7/26/2004

Godolphin...again!

Godolphin….again!

Last Saturday’s King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot was the highlight (for 3 and up) of the British horse racing season. It was also round 3 of the World Racing Series. But the latter fact is really incidental in the grand scheme of things. For the winner, Doyen, is just the latest phenom to emerge from Sheikh Mohammed’s all-conquering Godolphin Stables and just another (so far) very good horse to be sired by that wonderful son of Northern Dancer, Sadler’s Wells. And Ascot is a place where such burgeoning superstars invariably rise to the occasion.

Doyen, though, is not only the product of great breeding and the possessor of considerable talent, but also a benefactor of considerable patience courtesy of his handlers; who, while always appreciating his latent talent, were fortunate enough to be able to afford to wait for it to emerge. Something that, alas, is all too rare in the helta-skelta commercial world of modern horse racing…particularly in North America. So kudos Simon Crisford and co.

On the subject of North Americans, Hard Buck must be commended for a fine run, in second. A son of discarded Kentucky Derby winner, Spend a Buck, who was foaled and did his formative racing in Brazil, Hard Buck is really only 4 (per the Southern hemisphere foaling time) and in all probability, like many other South American horses who have run well in North America (Siphon, Gentlemen, Pico Central etc.) his success is as much due to his continuing soundness, as anything else……something that enabled him to consider this foreign excursion and compete so well at Ascot….’sans juice’!

Whether Doyen is as good as some of his illustrious predecessors (Dubai Millennium, Fantastic Light, Daylami etc. etc.) remains to be seen. One thing is clear, though, (and his stable companion, Refuse to Bend, another son of Sadler’s Wells has confirmed this, too) is that progeny of their great Coolmore-based sire do not have to have it soft to be at their best. And, in the latter’s case, they also possess the speed to win at a mile in top class company.

As for the World Racing Series, it’s a good idea, but one that really is currently only of interest to existing (hardcore) racing fans, and specifically only those in the locales where each race (stage) is being contested. Therefore finding a decent global sponsor is going to be very tough, until the format is made appealing to Joe Public. (Watch this space!!)