Dubai: Here’s some good news and bad news.
The bad news is that Godolphin’s 2,000 Guineas (G1) runner-up Territories will not run in the St James’s Palace Stakes (Group 1) at Royal Ascot on Tuesday after picking up an injury in training.
However, the good news is that the Dubai-owned stable have acquired another potential star in the form of Irish 1,000 Guineas (G1) winner, Pleascach.
Subsequent to the deal, the daughter of Teofilo who is trained in Ireland by Jim Bolger, will run in the Ribblesdale Stakes (G2) at the Royal meeting on Thursday.
Godolphin, the globe-trotting racing stable, which was created in 1992 by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, have gone on an extensive buying spree this season.
Recent purchases include Birchwood, Richard Fahey’s unbeaten two-year-old, Ed Walker’s unbeaten four-year-old Lightning Moon and Richard Hannon’s smart juvenile Log Out Island,
Commenting on the Pleascach takeover John Ferguson, Bloodstock Adviser to Shaikh Mohammad, said in the Godolphin website: “Jim is keen for the filly to run at Royal Ascot, with the Irish Derby and the Irish Oaks both being targets in the future.
“His Highness Shaikh Mohammad believes when buying young Classic fillies, you look at them as a ten-year plan rather than just as a racehorse, and with the stallions that we now have at our disposal, the future is exciting.”
Godolphin have an impressive record in the Ribblesdale with principal trainer Saeed Bin Surour saddling five winners including Bahr (1998), Fairy Queen (1999), Punctilious (2004), Flying Cloud (2009), Hibaayeb (2010).
Meanwhile, the weather update for Royal Ascot is currently Good, Good to Firm in Places (watering).
Clerk of the Course, Chris Stickels, reported on Thursday: “We are putting a little bit of water on the straight track this morning. The forecast is for some thunder storms on Friday, which would be welcome.
“Beyond that, we’re expecting a mainly fine, dry week, so we’ll review the track conditions on Saturday morning after these thunder storms. After that we’re expecting the week to remain fine and dry.
“The intention is for us to start the meeting on good, fast ground, so a mixture of good, good to firm would be ideal. We’re expecting the temperature to be around 18 degrees on Tuesday — it’s been a bit dry this spring, and cool, but the track is in great shape.”
