Cover image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Years of work lead to days like Godolphin had on Saturday, and years of success can be built from them.
The victory of import Cascadian (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) in one of Australia's most fabled races, the G1 Doncaster Mile, spoke to the strong relationship the Godolphin racing teams share across both hemispheres, as well as the skills of both his trainer, as well as jockey Jamie Kah, who became the first female rider of a Godolphin Group 1 winner anywhere in the world.
But for the local team with Godolphin and its associated stallion brand Darley, the victory of Anamoe (Street Boss {USA}) in the G1 Inglis Sires' was particularly special, given the role played by almost every part of the Australian organisation in getting the extremely talented colt to this point.
"He articulates what we are about in Australia. We are a race-to-breed and breed-to-race operation. To have one of our own stallions, a shuttle stallion from America, Street Boss, produce what is arguably the best 2-year-old in the country. He is a colt who ultimately we can retire to our stallion roster," Cox told TDN AusNZ.
James McDonald aboard Anamoe | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
"Everyone has something to do with the horse. He was conceived at Northwood Park, he was foaled and raised at Woodlands, he was broken in at Kelvinside and he was educated in his early days at Crown Lodge.
"He ended up at Carbine in Melbourne where he kicked off his career and won a stakes race and then he transitions up to Osborne Park, all before the end of his 2-year-old career.
"He's been through the whole organisation. Everyone has their fingerprints on him and has got some skin in the horse. It's a wonderful result for the whole team."
"He's (Anamoe) been through the whole organisation. Everyone has their fingerprints on him and has got some skin in the horse. It's a wonderful result for the whole team." - Vin Cox
The evolution of Anamoe this season from an early-season 2-year-old prospect to an elite 2-year-old talent is something that can be attributed to that commitment to teamwork, according to Cox.
"Not everyone gets their name written in the paper like James or the jockeys or some of the more high-profile team members, but they all know they play their part. And playing their part gets us results like that," he said.
Doncaster success a global effort
The marquee day at The Championships also points to the virtues of having a global arm that can facilitate results like occurred when Cascadian surged late to nab the Doncaster, the Blue Army's second win in the famous mile race.
"It was a pretty special day. To win a Doncaster which is one of the great races on the Australian program is a big thing. It’s always a very competitive race, a competitive betting race, and lots of chances, being a handicap," he said.
"To win it with a horse that has been sent out here from the Northern Hemisphere by the European team is wonderful. To have Jamie Kah ride the horse and become the first female rider to win a Group 1 for Godolphin is quite outstanding as well."
Jamie Kah aboard Cascadian (GB) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Bred in Great Britain, Cascadian was formerly prepared in France by Andre Fabre before being identified as an ideal prospect to come to Australia. It may have been two years in the making, but Saturday's success vindicated that decision.
"It speaks to the diversity of our brand and our organisation the fact that the European guys are happy to let one of these horses go, to win a big race and a big-money race like a Doncaster H., it justified what they have done and the faith they had in the horse to send him out," Cox said.
"Liam O'Rourke and Joe Osborne tend to pick them out and they have done a pretty good job of it over the past few years. We won't give them too much help, because they are doing a brilliant job."
Godolphin's Australian arm has had Group 1 success in Australia in the past decade with imports such as Contributer (Ire), Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}), It’s Somewhat (USA) (Dynaformer {USA}), Magic Hurricane (Ire) (Hurricane Run {Ire}), Avilius (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Best Of Days (GB) (Azamour {Ire}).
Cox said the one thing that the team has learned about these imports is that they often need a bit of patience to adapt to their new surroundings.
"Most international horses need that time to acclimatise from a racing perspective, from a conditions perspective and then integrating into our system. They are trained differently here. They are trained on a circle rather than up a long gallop uphill. Adapting to our conditions and our environs can take that time," Cox said.
Frosted fillies fly the flag in Adelaide
Earlier in the day, Godolphin homebred Paulele (Dawn Approach {Ire}) claimed the G3 Kindergarten S. at Randwick and to complete a juvenile stakes treble for Cummings, Cloudy led a quinella for Darley sire Frosted (USA) in beating home stablemate Translation in the Listed Dequetteville S. at Morphettville.
Frosted (USA) | Standing at Darley
That result in Adelaide continued the remarkable run for Frosted's progeny in what is the son of Tapit's (USA) first season of having runners to the track in Australia.
"He really has kicked off well. He's only had nine starters and he has already got two stakes winners. To get Group 1 performers, horses that have performed in Golden Slippers and Blue Diamonds and those two of his that went over to Adelaide and ran one-two, he looks like a stallion of real substance," Cox said.
"We are very much looking forward to getting him back to Australia and keeping his career going at Northwood Park."
"We are very much looking forward to getting him (Frosted) back to Australia and keeping his career going at Northwood Park." - Vin Cox
Given the roller coaster that the thoroughbred industry can provide, even for an operation as big as Godolphin in Australia, it’s days like Saturday which Cox says make the effort worthwhile.
"It's nice when it works like that, because as we all know in this business it doesn't always work out the way you hope and want it to," he said.
"When all cylinders are firing it makes it a lot easier, everyone enjoys it. You get a kick out of it and you revel in the success. As they should, they work very hard and it’s great to see. It pumps up everyone's tyres and puts a spring in their step."
Bivouac decision pending
Meanwhile, Cox confirmed a decision will be made early this week on whether star sprinter Bivouac, who finished fifth in the G1 TJ Smith S. heads on to Royal Ascot, or is retired to stud after Saturday's run.
Bivouac
"We haven't announced that he'll retire at this stage, but we will have a chat about it tomorrow (Monday)," he said.
"It's well-documented what he has been able to do and what his feats have been. He's an exciting prospect when he does arrive in the stallion barn.
"We have sold a bunch of breeding rights in the horse to some very prominent breeders in this country and we look forward to launching his stallion career."
