Juddmonte Farm’s Kingman has given Godolphin a new Australian Group I winner in Zardozi this season and he also gave them a new stakes-winner overnight in the UK when undefeated filly Devoted Queen won the Listed Sky Bet Stakes (1m) at York.
Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, Devoted Queen won her only start last year at Newmarket and then returned to win at Kempton before stepping up to stakes class for this assignment.
She cruised home as favourite to win by a couple of lengths and has an entry for the Group I Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
“Devoted Queen has really grown up. She was very professional. She was a bit headstrong last time at Kempton and the hood definitely helped. She's going the right way,” said Alex Merriam, assistant to Charlie Appleby.
A homebred for Godolphin, Devoted Queen is a half-sister to Group III winner One Ruler and is the second stakes-winner among four winners from Group II winning Shamardal mare Fintry.
She is the 79th stakes-winner for Kingman, whose Group I winning son King Colorado, will stand his first season at Widden Victoria this spring at a fee of $16,500.
