Godolphin produced two colts with massive big-race potential on opposite sides of the world on another 'super' Saturday for the 'royal blues,' when a total of seven winners were chalked up internationally.
Godolphin produced two colts with massive big-race potential on opposite sides of the world on another 'super' Saturday for the 'royal blues,' when a total of seven winners were chalked up internationally.
Exosphere lit up Rosehill Gardens, Sydney, with such a brilliant power-packed display that trainer John O'Shea has announced he will commit the Lonhro colt to the major sprints during the Melbourne Spring Carnival and forego a crack at the Caulfield Guineas.
And on Town Moor, Doncaster, UK, the Charlie Appleby-trained Emotionless lived up to his tall reputation when cruising home with the Champagne Stakes, over seven furlongs, stamping himself a worthy contender for the G1 Dubai Dewhurst Stakes on October 10, as well as next year's 2000 Guineas.
A busy weekend did not disappoint, with an explosive victory in the Prix Vermeille by Treve giving rise to hopes that she can create history by winning a third Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and, by bizarre coincidence, two key G1 races, the Doncaster St Leger and the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, both ended in the stewards room and became the subject of hot debate.
But we start with Exosphere, who raced away with Saturday's G1 Golden Rose in such convincing fashion that he has persuaded O'Shea to take the sprinting route, rather than step up to one mile. The colt will be aimed at the Coolmore Stud Stakes on October 31 and the Darley Classic on November 7, both down the straight 1,200-metre course at Flemington.
"After speaking to James (McDonald, the jockey), I think sprinting will be the best way to go. He is a big horse, and rather than sending him into a race such as the Guineas at Caulfield, with a big field, when you might have to jostle for a position, I think it better to run at Flemington on the straight course, where you have got plenty of room.
"We can keep him in his comfort zone by going to Randwick in 3 weeks, for either the Roman Consul Stakes or the Premier Stakes. I am keen to try him at weight-for-age this Spring. I think he is weight-for-age type and a good three-year-old gets in well at the weights in those races at this time of the year," he pointed out.
O'Shea has not ruled out Shards as a Caulfield Guineas contender -- he runs in the Stan Fox in two weeks -- while the trainer is also hoping Moher can measure up, though this lightly-raced Lonhro colt first needs to win a minor race at Bendigo on September 17.
At Moulton Paddocks, Newmarket, UK, the Shamardal colt Emotionless ate up heartily following his brilliant win in the G2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster, and he will be aimed at the Dewhurst on the second day of the Dubai Future Champions Festival at Newmarket on October 10.
"He has had two lovely introductions to racing, and he is worthy of a crack at the Dewhurst, where he will be meeting the best around. It is usually the defining two-year-old race of the season," Charlie Appleby said.
"I thought he jumped and travelled more professionally in the Champagne Stakes. We are treating him like a proper Guineas horse. He will stay here for the winter. He won't be going to Dubai, or anywhere else.
"His dam (Unbridled Elaine) won a Breeders' Cup Distaff, but we are not thinking of the States at this point in his career. The aim is the Guineas," he added.
In Ireland on Sunday, the Godolphin juveniles Herald The Dawn and Birchwood finished second and third, respectively, behind Air Force Blue in the Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at the Curragh. The winner relished the soft conditions.
Golden Horn shied at a shadow across the track and badly hampered third Free Eagle in the closing stages when taking the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, but while first reaction for most was that the winner should be thrown out, the stewards ruled correctly in letting him keep the race.
At Doncaster, the Ralph Beckett-trained Simple Verse was demoted to second in the St Leger after Bondi Beach was deemed to have been cost the race in two separate incidents in the final furlong.
Connections of Simple Verse will appeal against the decision. They have a strong case to be argued.
