Godolphin sights set on QEII
Librettist and Proclamation will fly the flag for a buoyant Godolphin team in a mouth-watering renewal of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot tomorrow.
The ‘boys in blue’ have been firing in the winners recently and will be hoping one of their stable stars can provide them with a fourth success in this high-profile contest.
Having saddled Mark Of Esteem, Dubai Millennium and Summoner to lift the prize in recent years, handler Saeed bin Suroor certainly knows what it takes to win the mile showpiece and he feels his chosen pair will do him proud this time around.
“The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is a very good race in terms of the quality of the runners,” he concedes.
“I am looking forward to good runs from both the Godolphin horses. Librettist is unbeaten this year and has won two Group Ones in France. This is his big test in England and I am pleased with him.
“Proclamation is having his second run this season. He is in good form and has been working pleasingly for Kerrin McEvoy who rides on Saturday and knows him well,” he told www.godolphin.com.
While Librettist has proved popular with punters today, there will undoubtedly be much interest in Proclamation, who has had just the one run under the Godolphin banner to date.
He finished a respectable third behind Ad Valorem in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot at a time when the team’s horses were underperforming, and McEvoy is very much looking forward to partnering him in the £250,000 event.
“I’ve ridden him a few times at home and he’s been moving really well and done some nice bits of work,” he told At The Races.
“I’d like a bit of rain as I think that’ll help him tomorrow if he gets his toe in a bit, and on his best form I think he’d have a great chance.”
The presence of Ed Dunlop’s impressive Sussex Stakes winner Court Masterpiece adds further strength to the field, with connections expecting another very bold show from their six-year-old, who impressed his onlookers in a recent workout.
“He always works pretty good but to me he just seemed to look better – he has a lot of zest in his work at the moment anyway,” explained Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owners Gainsborough Stud.
“I think he is pretty easy to train and I don’t think he’s ever had a bad gallop but the other day he just scooted clear of his work companion, which Ed doesn’t often let him do.”
Raymond was pleased to see him confirm his stamina over a mile last time, and would not be unduly worried by the prospect of easy going.
“I felt a mile could be a problem for him before last year, although he had won at a mile before. I just felt in the top grade, going up to Group One company, that he might struggle.
“Certainly going into Ascot, where he got practically knocked over, I was still having reservations about it but then the Sussex put all those ideas to sleep.
“He gets the mile well and the other thing was that in his younger days he used to be a fast ground horse,” he went on.
“It wasn’t until we let him run on very soft ground in a Listed race at Goodwood that we realised that’s not so important.
“It was an inferior race and he would have won it on fast ground too, but I said to Ed that as they get a bit older they often need a bit of cut.
“Librettist comes into the race in very good form but I presume he’ll go off in front and he’ll be a good horse to aim at – that’s the main thing as he needs something to aim at.”
Further spice is added to a fascinating renewal as the English and Irish 2000 Guineas winners line up to ensure the Classic generation is well represented.
George Washington bids to regain the winning thread after making a respectable return to action when third at Goodwood last time, as does Araafa, his conqueror in the Curragh classic.
The latter registered a second impressive win at the highest level in the St James’s Palace before disappointing behind Court Masterpiece at Goodwood, and handler Jeremy Noseda hopes he will show his true colours tomorrow.
“I have been happy with Araafa’s preparations. Now we are just looking for some luck on the day,” he told www.jeremynoseda.com.
Nannina was successful over course and distance in the Coronation Stakes earlier in the year but question marks have been raised regarding the filly’s participation following the arrival of the rains.
“John Gosden was at the track and I know he’s walked it – I haven’t actually heard from him but I’d think it’s unlikely she’ll run,” said Chris Richardson, managing director at Cheveley Park Stud.
George Washington currently maintains favouritism at 7-4 with Coral despite the firm witnessing a flood of support for Librettist, who now trades as short as 5-2.
“With Frankie Dettori on board Librettist, there’s every chance the Godolphin colt will be sent off favourite on the 10th anniversary of his Magnificent Seven,” explained Coral’s David Stevens.
Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, Coral bet: 7-4 George Washington, 5-2 Librettist, 5-1 Court Masterpiece, 11-2 Araafa, 6-1 Proclamation, 22-1 Nannina, 40-1 Killybegs, 50-1 Ivan Denisovich, 150-1 River Tiber.
