Horse racing: Godolphin holds sway over British rivals

The Dubai-owned Godolphin stable continued its formidable form across the UK’s premier racecourses when Noble Star showed himself to be a star in the making with a hugely impressive last-to-first victory in the Group 2 Al Basti Equiworld Gimcrack Stakes at York racecourse on Friday.

Comfortably perched at the top of the Owner’s table, Godolphin is rapidly closing in on 100 winners having already amassed an excess of £4.5 million in prize money.

Dubai connections dominate the UK flat racing scene with Shadwell Estate in second place and businessman Saeed Suhail in third.

York’s Ebor meeting has for long been a happy hunting ground for Godolphin who celebrated a meet double after Desert Order landed the British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes.

Both horses were trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, who currently leads the Flat Jockey’s standings with a racking up five winners, while Appleby is only eclipsed by William Haggas in the top trainer’s category.

Noble Style, now unbeaten in three career starts, was held-up at the rear of the 12-strong field before he began to make his move approaching the two-furlong pole before quickening clear to score by a length and a quarter.

Appleby told Racing UK: “We have always held Noble Style in high regard and he has won well. The nice part about Noble Style is that he went through the line strongly.”

Highlighting plans for the progressive three-year-old son of Kingsman, Appleby added: “It’s whether we go for the Middle Park Stakes (G1 at Newmarket) next or step up to seven furlongs. The next couple of weeks is very important for all the two-year-olds as they try and find their feet with some important races coming up.”

Appleby also revealed that he nursed Classic hopes for the Godolphin colt and said: “I see no reason why Noble Style wouldn’t stay a mile in the 2,000 Guineas (G1 at Newmarket, 2023).

“He has a pedigree that suggests he will get it for sure and he does it all very nicely. He is up there with our best two-year-olds this season but we have a nice group of colts. Noble Style has done it, whereas the others have yet to do it, so he is top of the tree at the moment.”

Buick added: “We are still learning about Noble Style and today was a test for him. He came through it very well and will have learned a lot. I loved the way, when he put himself together, he found a stride and knuckled down.”

Meanwhile, Highfield Princess's won the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes in style under John Quinn.

The mare had only two weeks ago won her first Group 1 in France in the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville and added to her big-race winning tally with a stellar performance at York.