Dubai It was a bitter sweet day for Team Godolphin on day two of Newmarket’s July Festival when they saw their famed royal blue colours carried to victory in two races but also had to endure the shock defeat suffered by French star Usherette in the 250th running of the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes.
Andre Fabre’s four-year-old had won six of her seven starts, including the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, but she looked noticeably off colour when finishing sixth of seven behind the winner Alice Springs.
Some compensation for the Dubai-owned stable came in the form of the Saeed Bin Surour-trainer pair of Very Special (James McDonald) and Always Smile (James Doyle), who chased the winner home.
Earlier, Bin Surour and Charlie Appleby posted exciting wins races on either side of Fawaareq’s victory for Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Makroum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance in the Cambridge Handicap.
A son of Invincible Spirit, Fawaareq exhibited an exemplary fighting spirit in the hands of Paul Hanagan to deny Ifwecan, the mount of in-form rider Frankie Dettori.
Bin Surour, Godolphin’s longest serving handler who trains out of the stable’s principal base, the historic Godolphin Stables (formerly known as Stanley House Stables), in Newmarket, looks to have an exciting future prospect in the shape of the suitably named Dubai Hero.
The son of Dark Angel emulated former Bin Surour stars Rio de la Plata and True Story to land the Weatherbys EBF Stallions Maiden Stakes.
Ridden confidently by James Doyle, Dubai Hero had no problem coping with Newmarket’s stiff finish to cross the ling a 1 ½ clear of fellow Godolphin trainee D’Bai, ridden by James McDonald for Charlie Appleby.
The winner was introduced into the markets for next year’s English 2000 Guineas (Group 1) at odds of 50/1.
“He ran well. The horse is doing very good and his work in the morning is always impressive,” Bin Surour told Channel 4 Racing.
“Seven furlongs is the trip for him at the moment and, so far, I’m happy with him. The way he works in the morning he shows some class.
“I think in the future he can go further. Maybe we will take him to Goodwood for the seven-furlong Group 2 (Vintage Stakes) at the end of this month or maybe to Sandown for the Solario at Sandown.
“We will see how the horse comes back.”
John Ferguson, Godolphin’s Racing Manager and CEO, said: “The winner and the third are both very exciting two-year-olds to have going forward for the rest of the season.
“We’ll see how all of them are at the time and make a decision closer to the date.”
Godolphin’s impressive form was continued as Mise En Rose won the Price Bailey EBF Stallions Fillies’ Handicapunder a fine ride by James McDonald, the Australian rider who has been drafted in as a deputy for the suspended William Buick.
