Godolphin target Australian Derby success

Having dominated racing on both sides of the Atlantic in 2021, Godolphin will be hoping to translate that success to Australian shores on Saturday when they aim a pair of progressive youngsters at the $2 million Australian Derby at Royal Randwick racecourse in Sydney.

The Dubai-owned stable enjoyed a record-breaking year which saw them crowned champion owners in the UK and America but which has raised the level of expectations for the new international season.

Australian racecourses have long felt the power of the Dubai-owned stable and this weekend will be no different with the Boys in Blue strongly represented across the attractive 10-race card that features four Group 1 contests.

Head trainer James Cummings has prepared Alegron and Character specifically for the grueling 2,400-metre contest which is a genuine test of endurance for horses who are still maturing.

Inaugurated in 1861 as the AJC Randwick Derby Stakes, the Syndey showpiece has attracted a rich field of 18- runners and reserves, including the hugely impressive Victoria Derby hero Hitotsu and three-race scorer Castlereach Kid.

Character announced himself as a Derby contender when winning last week’s Tulloch Stakes at Newcastle, a race that has a strong line to the Classic. In recent years with four winners of the 1,850m contest going on to land the Syndey centerpiece.

Alegron, to be ridden by Australian Hall of Fame jockey Hugh Bowman, was gelded after finishing a game second to Hitotsu in the G1 Victoria Derby (2,500m) last October and has since had only two runs.

“He came back from Melbourne rather dour and we elected not to run the horse between then and the (ATC) Derby to have him with a little freshness in his legs to rediscover some of that earlier form in his campaign,” Cummings told the Godolphin website.

“He’s got the potential to run a lot better over the mile-and-a-half here and you’ll see a very fit horse in the enclosure.”

Commenting on Character’s chances, Cummings said: “He was a long way back from them in the Victoria Derby, but he was at the end of a very long campaign and had a lot of racing.

“He did as much as he had to do so close to the Derby on the weekend, but it was the run he needed to get him to excel over the mile-and-a-half.”

Tommy Berry, who has amassed over 1,300 career wins, will again ride Character.

Cummings will also saddle up another 10 horses in the other Stakes races at Randwick.

Defending champion Cascadian will be ridden by leading Sydney jockey James McDonald in the G1 Doncaster Mile, with Melbourne rider Jamie Kah aboard three-year-old sprinter Paulele in the G1 TJ Smith Stakes over 1,200m.

Spacewalk (Hugh Bowman), Honeycreeper (Hugh Bowman), Mamounia (Kah), Arcaded (Damian Lane), Hellfest (Chad Schofield), Heresy (Nash Rawiller), Zapateo (Tim Clark), and Larkspur Run (Rachel King) will all contest other G3 races.

Sam Freedman, who co-trains for Godolphin at Mornington with his father Anthony, for Godolphin, will arrive at Sydney to saddle-up Daumier in the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes over 1,400m at Randwick.

Winner of the Blue Diamond Stakes, Daumier was an exciting fourth in the G1 Golden Slipper a fortnight ago.

“He’s really well, he’s come through the Slipper nicely,” Freedman said.

“He gives his all every time he heads to the races so I think so he’ll put up another honest performance.”

AT A GLANCE

Australian Derby (G1), 2400m, Turf, Prize Money $2,000,000

9.55 am UAE Time