The Group I Coral Eclipse Stakes (1m2f) at Sandown overnight in the UK produced an upset result with the Godolphin entry Ghaiyyath emerging as the winner.
Champion mare Enable is the highest-rated horse in the world and was bidding for her second successive Eclipse and her 11th win at the highest level, but she had to bow to the race fit Ghaiyyath, who surged clear of her under William Buick to win by two and a half lengths.
It was the third win from three starts this year for the Charlie Appleby trained son of Dubawi, who won in Dubai back in February before last start taking out the Group I Coronation Cup at Newmarket.
“I have said before he has a huge cruising speed and knows how to use it. The race worked out well - he travelled in a nice rhythm all the way. We were very concerned about Enable and rightly so but it was her first run of the season and we had had two runs and I'm sure she will improve for the race,” said William Buick.
“He is not a horse who wants to be controlled; you just sit against him with his big stride and as Charlie [Appleby] said as a five-year-old he has matured, physically and mentally and become the finished article. I think his best trip will be a mile and a quarter - he is very fast with a high cruising speed and over a mile and a half you are worried the last furlong is going to be a long one.”
A 1.1million euro yearling purchase from Goffs for Godolphin, five year-old Ghaiyyath has the overall record of eight wins and two placings from 11 starts.
By Dubawi from a daughter of Galileo, Ghaiyyath is a half-brother to Fastnet Rock’s Group I winner Zhukova and is the best of five winners from Group I Irish Thousand Guineas winner Nightime.
Nightime has a half-sister called Mermaid Island (IRE) that has gone to stud here in Australia and left a number of winners including stakes-winner Ondina.
The Dubawi x Galileo nick is becoming a very successful one appearing in the pedigrees of 15 stakes-winners with Ghaiyyath one of three Group I winners bred this way joining Night of Thunder and Dream Castle.
The stakes-winner to runner strike rate is 9.8% and if we look at it more specifically with just Dubawi over daughters of Galileo the stats improve to 20% stakes-winners to runners.
Footnote: Connections of Enable were well satisfied with her return.
“Enable has run a magnificent race and definitely tired in the last furlong, Frankie (Dettori) was thrilled with her and said her behaviour was all positive - she didn't worry or sweat up before the race,” said her trainer John Gosden.
“There is a deep sense of relief and it's a nice platform to go for the King George now. There was never really any intention of keeping her in training at six but she is still in training because we got the tactics wrong in the Arc. We chased Ghaiyyath and he went for home in the false straight which is a no-no and we went far too hard too soon and walked the last 200 metres. I have been very open with everybody about it - she is an older mare now, not a three-year-old filly and getting to her racing weight has been a little bit of a struggle for her.”
