It's Godolphin Again - Best Solution Toughs It Out in Caulfield Cup

Mark Smith - Saturday October 20

Following wins in the Group II Princess Of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket and a pair of Group 1 wins in Germany, Godolphin's Best Solution (IRE) carried his topweight to victory in Saturday's $5 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup to round out a wonderful seven days for trainer Saeed Bin Suroor and jockey Pat Cosgrave.

Last week the pair teamed up to win the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) with Benbatl (IRE) (Dubawi).

Advertisement

It was a second win in the race for Bin Suroor after All The Good in 2008.


From a wide draw, Best Solution was slowly away and Cosgrove made plenty of use of the son of Kodiac to find a one out one back position behind the pacesetting Ace High.

After racing worse than midfield, Ben Melham set the Group 1 Underwood Stakes winner Homesman (USA) (War Front) to an all-out drive 700 metres out but Cosgrave was awake to the move and the pair singled out to stage an enthralling scrap.

Try as he might, Melham could not get Homesman's head in front and Best Solution (IRE) held on to win by a half-head with Aidan O'Brien's The Cliffsofmoher (IRE) (Galileo) one and a quarter lengths back in third with Andrew Balding's Duretto (GB) a hard-charging fourth. (photos Grant Courtney)

After winning two Group 1's in Germany to win another Group 1 in Australia is brilliant," Bin Surror said.

"I told Pat when the stalls open you need to be somewhere handy, third or fourth. He kicked early, which suited him really and he won well.

"It's been a great year. We have some very good horses. The Melbourne Cup is another big race, another dream for us, but we'll try"

Best Solution advances his record to 9 wins, 2 seconds and 3 thirds from 22 starts with earnings of $4,409,302.

A 32,000 guineas weanling and a 90,000 guineas Tattersalls yearling, Best Solution (IRE) is the lone winner from three to race out of the Kingmambo mare Al Andalyya who is a half-sister to Listed winner Kosmiche (Fastnet Rock), and to Cape Clear Island (Fastnet Rock} who was runner-up in the Group II G2 Prix Hocquart and Group III Sandown Classic Trial.

His stakes-placed granddam Kushnarenkovo (Sadler's Wells) is a sister to Group 1 winner Brian Boru and a half to Group II Herbert Power Stakes winner Sea Moon (Beat Hollow).

A Danehill half-brother to Invincible Spirit, Kodiac has risen from humble beginnings to be among Europe's premiant stallions.

After covering his third and fourth book of mares at Tally-Ho Stud at a fee of €4,000, the wonderfully versatile Kodiac stood for a fee of €50,000 this year

Advertisment
More Reading...
Call Me Handsome Repaying The Faith
Call Me Handsome (IRE) arrived in Australia off the back of a third behind rising young star Pakistan Star in a Griffin race over 1200 metres at Sha Tin back in July 2016.
Breeding to Win - 2026 G1 Surround Stakes
The $750,000 Group I ATC Surround Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on Saturday brings together the best three year old fillies in Australia, so who are the top chances? 
Anamoe Breeding Right Sold for $450,000
The Inglis Digital February (late) Sale that concluded on Wednesday has a new top lot with Inglis announcing a breeding right to Anamoe has now been sold.
Timing is Everything - Newhaven Park Present Streisand Half-Brother
When entries were taken for the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale last year a colt by Star Witness from Zouper Star was hardly seen as a standout offering, but events of the last six months will have this youngster as one of the must inspect horses of the sale.
Fast Track 2026/27 Launches Nationally: Applications Now Open
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia (TBA) has officially launched applications for the 2026/27 Fast Track program — a nationally recognised traineeship designed to build the next generation of thoroughbred breeding professionals.
First Winner for Tiger of Malay
Newgate Farm is home to champion sire Extreme Choice and also his promising young sire son Tiger of Malay, who broke the ice with his first winner at Canterbury on Friday night.
One to Watch – Canterbury
Extreme Choice was a brilliant sprinter and has thrown his share of brilliant sprinters, but as with great champion sires of the past, he can also get a stayer such as Melbourne Cup hero Knight’s Choice and VRC Oaks winner She’s Extreme.
Opportunities Present as Latest Magic Millions Digital Sale Opens
Bidding is now open the latest Magic Millions Digital Sale (27 February-4 March) with great opportunities across all ages and categories.
Kingsclere seeking another Derby with Ocean Park Filly
Kingsclere Stables have an exciting week ahead of them, with promising mare She’s A Dealer shooting for black-type at Trentham on Sunday, while six days later the Cambridge barn will hold a strong hand in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m).
The Story of Surround - Best 3YO Filly Ever
The only Group I race in Australia for three year-old fillies run at less than a mile, the $750,000 Group I ATC Surround Stakes (1400m) is named in honour of the only three year-old filly to ever win a Cox Plate, so who was she?