Godolphin dominant at Turkeys’ LONGINES International Racing Festival September 1st, 3rd September.
Godolphin's Saeed Bin Suroor's was a dominant force at the Longines International Racing Festival at Veliefendi, Turkey, over Friday and Saturday, September 1st and 2nd, 2017, with the Newmarket, UK, based trainer taking major races on both days.
Secret Number (GB), a seven-year-old Raven's Pass gelding, was too good for his rivals in the £153,846.15, Group 2 International Bosphorus Cup (2400m) for three-year-old's and up on turf.
Returning from a break of almost 300 days following his trip to Melbourne last year, Secret Number added to his trainer's winning double on the Friday with an authoritative display under Gerald Mosse.
Secret Number went round the field turning for the main straight finishing 2L ahead of the Andrew Balding trained Elbereth (GB) (Mount Nelson) who had finished third in the 2016 renewal of the race. Turkey's Victory Is Ours (TUR) (Victory Gallop) was third for trainer Aydin Kucukaksoy with the margin a nose.
"It was a good ride, and the horse ran well," said Bin Suroor. "He was off for a long time, but he had been working well in the morning, and this is the right trip for him. The race was a bit slow, but he finished really well. He is a really tough horse and I am so pleased he won."
Germany prevailed in the £230,769.23, Group 2 International Topkapi Trophy (1600m) for three-year-old's and up on turf, when the S Smrczek trained Wonnemond (GER) won by 1L over Bin Suroor's Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel) with Turkey's Yildirimbey (TUR) (Sabirli) third, the margin 2L.
Dream Castle loomed up with every chance to win under Mosse, only for Wonnemond to pass racing in the middle of the track under Daniele Porcu and to then go away for the win.
"He is a good horse and has had bad luck a couple of times, but today he had the perfect race and it went very well. He's not a big horse but he's a really good miler and he will improve now," said Porcu.
On the first day of the Festival Leshlaa (USA) and Arabian Hope (USA) gave Bin Suroor a black type race double.
Arabian Hope (Distorted Humor) was up against four other Turkish trained runners in the £98,290.60, Group 3 International Istanbul Trophy (1600m) for fillies and mares on turf. After some difficulty in finding clear racing room under Mosse, the three-year-old filly went away for a 1 1/2L win over Cheri Cheri Lady (TUR) (Luxor) with a neck to Willpower (TUR) (Victory Gallop).
Leshlaa (Street Cry) won the £98,290.60 Local Group 2 International France Galop FRBC Anatolia Trophy (1800m) for three-year-old's and up on the Polytrack.
A three-year-old colt for the stable, Leshlaa was not suited by the changing tempo and took time to gather momentum under Jimmy Quinn in the straight, as local hope Cerastes (TUR), trained by Ibrahim Bekirogullari, made a bold bid for the race.
Leshlaa who finally got going went on to win by 1 1/2L to hand Quinn a first success in Turkey. Cerastes (Always A Classic) held on for second from Absolute Blast(IRE).
"He is better when he comes off a strong pace and we were going very steady but he basically out-sprinted them," said Quinn.
The Godolphin runners will return to Newmarket after the Festival with Bin Suroor planning their future racing.
