Godolphin quartet impress

Shards, Albernathy, Cestos and Salthouse triumph to show early promise

Abu Dhabi — Four of Godolphin Racing’s horses notched their first win in races held around the world over the weekend.

The quartet of Shards, Albernathy, Cestos and Salthouse are showing early promise by winning in Australia, the UK and Ireland.

Shards won the TAB.com.au Handicap in Rosehill, Australia, on Saturday, while Albernathy was successful in the Airports Love Sonic Bagdrop EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes in Sandown, UK, on Friday.

In Wyong, Australia, Cestos too was in top form, winning the Moneywise Insurance 3yo Maiden Plate on Thursday, while Salthouse clinched the Leopardstown Club Members Maiden In Leopardstown, Ireland.

Godolphin Racing also had two second and two third place finishes on Thursday.

Shards, the son of Medaglia d’Oro, had a strong race for his first win in three starts. Shards, trained by John O’Shea and ridden by Sam Clipperton, won the six-furlong contest by ¾ lengths over Quick Ransom.

The two-year-old colt had finished third in the TAB Rewards Maiden Plate in his first race in mid-way in Canterbury before a second place finish in the TAB Place Multi Plate in Rosehill, at the end of May.

Meanwhile, Albernathy, trained by Charlie Appleby, made a brilliant charge under William Buick, for his first win in only his second start. The son of Dubawi, Albernathy beat out Von Blucher and See You When, to win the race run over seven furlongs.

Albernathy had finished 10^th in his first race, in the ApolloBet Mobile Games Maiden Stakes at Haydock in May.

Cestos, too was a winner in only his second start, with the three-year-old son of Commands, triumphant by 1 ¼ lengths over The Governor. Cestos, the charge of John O’Shea and the ride of Timothy Clark, was third in his first race — the Mangerton Maiden Plate in Kembla grange. Meanwhile, Kevin Manning managed to get the best out of Salthouse, with the three-year-old son of Teofilo, winning by a whopping five lengths over Dream Craft. The charge of Jim Bolger, it was his first win in three starts.

Salthouse had finished fourth in his first race, the Irish Stallion Farms European Breeders Fund Maiden in Limerick in April before improving with a second place finish in the Trimgate Street Maiden in Navan in May.

The John Gosden-trained Markstein, the ride of William Buick, was second in the Carling Customer Maiden Stakes in Nottingham, UK, while Impressive Victory, the charge of Dubai World Cup-winning trainer Saeed bin Suroor and piloted by James Doyle, was third behind Markstein. Hibou, trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by James McDonald, finished second in the Brian And Lindsay Pells’ Ruby Wedding Maiden Stakes at Haydock.

Raitza, trained by John O’Shea and ridden by Darren Gauci, was third in the Win A Mazda 2 @ Mosstrooper Steeplecase Day 2yo Maiden Plate in Bendigo, Australia.

james@khaleejtimes.com