting multiple Group 1 winner Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who is fresh off a record-breaking G2 Joel S. victory at Newmarket, has been confirmed for QIPCO Champions Day on Oct. 16, as long as the ground is not too heavy. The Godolphin colourbearer, who has earned top-drawer victories in Dubai, Germany and Australia, was winning his second Joel S. His first start of the season was a second in the G2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood in August after almost a year away from the racecourse. Benbatl holds entries in both...

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Adayar and Hurricane Lane in Top Form Ahead of Arc

Godolphin 2021 Classic winners Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) both exited their Saturday works in good shape and are pleasing trainer Charlie Appleby in advance of the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 3. A winner of the G1 Cazoo Derby-with his stablemate third-in the spring, Adayar added the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizibeth QIPCO S. on July 24. A setback ruled the bay out of an intended Arc warmup in the G2 Prix Niel on Sept. 12, but he...

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Sept. 26 Insights

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency HALF-SISTER TO ESSENTIAL QUALITY DEBUTS AT CHURCHILL 8th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 4:22 p.m. Brad Cox and Godolphin unveils a half-sister to their champion colt Essential Quality (Tapit) Sunday in FAMED (Uncle Mo). A Eclipse winner at two, Essential Quality has captured a quartet of Grade I races, most recently taking the GI Runhappy Travers S. Aug. 28. Their GSP dam Delightful Quality (Elusive Quality) is a half-sister to champion juvenile filly and dual Grade I winner Folklore (Tiznow). This is also the family...

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Another Joel For Benbatl As Newmarket's Track Record Falls

Confirming his love for Newmarket's Rowley Mile once again on Friday, one of the oldest TDN Rising Stars around Benbatl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) showed up in uncompromising mood to break Kameko's track record over the 2000 Guineas track and trip when repeating his 2019 success in the G2 Joel S. Third behind that Classic hero in this 12 months ago, Saeed bin Suroor's veteran warrior had been a short-head second to Lavender's Blue (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in Goodwood's G2 Celebration Mile having blown the start on his only...

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Buick Chooses Adayar For Arc

Jockey William Buick will ride this year's G1 Cazoo Derby and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. winner Adayar (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the Oct. 3 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, should both he and Charlie Appleby stablemate Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) line up at ParisLongchamp. Hurricane Lane finished third in the Derby and has since gone on to win the G1 Irish Derby, G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 St Leger. Both colts will work on Saturday, with Hurricane Lane's Arc status to be...

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Majestic To Bid For Rockfel Glory

Day two of Newmarket's Cambridgeshire Festival plays host to five black-type heats with the Unibet-sponsored G2 Rockfel S. and G2 Joel S. sharing top billing on the seven-race card. The former contest's honour roll features a swathe of subsequent Group 1 winners since the turn of the century, headed by Classic heroines Speciosa (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), Finsceal Beo (Ire) (Mr. Greeley) and Just The Judge (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}). However, the seven-furlong juvenile fillies' prize has never made its way to Kingsclere, and last month's G3 Sweet Solera S. victrix...

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Darley's sire Dubawi
Dubawi's Modern Games Makes All At Newmarket

Stepping off a 3 1/2-length Doncaster nursery handicap victory earlier this month, Godolphin's 2-year-old colt Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was in command throughout Thursday's G3 Tattersalls S. at Newmarket and registered another clear-cut success at the expense of Coolmore and Westerberg's French raider Trident (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) in his fifth consecutive start at the seven-furlong distance. He had earlier backed up a July 1 debut fifth at Haydock with a July 24 breakthrough score at Newmarket's Summer course and posted an Aug. 8 conditions second to the reopposing...

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Trident Takes Dead Aim On Tattersalls

Andre Fabre has long considered Newmarket to be a happy hunting ground and it is significant that the master of Chantilly is at the old "Headquarters" on Thursday for the G3 Tattersalls S. Thirty years ago, Tertian (Danzig) came for this specific race and duly landed the odds and this time it is Trident (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) who is lined up for the seven-furlong prize representing Messrs Smith, Magnier, Tabor and Westerberg. Runner-up in the G1 Prix Morny at Deauville Aug. 22, the bay can only improve over this...

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The Weekly Wrap: It's All About The Horses

Those who work in racing know all too well the endless hours devoted to getting horses ready for the racecourse, and fans of the sport were able to see that for themselves during the first National Racehorse Week in Britain. The brainchild of National Hunt trainer Richard Phillips, the inaugural week-long spotlight on the racing industry included racing stables being open to the public all over the country, starting at Epsom and Malton, and culminating in Newmarket's popular Henry Cecil Open Weekend. It can be deemed a huge success. This...

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It's Godolphin–Again–In the Summer S.

Off at a skinny 65 cents on the dollar--unsurprising given the incredible success of his stablemates over the weekend--Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) bombed the break in a way similar to the way Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) did in the Natalma S. one race prior, and similar to that one, overcame that trouble to post a cozy victory in the GI Summer S. at Woodbine. The win gives Albahr an all-fees-paid berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar Nov. 5 and provides a potent 1-2 punch...

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Godolphin Express Continues in Natalma

Godolphin's Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) became the first North American top-level winner for her superstar Banstead Manor-based stallion, overcoming an eventful start before storming home through the final furlong to prove much-the-best in the GI Natalma S. Sunday at Woodbine. With the victory, Wild Beauty earns herself a spot in the field for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar Nov. 5. After sharing favoritism with Saratoga raider and chief market Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) for the bulk of the wagering, Wild Beauty tightened into...

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Walton Street Airs in Canadian International

Walton Street (GB) (g, 7, Cape Cross {Ire}--Brom Felinity {Aus}, by Encosta de Lago {Aus}) sat in a perfect spot beneath Frankie Dettori chasing well-clear 41-1 longshot leader Primo Touch (Midas Touch {GB}) from second, crept closer on the far turn, gained command as they cornered for home and drew clear in the stretch to win for fun by 5 3/4 lengths in Saturday's GI Pattison Canadian International S. at Woodbine. Desert Encounter (Ire) (Halling) was second; Primo Touch stayed on for third. The 4-5 favorite completed 1 1/2 miles...

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