Nine winners worldwide for Godolphin on Saturday but one two-year-old stole the limelight with a sparkling display in the G2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket (UK).
Nine winners worldwide for Godolphin on Saturday but one two-year-old stole the limelight with a sparkling display in the G2 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket (UK).
His name is Boynton, and he may well figure in Classic discussions for 2017 all the way to the G1 2,000 Guineas on Newmarket's famous Rowley Mile.
This admirable chestnut colt by More Than Ready displayed courage and grit beyond his years in a head-to-head with the Ballydoyle colt War Decree, which he ultimately won, by three quarters of a length. There was a gap of five lengths back to Mr Scaramanga in third.
Trainer Charlie Appleby was delighted and expects Boynton to improve again next time out. His most immediate target is likely to be the seven-furlong G1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at the Curragh on September 11.
John Ferguson, Godolphin's chief executive and racing manager, chimed in with lavish praise for the unbeaten juvenile: "He deserves to take his chance in a race such as the National Stakes. It was nice to see him battle like that, all the way to the line. He is an exciting colt."
Boynton's victory capped a successful July Meeting for Godolphin at Newmarket. The two-year-olds Dubai Hero and Easy Victory both showed great promise and should be followed closely for the remainder of the season.
In New York, at the traditional Stars and Stripes meeting, Godolphin's Marking finished a gallant second in the G3 Belmont Sprint Championship, raising hopes that he could figure in some of the major sprints in coming weeks.
Internationally, Sunday was a busy day, with Al Shaqab's Zelzal turning in a good performance on ground that dried up quickly to land the G1 Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly from the talented Stormy Antarctic.
In Hamburg, the Andreas Wohler-trained Isfahan won the G1 German Derby on ground that had turned heavy. The colt had previously been beaten in a G2 on good ground in Rome. He is a son of sire Lord Of England.
