‘I’ve been at Godolphin 20 years and this is a special time’
Alastair Pulford believes the global operation is arguably in its most successful era after another dual hemisphere Group 1 double
A mere eight and a half hours after Anamoe (Street Boss) romped to Caulfield Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) success in Melbourne on Saturday, enhancing his status as one of the most exciting stallion prospects for the Australian arm of the global goliath of the Godolphin blue, his northern hemisphere counterpart Native Trail (Oasis Dream) exerted his credentials as Britain’s most exciting juvenile with victory in the Dewhurst Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) at Newmarket.
It was the third such occasion this calendar year that Godolphin have powered to Group 1 success in two different jurisdictions on the same weekend, with Saturday’s triumphs adding to a memorable fixture in June when Adayar (Frankel) catapulted up the fence to streak clear in the Epsom Derby (Gr 1, 1m 4f) and, hours later, Althiqa (Dark Angel) and Essential Quality (Tapit) saluted in Grade 1s at Belmont in the US, while Native Trail again played a leading role as his victory in the National Stakes (Gr 1, 7f) at the Curragh was preceded by Hurricane Lane’s (Frankel) English St Leger Stakes (Gr 1, 1m 6.5f) in last month’s final British Classic of the 2021 season.
The sextet has provided 13 of Godolphin’s 20 worldwide Group 1 wins this calendar year, which have included two of the five UK Classics, and four elite-level wins in the southern hemisphere, while this year adds to recent success of 2019 champion juvenile Pinatubo (Shamardal), who will embark on shuttle duties to Australia next season, as well as the world’s highest-rated horse last year, Ghaiyathh (Dubawi), whose first Australian book is now full.
Darley Australia’s head of stallions Alastair Pulford joined Sheikh Mohammad’s empire back in 2003, and has lived and breathed the success of Godolphin for the best part of the last 20 years, leading the native Zimbabwean to declare the present day as one of the most successful periods of the operation’s near 30-year history.
“I’ve worked for Godolphin for 20 years now and different jurisdictions have had great results at different points, but for it all to come together at once, as it is at the moment, with America having such a quality colt in Essential Quality, the UK having Native Trail and Adayar and us having Anamoe, yes, it is a special time,” Pulford told ANZ Bloodstock News yesterday.
“It was one of the great days, no doubt about that. Anamoe winning the Caulfield Guineas, it was a race he’s been set for and we were hopeful, although not confident, heading into the race. While we were all watching Native Trail overnight too. We’re a global company and it’s great to share in the success.”
Godolphin also celebrated Paulele’s (Dawn Approach) win in the Roman Consul Stakes (Gr 2, 1200m) at Randwick on Saturday, which brought up an interstate big-race double in Australia, and the present success for Godolphin in Australia is the product of a hatched plan that began with the purchase of Ingham Bloodstock Enterprises in 2008.
“I’ve said before that one of the great things about working for his Highness Sheikh Mohammed is the quality of horses you get to deal with, and my God, that’s on show at the moment,” Pulford said.
“It is the result of the great plan that’s all come together, and it hasn’t been easy and we’ve had our ups and downs, but it’s great going at the moment, it’s as good a time as any we’ve had.”
Anamoe denied Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Captivant (Capitalist) and Blue Diamond Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m) hero Artorius (Flying Artie) in becoming the fastest ever winner of the stallion-making Caulfield Guineas, covering the mile in 1.35.00 secs, while this year’s edition was the first to feature three previous Group 1 winners on the podium since Our Maizcay’s (Maizcay) victory in 1995 when defeating Ravarda (Rave Report) and Octagonal (Zabeel).
James Cummings yesterday suggested Anamoe could now take his place in this year’s Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) as opposed to staying at the shorter distances, a move Pulford believes will only add to his stallion appeal despite a market that craves speed.
“It was one of the great Caulfield Guineas races ever and they ran the fastest time ever. That says enough in itself,” he said.
“I think this edition will stand up. It always was the go-to race, with horses such as Redoute’s Choice and Lonhro, they advertise the worth of the race. But the Spring Carnival nowadays is divided and a lot of the good colts will go towards the Coolmore Stud Stakes.
“If he can win the Cox Plate, and I’ll back James any day, it puts him in elite company. Recently the likes of Savabeel, So You Think, Shamus Award have won it, and they’re all very, very quick stallions.
“We are short of those sorts of horses in Australia. We’re very good at breeding these very fast, two-year-old, early three-year-old horses, but if Anamoe can transcend that and go from an elite two-year-old and win a Cox Plate, weight for age, against the best in the country, well, that really puts him at another level.”
The star colt is one of eight Group 1 winners for Street Boss (Street Cry), whose sire-sons include Rosemont Stud resident and Group 3 winner Hanseatic and, similar to the trajectory of the wider success at Godolphin Australia, the triumphs of the stallion are the results of a well-laid plan that will continue with his move to the Hunter Valley this season where he stands at a career-high fee of $55,000 (inc GST).
“Street Boss has obviously captured the attention of most of the high-end breeders in the country. He’s been a very busy horse this year,” Pulford said.
“He’s a high class stallion, there’s no doubt, and if you send him the right mare you get the right result. We recognised that a few years ago and that’s why we started sending him better and better mares and obviously Hanseatic last year and Anamoe this year is a result of that program. It was a deliberate decision. We recognised the talent the horse had, the lack of opportunity he had, and what he’d done with the opportunity he did have.
“Being in the Hunter Valley, and he’s a 17-year-old horse now, but I venture to say that even at that age the best is yet to come. This year will be by far the best book of mares he’s ever covered in Australia so far, and hopefully that will be extended into the next few years.”