Godolphin Win Kentucky Oaks with Undefeated 'Special' Filly

Tara Madgwick - Saturday May 3

They might be scaling back in Australia, but on a global basis Godolphin are making their presence felt in the big three year-old races with the Group I Kentucky Oaks on Friday won by their homebred filly Good Cheer.

By their veteran sire Medaglia D’Oro, who shuttled to Australia for eight seasons starting in 2010, Good Cheer was undefeated coming into the Oaks and came out the same way despite some testing muddy conditions.

Advertisement

Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Luis Saez, Good Cheer was a short priced favourite and produced the good charting a wide passage throughout and sweeping to the lead in the straight before going on to win by two and a quarter lengths.

“I knew Good Cheer would keep coming and she’s awesome. She is so classy to deal with – I’ve said it for months – and she’s seven from seven. She’s perfect,” Brad Cox said.

“She was probably a touch closer to the pace than I thought she would be. I figured they would be rolling, and I thought that we would have four or five fillies in front of us. It worked out that way and Luis did a good job of keeping her engaged early. She has plenty of mud on her but keeping her in the clear was a positive.

“She is hopefully going to be a champion. We have been very fortunate to have had a lot of good fillies in the barn and she ranks right up with them. It’s very special to get her first G1.”

Winning rider Luis Saez was in awe of Good Cheer.

“I felt Good Cheer deserved to be here and to wear the crown today, because she is so special. If you look at her, she isn’t that big and you would never think that she had that kind of heart. This filly is something else,” he said.

Good Cheer has seven wins from seven starts and this victory is her first G1 success making her the 29th Group I winner for Medaglia D’oro, who is now 26 years old and still active with an advertised fee of $US75,000 for 2025.

She is a half-sister to stakes-winner Ya Hayati being the best of three winners from four foals to race from dual Group I winning Street Sense mare Wedding Toast.

Advertisment
More Reading...
First Foal of Melody Belle a Winner!
Two time NZ Horse of the Year and a 14-time G1 winner, Melody Belle was a big ticket purchase for Yulong at the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale when  they paid $2.6million for the daughter of Commands and she produced her first winner for them at Cranbourne on Friday night.
Go Racing Hoping for Big Day at Randwick
New Zealand syndicator Go Racing will be out to plunder the riches on offer at Randwick on Saturday, with their silks to be represented in two of the meeting’s key races.
Vin Cox to Join Forces with Star Thoroughbreds
Leading Australian syndicator Star Thoroughbreds has announced it will be partnering with Vin Cox for the 2026 yearling sales season.
Tabitha Ridley-Thomas Joins Magic Millions Bloodstock Team
Australia's leading thoroughbred auctioneer Magic Millions has boosted it's impressive Bloodstock Team with news Tabitha Ridley-Thomas has this week joined the company.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday October 29
Here is the full list of 44 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
2025 Victoria Derby Pedigree Preview - Who is Bred to Stay?
The Group I VRC Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday is worth a whopping $2 million and the testing trip of 2500m means a lot of horses are not going to see it out strongly and this looks a competitive year with no G1 winners engaged and a full field of up and comers set to do battle, so let’s see what the pedigrees have to say.
Breeding To Win - 2025 G1 VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes
Derby Day! It's the race day for purists, when the biggest and best pedigrees tend to be on show, and their merits are tested over all distances.
Walker Upbeat Heading into Flemington
Trainer Mark Walker will have a two-pronged attack on the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday, headed by last start Listed 3YO Geelong Classic (2200m) winner Azazel, with lightly-tried McWoody also making the field.
MRC locks in leadership as Tanya Fullarton named CEO and Jonathan Munz joins as Vice Chairman
The Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) has confirmed two major leadership appointments, naming Tanya Fullarton as Chief Executive Officer and leading business person, owner, and breeder Jonathan Munz as Vice Chairman.
Sires With Winners - Thursday October 30
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.