Frankie Dettori in a celebratory jump off King George contender Rewilding after winning at Royal Ascot. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/ReutersIt has already been a pleasantly productive year for Godolphin and, over the next six days, it may become significantly better. Indeed, if Blue Bunting manages to win Sunday's Irish Oaks and Rewilding follows up in the King George at Ascot on Saturday, there would be few years to compare with it.
But those who work for Sheikh Mohammed's outfit have learned caution and there is not so much as a breath of premature excitement in the camp. Frankie Dettori, in his 18th year as Godolphin's principal jockey, was happy and relaxed at Newbury on Saturday but, asked how 2011 was going for his team, would only say: "A week on Monday, you ask me."
Simon Crisford, Godolphin's spokesman, offers a variation on the theme. "It takes more than one swallow to make a summer," he says when asked to reflect on the successes so far.
Self-deprecation is a likeable trait but "one swallow" is surely underplaying it. The famous royal blue silks have led home their rivals in the Dubai Sheema Classic, the Prince of Wales's Stakes and the 1,000 Guineas, the first time since 2002 that Godolphin have managed to win a British Classic other than the unfashionable St Leger.
The first two of those wins were achieved by Rewilding, trained by Mahmood al-Zarooni and described by Crisford as "the No1 horse in our team at the moment. We've got to see him win [the King George] before we start comparing him to some of the best horses we've had, like Fantastic Light and Daylami. He has the potential to be right there with them but this is a key race for him."
The King George, arguably the most prestigious Flat race run in this country, would be key for anyone but has particular meaning for Godolphin, whose power in the late 90s was underlined by three consecutive victories. Since those heady times, it has been more of a benefit for their Irish rivals, Coolmore. Godolphin have notched a single winner in the past 11 years.
"It's a great race," says Dettori. "As a young chap [growing up in Italy], the only three races they showed on TV, from abroad, was the Derby, the King George and the Arc. They're the famous three and they've always carried some importance for me.
"If they all turn up [on Saturday], it's going to be a great race, with Workforce and St Nicholas Abbey. But we hope for the best."
The biggest payday of Rewilding's career came in the Sheema Classic in March, when his easy three-length win netted him ?1.9m (and never mind that his owners were basically winning back their own money). But there was more significance to his victory in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes, over a distance of a mile and a quarter that ought to have been too short for him.
"Obviously, we were worried they might run him off his legs," Dettori reflects, "but he surprised a lot of people and what he showed is the tremendous will to win that he's got. So You Think wasn't stopping and he had to go after him and get past him." The jockey did not think he could win until the last 100 yards.
"We found out that we had to space his races so we don't have to train him so hard any more. And I guess the flop [in last year's St Leger] was a combination of the race coming too early and perhaps the ground was a bit too soft. But he's a straightforward horse and, when he runs, he always gives his best."
The King George will fall five weeks and three days after Rewilding had what seemed a hard race at Royal Ascot. Even though the runner-up has since won the Eclipse, there is bound to be a concern that Rewilding will not be able to bounce back fast enough to show his best form on Saturday.
Crisford puts a brave face on this subject. "If it was longer, it would be better but six weeks is a decent gap for any horse. Sometimes the calendar dictates when you have to run.
"It's not at the back of our minds. We've seen nothing to suggest that it might have left a mark on him."
Blue Bunting was only fourth when favourite for the Epsom Oaks last month but Dettori puts that down to "a bit of a mess-up". Dancing Rain and Wonder Of Wonders finished first and second after being allowed an easy lead and the Godolphin filly would have been third if the jockey had not eased her close home, for which he has since served a suspension.
This time, Rumh will be used to set the race up for her from the front. "They're never easy to win, the Classics," Dettori says, "but I think we're going to bridge the gap from Epsom."
No comments:
Post a Comment