Godolphin celebrates historic weekend of success as restructuring looms

Just a week ago, the news broke that Godolphin were restructuring the Australian arm of their global organisation and that James Cummings would move on to the next chapter of his career at the conclusion of the current season as a trainer in his own right.

While the local industry has been processing that news, which came out of left field, Godolphin’s has been hitting new highs on the international stage … in fact, the highest of highs when gathering in a scintillating series of successes over the past weekend.

The dirt turned to mud and the grind turned to glory at Churchill Downs for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and the head of the mighty Godolphin global racing operation, when the appropriately named Sovereignty gave the ‘blue army’ powerhouse its first win in the Kentucky Derby.

That win in a race, billed as the most exciting two minutes in sport, might have been the highlight in an extraordinary weekend for the Godolphin machine, but it was the incredible package of Group 1 winners that they put together over just a couple of days that blasted their success into the stratosphere, in what might be a feat which racing will never see repeated.

How is this for an honour roll … four-timer par excellence.

At Churchill Downs:

On the Friday (May 2), Godolphin’s homebred, the Brad Cox trained Good Cheer, won the Kentucky Oaks. In doing so, she successfully defended her unbeaten record to make it seven straight wins in a row.

On Saturday (May 3) the Bill Mott trained Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby completing an historic Oaks / Derby double for Godolphin, who became only the second organisation to do so after the Camulet Farm Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing operation.

At Newmarket:

On Saturday (May 3) the Charlie Appleby trained Ruling Court won the first British classic of the season, the 2000 Guineas. Ruling Court is a three-time winner from four starts.

On Sunday (May 4) Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick reeled in a rare Group 1 double of their own when Desert Flower landed the 1000 Guineas. Desert Flower is unbeaten in five starts. Appleby and Buick are the first trainer / jockey combination to complete the Guineas double on Classic weekend since Aidan O’Brien and Kieren Fallon in 2005.

To state the obvious, that is simply outstanding work, and it should fuel the anticipation of Australian racing enthusiasts as to what the ‘new look’ Australian arm of Godolphin might achieve moving forward with a wider base of trainers.

The plan, from the start of the new season, is for some horses to remain with Cummings while others will race for different trainers.

Importantly for the local industry, Andy Makiv, Godolphin’s Australia Managing Director has already confirmed that, “We will continue to have the same number of horses in training. It’s fundamental to what we do.”

So, from August 1, it will be all systems go for Godolphin Australia.

They will just be jumping from a different starting gate.