Godolphin's Ghaiyyath en route to winning the Group 1 Coronation Cup Stakes at Newmarket on Friday. - Supplied photo
Dubai - The five-year-old son of two Irish Classic winners clinched the one-mile and four-furlong affair by two and half lengths
Published: Fri 5 Jun 2020, 7:09 PM
Last updated: Sun 7 Jun 2020, 4:43 PM
Godolphin's Ghaiyyath stirred the Guineas Festival to life with a spectacular run to land the Group 1 Coronation Cup Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.
The five-year-old son of two Irish Classic winners - 2005 Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas champion Dubawi and 2006 Group 1 Irish 1000 Guineas champion Nighttime, left a strong and quality field of seven in his wake to clinch the one-mile and four-furlong affair by two and half lengths.
Saddled by British handler Charlie Appleby, Ghaiyyath, with an official rating of 126, is the highest-rated horse in the race, broke well from stalle one under William Buick and pulled away from the rest.
He had built up a huge lead as last year's winner Defoe, owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Obaid Al Maktoum, tailed his back. But Ghaiyyath kept pulling away as Defoe was joined by multiple Group 1 winner Stradivarius, the mount of Frankie Dettori.
But Ghaiyyath showed he had more than enough left in his reserve to take the post ahead of last year's Epsom Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck and Queen's Vaseand Ascot Gold Cup winner Stradivarius.
It brought up Ghaiyyath's seventh win in 10 starts and his second Group 1 win. And Godolphin, owned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, increased their tally of Group 1 winners this season to six and 321 overall.
Godolphin five previous Group 1 winners have been Colette in the Australian Oaks, Bivouac in the Newmarket Handicap, Barney Roy in the Jebel Hatta at Meydan, Trekking in The Furphy Goodwood and Victor Ludorum in the French 2000 Guineas.
"He's a pleasure to ride and an amazing horse. On his day he's a very explosive horse with a great cruising speed. This was a deeper field than some of the other races he has encountered and it was a good performance. He's incredibly genuine and puts everything into everything he does," Buick told Racing TV.
"I've always felt that we're dealing with the finished article this year and I'm hopeful his post-race condition will be stronger than it has been when he was four. If that's the case then we might be able to back him up a bit quicker than we have done in previous years," felt Appleby.
"He looked a million dollars today and full credit to Godolphin and the team, and most importantly His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, who has followed this horse right from the start of his career," added the 44-year-old.
Appleby and Buick teamed up again to see Renaissance Queen triumph by a length in the Stallions Fillies' Novice Stakes.
Earlier, Godolphin began the day with Saeed bin Suroor's charge Pure Beauty landing her maiden victory, with Pat Cosgrove onboard.
The four-year-old filly from the illustrious multiple Group 1 winner Shamardal, who passed away in April, at the grand age of 18, won the Stallions Maiden Fillies' Stakes (Div I) over seven furlongs.
And it was a one-two for Dubai with Lawahed, owned by Jebel Ali Racecourse patron Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, finishing two lengths behind in second.
Lord Tennyson, the mount of Dettori and trained by leading British handler John Gosden, was second in the Paradise Stakes.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Appleby and Buick saw two-year-old Dubawi colt Creative Force clinch his maiden win. Creative Force won the Maiden Stakes (Div II) run over six furlongs by one and a quarter lengths over Imperial Force.
Magical Land, also saddled by Appleby and the ride of Buick, finished second in the Maiden Stakes (Div I).
james@khaleejtimes.com
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