Group Two Test For Generalife

Time/Date - 16.25hrs local time/Saturday, January 30, 2016
Racecourse/Country - Randwick/Australia
Surface/Distance - Turf/1200m

Few horses in Godolphin's Australian stable are thought of more fondly than Generalife who makes his return to racing in the G2 Expressway Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, January 30.

While he hasn't been a star of the team, Generalife (John O'Shea/James McDonald), has earned a reputation for honesty and courage that has endeared him to his trainer - and he may have enough of those qualities to test his latest opponents.

Generalife has won nine races and his racetrack earnings are pushing toward AUS$1m.

"He's just one of those good, tough horses that always does his best," O'Shea said.

"It'd be great to get him up to AUS$1 million in prizemoney as a tribute to him."

It is almost 12 months since Generalife won his last race, but during that period he has put in some of his best performances.

O'Shea believes he was unlucky not to have won either the G1 Doomben 10,000 or the G1 Stradbroke Handicap in Brisbane last winter. He finished third in both races, the latter when coming from the outside gate.

In Melbourne last spring he ran a gallant race when second to Famous Seamus in G3 company at Sandown, having run well in a G2 event at Flemington before that.

Also in Generalife's favour on Saturday is his fine, first-up record.

The six-year-old scored his best win when resuming in the G3 Star Kingdom Stakes at Rosehill last March and he is first-up again in the Expressway.

Since his last appearance Generalife has had a quiet outing in a barrier trial finishing behind one of his Expressway rivals, Our Boy Malachi.