Blue Bunting Snatched 1000 Guineas For Godolphin
Sheikh Mohammad of Dubai and his wife Princess Haya of Jordon congratulate their filly Blue
Bunting on her 1000 Guineas victory with jockey Frankie Dettori, trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni
and Crown Prince (in background) at Newmarket. Photo copyright Racing International
Those of us who follow international racing know that Sheikh Mohammed loves racing, has spent a fortune all over the world to promote good races and good breeding.
We also know he truly likes to win. Still, nothing could prepare us for the emotion he showed in the Winner's Circle of Newmarket Racecourse when his American-bred Blue Bunting USA (Dynaformer USA) won The QIPCO 1000 Guineas Stakes (Class 1) (Group 1) for three-year-old fillies on the Rowley Mile by ¾ lengths under heavy head winds.
The filly calmly posed after her exertion, but her owner was positively giddy with joy.
The American beauty will go on to the Investec Oaks at Sandown on May 3 where she is installed as favourite.
She has won three of her four starts at a mile and came in second in her first 7f race.
Frankie Dettori, the face and voice of the British Champions Series, rode a canny race keeping Blue Bunting covered up as long as possible before challenging Sheikh Hamdan's Maqaasid (Green Desert USA) and Aiden O'Brien's Together IRE (Galileo IRE) for the lead.
Light-framed Maqaasid lost out to Together for third as she took the brunt of the wind. She came in 1 ¼ lengths behind Together with less experienced French diva Nova Hawk (Hawk Wing USA) in fourth by another 3 ¼ lengths.
Together had lost her way for a while, but is back to her best and will compete in the Investec Oaks. Her jockey, Colm O'Donogue, was suspended for two days for excessive use of his whip.
Nova Hawk, trained by Rodolphe Collet, is now rated as top three-year-old female miler in France and has a bright future with a little more experience.
Blue Bunting's connections were surprised at the speed she showed in closing as they had seen her primarily as a stayer including her trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni.
It was his first Classic victory in his two-year training career with Godolphin.
There is much speculation about her breeding and whether it was meant for a mile and a half (1m4f or 12f) as her American sire Dynaformer and dam Kind's sire Linamix FR are known for a mile to 9f progenies.
Racing International http://www.racingint.com
Posted by susan trevelyan-syke at 5/9/2011 10:50 AM 
Categories: 1000 Guineas, Godolphin, Blue Bunting
Tags: 1000 Guineas Blue Bunting Godolphin Sheikh Mohammed Mahmood Al Zarooni Dynaformer Together Maqaasid Nova Hawk
Categories: 1000 Guineas, Godolphin, Blue Bunting
Tags: 1000 Guineas Blue Bunting Godolphin Sheikh Mohammed Mahmood Al Zarooni Dynaformer Together Maqaasid Nova Hawk
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