Dubai’s Team Godolphin unleash no less than 37 horses in an ambitiuous trans-Atrlantic campaign over the weekend – one of the biggest in flat racing with both the UK and America hosting major Classics.
While Newmarket stage the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas on Saturday and Sunday respectively, Churchill Downs in Kentucky are all set to stage a milestone 150th Kentucky Derby, a race often billed as the most exciting g two minutes in sport and the Kentucky Oaks.
It’s a big weekend for team Godolphin and big-race handler Charlie Appleby who saddles top contenders at both venues.
For the first time in 22 years Godolphin’s royal blue silks were set to be represented in all four of this week’s Classics before Encino was ruled out with a “soft tissue strain” picked up during training.
Trainer Brad Cox told Churchill Downs’ publicity team on Tuesday that Godolphin’s Grade 3 Lexington Stakes winner Encino will not run in the Kentucky Derby. According to Churchill Downs publicity, Cox said the Nyquist colt was “off” after training Tuesday morning.
“Little bit of time and rest and treatment and hopefully he’ll be fine,” Cox told the Daily Racing Form.
However, the Bernardini filly Tarifa will aspire to emulate the victory of Pretty Mischievous in last year’s Kentucky Oaks (G1) and follow the same route of having won the Rachel Alexandra Stakes and G2 Fair Grounds Oaks as part of her preparations.
Michael Banahan, Director of Bloodstock, Godolphin USA, told the stable’s website: “Tarifa has had a great winter/spring down in the Fair Grounds and enjoyed a nice gap between the Fair Grounds Oaks and the Kentucky Oaks.
“She has thrived in the interim and her works indicate that she is sitting on a big run. Brad has been very pleased with her preparation.
“She will be a worthy favorite and, if she settles and gets a good trip, she could very well provide us with a consecutive Oaks win following Pretty Mischievous last year.”
Last year’s Champion Pretty Mischievous returns to Churchill Downs to contest the Group 1 La Troienne Stakes.
Back in the UK, Apploeby is set for an extra busy weekend saddling a battalion of horses led by the unbeaten Dubawi colt Notable Speech who lines up in the 2,000 Guineas having won all three of his previous starts on on Kempton Park’s synthetic surface.
Godolphin are looking for a fifth win in the colt’s classic and second in three years following Coroebus’s victory in 2012.
“Notable Speech is three from three on the all-weather and you are always going to sit on the fence slightly as to whether they can transfer that style of racing to the turf,” Appleby said.
“We are confident that he can and excited to find out. He is a son of Dubawi, and we know from experience that his offspring can be pretty versatile.
“His homework has been good, and he has had a great preparation so far. We all know we have a couple of nice horses to beat on the ratings and what they have achieved, but I will be disappointed if he doesn’t run a big race,” added Appleby.
Saeed bin Suroor saddled Mawj to win last year;s 1,000 Guineas following warm-up wins at Meydan and Cinderella’s Dream attempts to follow suit.
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Dance Sequence also lines up for Godolphin in the fillies’ Classic after running a big race at the Craven meeting when a close second in the Group 3 Nell Gwyn Stakes at tNewmarket.
While First Mission, Nash, Mischief Magic, Legend Of Time and Naval Power will be targeting Graded Stakes wins at Churchill Downs King Of Conquest, Castle Way and Silver Lady are all slotted to run in the undercard at Newmarket’s Guineas meetings.