Godolphin Discard Wins Godolphin Crown

Mark Smith - Saturday April 28

Godolphin discard Pecans put a dagger in the heart of the sponsor of Saturday's Group III Godolphin Crown (1300m) at Hawkesbury when she edged the royally-bred Ghisoni in a driving finish.

The Joe Pride-trained filly was making her first start since opening her stakes account in the Group III Belle Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) at Gosford in December.

Advertisement

Given a positive ride by Josh Parr, Pecans defeated Ghisoni (Lonhro) by a neck with Invincibella (I Am Invincible) half a length back in third. (photos Steve Hart ). 


Purchased by the Tricolours Syndicate at the Inglis August Thoroughbred Sale for $50,000, Pecans advances her record to 5 wins and 5 seconds from 13 starts with earnings of $285,515.

The 4yo daughter of Skilled had just a solitary win, a maiden at Newcastle at her first start on her resume at the time of her sale although she had been runner-up in the three starts before she was sold.

"I just wanted to see a good run from her today, she had a little set-back so for her to come back and do that is a pretty fair effort," Pride said.

"I'm not sure I'll take her to Scone, especially on the back of a really nice win like that. It might be a bit of a rush to get her there, so I might just freshen her up and find a nice race in Brisbane for her".

Parr said the win had an extra special meaning for him.

"It's nice to get a black-type winner for my man Skilled who was my first Group 1 winner, so that's cool, Parr said.

A half-sister to the Listed MRC Merson Cooper Stakes winner Secession (Lonhro) and the stakes-placed Purdy (Lonhro), Pecans descends from a family that served Woodlands well for many decades.

Pecans is the 11th and final foal of Walnut who died in 2013. The daughter of Procul Harum was a stakes-winning half-sister to the dam of Listed Stakes winner Finishing Card (Platinum Scissors).

Pecans is the only stakes-winner to date by the 2010 Group 1 AJC Champagne Stakes hero Skilled (Commands.

The brother to Cornerstone Stud Farm's Ambidexter and half-brother to Darley Stud's Sidestep (Exceed And Excel), Skilled stood at Riverbank Farm in 2017 at a fee of $3,300.

Advertisment
More Reading...
First G1 Winner for St Marks Basilica - 1.7million Filly Undefeated
The top lot at the 2025 Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale was a blueblood St Mark’s Basilica filly from blue hen Prudenzia that sold for €1.7million to MV Magnier and she became the first Group I winner for her sire when charging home to win the Group I Prix Marcel Boussac (1600m) at Longchamp.
Media World Adds to Millionaire Yearling Stakes Success
Stakes racing on Saturday produced a number of stakes-winners purchased for seven figures as yearlings in Australia with $1.8million Inglis Easter sale-topper Autumn Glow leading the way in the Group I ATC Epsom after earlier success for $1million 2YO Incognito, while at Flemington $1.4million entire Media World took out the Listed VRC Paris Lane Stakes (1400m).
Aga Khan Homebred 3YO Colt - 2025 Arc de Triomphe Winner
The Group I Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m) was run overnight at Longchamp and one of the world’s great races produced a thriller with blueblood €1.85 millionsale-topping Frankel filly Minnie Hauk going down by a head to the Aga Khan homebred Sea the Stars colt Daryz.
Surprise Bart Cummings Victory Secures Valiant King Melbourne Cup Run
It’s not often you see a runner from the Chris Waller stable go around at 50/1 odds, but 6yo gelding Valiant King (GB) produced an outstanding effort to win Saturday’s $350,000 Group 3 VRC Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington, securing himself a run in this year’s $10m Gr1 VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Historic Day in Kalgoorlie - Old Meets the New
Kalgoorlie knows how to party, and on Cup day 2025 the party was big!
First Stakes Horse for Home Affairs
The Group III ATC Breeders Plate (1000m) at Randwick on Saturday attracted a strong field of talented colts from the recent official 2YO trials in Sydney and Home Affairs looks to have a quality youngster in I’m Ya Huckleberry.
McGaw Firms For Coolmore Stud Stakes After G2 Danehill Win
Considered an outside chance in betting markets, Emma-Lee and David Browne’s I Am Immortal gelding McGaw dented the reputation of a few leading Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes contenders with a fighting win in the $300,000 Gr2 VRC Danehill Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Aussie Bred Asfoora Wins Third G1 on Arc Day in France
Victorians breeders celebrated overnight with Aussie bred and owned Flying Artie mare Asfoora returning to her dazzling best on one of the world’s biggest stages to win the Group I Prix de l’Abbaye de Longchamp (1000m) with a scintillating performance on Arc Day in France.
Wootton Bassett G1 Double on Arc Day
The shattering loss of Wootton Bassett (GB) has been highlighted at Longchamp in France on Arc Day where the champion sire added two new Group I winners to his tally in 2YO colt Puerto Rico and the former Aussie owned 3YO colt Maranoa Charlie.
Sires With Winners - Sunday October 5
Here is the full list of 47 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.