Superb juvenile performances bring up 25 G1 winners for 2019

Godolphin reached 25 G1 winners for the year over the weekend of Saturday 5 and Sunday, 6 October, as Victor Ludorum and Maxfield joined an exceptional list of two-year-olds to wear the royal blue silks in 2019.

Victor Ludorum continued an outstanding season for his sire Shamardal as he showed tremendous acceleration to capture the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc day at Longchamp, France.

The Andre Fabre-trained colt is the third juvenile by Shamardal to have graduated to G1 honours for Godolphin this season. Pinatubo produced the highest-rated two-year-old performance in 25 years when storming to victory the G1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes for Charlie Appleby at the Curragh, Ireland, in mid-September. Earthlight, also trained by Fabre, has gained two G1 victories this season and lowered the juvenile course record at Newmarket with a neck success in the Middle Park Stakes on Saturday, 28 September.

All three colts are unbeaten and among the leading contenders for next season’s European Classics. In the meantime, Pinatubo will look to cement his position as Europe’s champion two-year-old with victory in the G1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday, 12 October.

In the USA, Maxfield announced himself as a candidate for next year’s Triple Crown with a stunning victory for Brendan Walsh in the G1 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland. Stepping up from an eye-catching debut success at Churchill Downs, the Street Sense colt powered clear in the straight to score by five and a half lengths.

Maxfield’s victory continued a remarkable worldwide spell, with Godolphin homebreds by Darley stallions having captured G1 races in four different continents in the space of eight days. Bivouac (Exceed And Excel) in Australia and Tower Of London (Raven’s Pass) in Japan also contributed to the global hot streak along with Earthlight.

Maxfield is set to head to Santa Anita for the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in November and he could be joined by another unbeaten two-year-old, Alms, who booked her ticket for the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf with a swooping victory in the G3 Matron Stakes at Belmont Park.

Godolphin will aim for further big-race success at Keeneland’s Fall Meet this weekend with three-year-old Shamardal filly Castle Lady. The Poule d’Essai des Pouliches winner goes for a second G1 win in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on Saturday, 12 October.