Dubai: It was a rather rare sight to see the two Godolphin jockeys, James Doyle and William Buick, battle it out for opposing trainers on the opening day at Newmarket’s Dubai Future Champions Festival on Saturday.
While Buick sported the Godolphin’s trademark royal blue colours aboard Sound And Silence, Doyle donned the green and yellow silks made famous by dual Group 1 winner The Grey Gatsby, for Irish owner Frank Gillespie’s Abel Haady in the Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes.
Trained by Declan Carroll, Abel Haady denied Sound Of Silence, who had beaten him by ½ length in a Listed contest at York in late August, when holding on for a neck victory in the strong hands of Doyle.
Trained by Charlie Appleby in Newmarket, Sound And Silence made most of the running before Abel Handy got into the act and past him at the shadow of the post.
Meanwhile, Appleby’s Magic Lily ran a big race in defeat behind Laurensin the Fillies’ Mile.
Karl Burke’s filly also gifted jockey PJ McDonald with a first Group 1 victory.
The eye-catcher in the race was Aidan O’Brien’s September who was travelling strongest at the finish to finish a close second.
Dual Group 1 winner Limato comfortably landed the Godolphin Stud And Stable Staff Awards Challenge Stakes from Massaat, ridden by Jim Crowley for Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance.
Commenting on Abel Haady’s victory Doyle told ITV racing “He had to be very tough. We had a good ding-dong (battle) with Sound And Silence from the two-furlong pole and he toughed it out really well. Sound And Silence is a pretty solid horse.
“I beat this fellow on Sound And Silence at York and Sound And Silence has gone on to win a Group 3 since over in France.
“You can’t take anything away from this fellow. He’s a bonny little horse and Declan seems to have done a fantastic job with him.”
Carroll said of the winner: “He was very brave. He really wanted that. He’s come forward with every run this horse and we were very pleased with him coming into the race.
“Sound And Silence had gone on and won in France and it was always going to be close today. Our horse has stepped up. He won’t run again this season. We’ll put him away and make a plan through the winter for him. I think he’ll progress.”
Appleby said of Sound And Silence: “He ran another solid race, but he had to give the penalty away and was bit free early doors.
“That will be him done for the year and he’ll be a nice, fun horse in five- or six-furlong races next year. He’s been ultra-consistent all season.”
