Yibir

With Royal Ascot looming large on the horizon, and racing about to switch from Newmarket's Rowley Mile to the July Course, John and Thady Gosden and Charlie Appleby took advantage of the latter for racecourse gallops for some of their Ascot runners on Tuesday morning.  Cheveley Park Stud's homebred Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was out first under Frankie Dettori ahead of what will be her first start since QIPCO British Champions Day last October. The treble Group 1 winner is heading to the G1 Queen Anne S. on the opening...

Charlie Appleby pulled off an historic clean sweep of the 2,000 Guineas in England, Ireland and France last year and the Godolphin trainer has outlined plans for his runners in the forthcoming Classic trials next week at Newmarket and Newbury. Appleby's challenge for the 2,000 Guineas could include Naval Power (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). While the latter is set to head straight to the Classic on 6 May, both Naval Power and Mysterious Night are planned runners...

The Green Group Guest of the Week on the latest edition of the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland, commentator Nick Luck, who works both sides of the Atlantic, was asked what are the best storylines out of Europe when it comes to this year's Breeders' Cup. With a deep and talented group of shippers coming to Keeneland, there was no shortage of answers, starting with the story of Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night of Thunder {Ire}). "I think Highfield Princess is right up there as one of the great...

Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin was named 2021 National Owner of the Year, presented by 1/ST, and also Breeder of the Year during the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA)'s National Awards Dinner held Sept. 10 at Keeneland. The event was emcee'd by TVG's Gabby Gaudet. Horses carrying the Godolphin blue won 84 races from 479 starts in America in 2021, for a strike rate of 18% and purse money of better than $17 million, led by champion Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf. Godolphin also won...

The 152nd G1 Grosser Preis von Baden, set to be run on Sunday, Sept. 4, has attracted an international entry of 48 horses, including the defending champion and Arc hero Torquator Tasso (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). The German champion is joined on the list by last year's runner-up, the 2021 Deutsches Derby winner Sisfahan (Fr) (Isfahan {Ger}), as well as recent Baden-Baden Group 2 winner Alter Adler (Ger) (Adlerflug {Ger}). A strong overseas entry for the 2,400m contest at Iffezheim includes last year's Irish Derby winner Hurricane Lane (Ire) ((Frankel {GB})...

With heavily favored champion Yibir totally missing the start, Saturday's GI Man o' War S. at Belmont was thrown into a state of flux, and longest shot on the board Highland Chief took advantage. Away well himself and with no real pace on, Highland Chief shared early front-running duties with Abaan (Will Take Charge) past the wire for the first time while kept well off the fence by pilot Trevor McCarthy. Content to sit second on the first bend and down the backside through splits of :25.35, :51.84 and 1:17.60,...

Godolphin's Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), named last year's Eclipse champion turf male off of a fast-finishing score in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, will make his first Stateside start since that effort as the likely favorite in a six-horse renewal of the 1 3/8-mile GI Man O' War S. Saturday at Belmont. Showing just a single Group 3 win in his first nine starts in Great Britain, the chestnut gelding had his breakout performance with a victory in the G2 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur S. last August at York...

Reigning Eclipse Award-winning turf male Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) took to the Belmont turf course Thursday morning for some light work ahead of his appearance in Saturday's GI Man o' War S. With rider Shane Fetherstonhaugh aboard, the 4-year-old schooled a bit in the Belmont paddock before heading out to the track around 9 a.m., where he was allowed to stretch out through the final stages. "He went out to the turf so he could have a light canter and then he just had a little blowout down the straight...

Dual Derby-winning trainer Charlie Appleby came close to winning last year's QIPCO 2000 Guineas when Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was narrowly beaten by Poetic Flare (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}), and his Godolphin stable appears to hold two aces for the opening Classic of the British season. G3 Craven S. winner Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) and Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) are currently first and second favourites for the 2000 Guineas ahead of the Aidan O'Brien-trained Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}). "William [Buick] sat on Native Trail on...

DUBAI, UAE--After an abandoned meeting in 2020 and a behind-closed-doors reprisal 12 months ago, the Dubai Racing Club will be itching to stage a back-to-normal Dubai World Cup on Saturday with an international cast of stars. In fact, the week's activities are not quite as they would usually be as the race programme is enhanced by the inclusion of the first Dubai Breeze-up Sale at Meydan on Wednesday, hosted in association with Goffs. The 69 juveniles catalogued shipped in to Dubai last week with quite the fanfare, as branded horseboxes...

With 84 winners from 479 North American starts, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's Godolphin LLC amassed earnings of $17,403,204, to establish a new single-season record, according to statistics released Monday by Equibase Company LLC. The previous mark of $12.2 million was set in 2012 by Ken and Sarah Ramsey. Additionally, runners sent out by trainer Brad Cox earned a record $31,832,345 in 2021, narrowly surpassing the $31.1 set in 2019 by trainer Chad Brown. Leading the charge for Godolphin in 2021 was 'TDN Rising Star' Essential Quality (Tapit), a...

4.30 Wolverhampton, Novice, £7,000, 2yo, 9f 104y (AWT) WILD CRUSADE (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the sixth foal to be produced by Godolphin's prized broodmare Rumh (Ger) (Monsun {Ger}), introduced a month after his year-older full-brother Yibir (GB) enjoyed the limelight when winning the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. Also a full-sibling to the triple group 1 heroine Wild Illusion (GB), the April-foaled bay is pitched by Charlie Appleby into action alongside a Cheveley Park Stud notable in the John and Thady Gosden-trained Homeric (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), an unraced half-brother to the...