Four winners for Godolphin at Warwick Farm
The Sydney autumn carnival might not have gone to plan for Godolphin, but the stable driven by regal riches has shown how it can dominate a race meeting.
Excluding Rosehill Guineas day where the stable prepared four winners, Godolphin’s carnival story was underpinned by good chances that didn’t deliver.
While Wednesday at Warwick Farm was a far cry from the Group One carnival days, four winners at a city-class meeting showed the strength of the Sheikh Mohammed’s Australian stable.
“We’ve been going to races with nice chances each day,” trainer John O’Shea said.
“Sometimes they’re hitting the crossbar and today they’re hitting the line.”
The stable’s retained jockey James McDonald partnered all four winners and added another for local trainer Michael Costa.
Promising two-year-old colt Radcliffe highlighted Godolphin’s success as he showed his quality to sit three-wide and then sprint to win the first race in a photo-finish.
O’Shea was delighted with the win given Radcliffe was pitted against other juveniles with quality breeding.
“He’s a little talent and being by Lonhro he’ll obviously get better,” O’Shea said.
Radcliffe might race in the Claret Stakes at Hawkesbury on April 30 before heading for a spell.
Montignac made it two winners for Godolphin.
O’Shea said the three-year-old filly had the desire to win but the stable would be patient with her development.
“We’d just like to see her furnished a little bit more physically,” O’Shea said.
Duca Valentinois secured a treble, with McDonald piloting the gelding to a last-to-first victory.
Godolphin and McDonald’s most dominant winner was their fourth and final winner.
Reincarnate strode away from the field to record a three-length win in the McGrath Estate Agents Handicap.
Apprentice Rory Hutchings received a seven meeting suspension for careless riding aboard Miss Antaeus in the same race.