Godolphin Happy With Classic Contenders

Godolphin contenders for the classics emerged from their first runs of the campaign in excellent order and remain on course for a crack at a string of major targets next month.

Beautiful Romance, who was having only her second start, battled bravely up the hill on Newmarket's demanding Rowley Mile for a solid third to Osaila and New Providence in the seven-furlong Nell Gwyn Stakes and looks set to build on that promising seasonal debut.

"She has come out of the race very well, and we look forward to her taking her place in the 1,000 Guineas field. She is a top class filly. I regard her highly," said trainer Saeed bin Suroor.

Beautiful Romance is by New Approach and from the family of Sakhee and Mastercraftsman, a pedigree that suggests she will get better over distances of one mile and beyond.

Festive Fare has always been highly regarded by trainer Charlie Appleby, and the trainer was anything but disappointed with the Teofilo colt's fourth to Golden Horn in the nine-furlong Feilden Stakes.

He was beaten two and a half lengths by the winner.

"We go next to the Dante at York, and we will assess where we are with him after that," Appleby said. "That run should tell us a lot more about him. He is entered for the Derby and a number of other important races," he added.

Another Godolphin colt worthy of comment in the classic context is Belardo, last year's Dewhurst winner, who finished eighth behind Muhaarar in the seven-furlong Greenham Stakes at Newbury.

Belardo, a son of Lope De Vega, won his Dewhurst on soft ground, whereas the Newbury ground was on the quick side. He has come out of the Greenham well and trainer Roger Varian is keen to push on to the 2,000 Guineas and to give the talented colt another chance.

A headline-makers among the ranks of Godolphin trainers at the weekend was Jim Bolger at the Curragh.

Bolger sent out a treble in Ireland, initiated by the Godolphin-owned filly Mimicking, a daughter of Invincible Spirit out of a Dubai Millennium mare. She won the maiden in good style.

The trainer's other two winners were Flight Risk in the Gladness Stakes and Parish Hall in the Alleged Stakes. Both are by Teofilo, the Darley stallion who has boasted amazing results in both hemispheres in the past 12 months.

Last week contenders for the 2000 Guineas were queuing up, waiting to take their chance in the most important 'trials', Newmarket's Craven Stakes followed by Newbury's Greenham Stakes.

Muhaarar, the Gimcrack winner at York last August, was always rated highly by trainer Charlie Hills, but his main concern was whether Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's home-bred son of Oasis Dream would ever get the one-mile trip.

The seven-furlong Greenham helped provide an answer. The manner in which he settled and then out-gunned Estidhkaar, also owned by Sheikh Hamdan, was a positive sign that Muhaarar should be competitive at one mile at Classic level.

Admittedly, the pace was strong, which suited him, but it will also be strong in the Guineas.

Richard Hannon trained both Estidhkaar, the runner-up, and third placed Ivawood.

Rather than be disappointed that neither of his big guns had been successful, the champion trainer was encouraged, looking ahead two weeks to Newmarket,

"I should think Ivawood will come on a lot for that", Hannon observed.

Ballydoyle, whose Gleneagles heads the Guineas market, sent over Dick Whittington, who finished fourth to give the Irish stable a line on the major chances.

Newmarket's Craven Stakes was arguably overshadowed as a classic pointer by the Greenham, particularly as Hannon, who trained Craven winner Kool Kompany, would regard that colt as behind Ivawood and Estidhkaar in the pecking order at home.

Richard Hughes jumped off Kool Kompany and declared he would be sticking with Ivawood in the Newmarket Guineas, and he thought the Craven winner would be better off aiming at the French or German versions. Time will tell.