Godolphin Favour Khaldun to Plunder Guineas

When Sheik Mohammed plays the bloodstock game, he plays to win. That much we knew last summer, when he responded to the lean performance of his Godolphin operation by setting off on a spending spree, paying untold millions of dollars for both racing and breeding stock.

Yet it was still an impressive sight yesterday morning as, collected together like foot soldiers for inspection, many of the Sheikh's purchases cantered around the Al Quoz training center at Godolphin's annual open morning. On the same day 12 months ago, there was a distinctly downbeat mood, a sense that Godolphin would head to its British base in New market with hope but little else. This year, though, there is a clear expectation that the royal blue silks will be competitive at the highest level throughout the 2008 season.

"Last year, we were talking about maiden winners being our Classic horses," said Simon Crisford, Godolphin's racing manager, "but this year we've got proper three-year-olds that have performed at the top level at two, so we know how good they are. Last year was actually not a bad season, the only thing that was bad about it was that we did not have a genuine Classic contender.

"The wheel turns. It's impossible to maintain championship form at the highest level every single season, it just doesn't work that way for anyone."

In all, there were 31 horses cantering at Al Quoz yesterday, which did not include such promising animals as Jalil, Godolphin's main hope for the Dubai World Cup here on Saturday evening, and the dirt sprinter Diabolical. The operation's plans for the 2,000 Guineas at New market in May, however, appear to be focused on two colts, Fast Company and, in particular, Ibn Khaldun, last year's Racing Post Trophy winner.

"We've got three Guineas horses, and of those, two will hopefully turn up at New market and one will go to the French Guineas," Crisford said. "At this stage, I'd say it will be Rio De La Plata who goes to France, and the other two to New market.

"Ibn Khaldun is a fantastic colt, he's looking very strong, he's had an excellent winter and he's been working very, very well. I'd hope that he would play a big part in the Guineas, but whether or not he's a Derby horse is another ball game. He puts so much energy into his race and his training that I think the trip might be too much for him.

"I think a fast-run mile will be ideal and that's what he'll get in the championship races. We might try him over a mile-and-a-half if he runs well in the Guineas."

There was a surreal edge to yesterday's press conference as Frankie Dettori, Kerrin McEvoy, trainer Saeed Bin Suroor and Crisford sat at a desk while paper debris from a massive explosion at a nearby factory fell around them like snowflakes.

McEvoy, Godolphin's second jockey, also named Ibn Khaldun when asked to pick a Godolphin horse to follow this season, while Dettori opted for last year's team-leader, Ramonti, as well as Fast Company. Ramonti will miss the World Cup meeting with a leg infection but is expected to be fit for Royal Ascot in June.

Betting is illegal in Dubai, but they do not turn bookmakers away at the border and there were several in attendance yesterday who adjusted their Classic betting afterwards. Coral cut Ibn Khaldun to 7-1 (from 10-1) for the 2,000 Guineas, while Fast Company made the same journey in reverse.

Two names that might creep under the radar, though, are the topical McCartney, nominated yesterday as Godolphin's likely runner in the Dante Stakes at York, and the filly Screen Star. She won a maiden at Redcar on her only start to date, but Crisford said yesterday that "hopefully she will be good enough to represent the stable at Royal Ascot".