The powerful stable based in Dubai has been coming to Australia for a decade, their first runner Faithful Son finishing fourth in the 1998 Caulfield Cup.

But today it was the stable's number two rider and local lad Kerrin McEvoy who stole the show piloting All The Good to success at odds of 40/1.

McEvoy, who has been under punter, media and stewards scrutiny since returning to ride in Australia, had All The Good positioned worse than midfield early but was on the move at the half way point.

By the corner he had tracked nicely in the race and turned seventh before hitting the front out wide.

He gathered in the leaders and went on for a soft win.

Kiwi galloper Nom Du Jeu ran on from well back to finish second in an eye-catching run while Barbaricus, who went to the lead with a mile to go, ran the race of his life and finished third.

Another international Mad Rush came from near last with a chequered path to finish fourth in another eye-catching run.

Favourite Littorio was under pressure a long way out as he tried to make ground out wide and never looked a winner chance despite finishing fifth, while popular galloper Weekend Hussler sat just off the pace but was beaten around the turn and also weakened in the straight, finishing 12th.

Last year's winner Master O'Reilly finished seventh after coming from near last.

For McEvoy, who was thrust onto the world scene following his win in the Melbourne Cup on Brew, he could not have answered his critics any better, claiming the feature win for the stable that gave him an international career.

“To win this is such a thrill,” McEvoy said. “To don the blue colours for Godolphin, who have supported me for six or seven years, it's very special. :yyy: :yyy:

“The horse looks a real chance in the Melbourne Cup now too. That was only his fourth start for the stable.”

Godolphin's early near miss with Faithful Son has fuelled the stable's return each year since.

In their 24 runners prior to today the stable has record two wins, three seconds and two thirds.

But both the wins were in the second tier Queen Elizabeth Stakes, so today's success would be a huge thrill for Sheikh Mohammad.

He has tasted Group 1 success in Australia through new power player Darley, but the Godolphin colours success today filled a hole in its prestigeous CV.

All The Good has won three of his last five starts, today's success coming on the heels of an easy win over a field of 20 in the Newburgh Stakes over 2700m.

McEvoy said he had adapted to racing in Australia and was confident he could improve further in the Melbourne Cup on November 4. (咁有信心 :fff: :fff: )

Meanwhile, Ross McDonald, trainer of Weekend Hussler, said the gelding is likely to miss the rest of the spring and go to the paddock.

The seven-time Group 1 winner, despite never having raced over today's 2400m, had been the medium of strong support for the Caulfield Cup and the popular galloper has also been well supported for the Melbourne Cup throughout betting.

[ 本帖最後由 S.WEEK 於 18/10/2008 04:38 PM 編輯 ]

條友淨係放忠高多芬??:yyy: :yyy:

Zagreb 今朝獸醫檢驗不合格

但會跑下星期的 Moonee Valley Cup 再上墨爾本盃

Godolphin galloper All The Good has given the world’s biggest racing operation a historic victory in the $2.5 million BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m).

Superbly handled by Kerrin McEvoy, the six-year-old stallion surged to the front half way down the Caulfield straight to defeat the fast finishing Nom De Jeu and pacemaker Barbaricus.

“This is fantastic. To win this is such a thrill. They’ve (Godolphin) been such supporters of mine. I’m just so excited,” said McEvoy.

The Cup was just All The Good’s fourth start in the famous all royal blue colours. He becomes the second European galloper to win the Caulfield Cup after Taufan's Melody ten years ago.

“It’ll be a huge thrill for all the team and Sheikh Mohammed. I’m really thrilled to be part of it. He’ll be a nice chance now in the Melbourne Cup,” McEvoy said.

“I watched all his races last night and I was even more excited after that. I gave myself a good chance of winning.”

McEvoy returned to Australia after a five year stint as the Godolphin stable’s number two jockey in Europe. He’s now based in Sydney having assumed the role of stable jockey for the worldwide Darley racing empire.


條友平時有冇咁勤力 :fff: :fff:

In the biggest racing stable in the world, owned by a family of fabulously wealthy Arab sheikhs there was a place near the top on Saturday for a man who shampoos the horses and picks up the dung.

Muhammad Rashid on Saturday strapped the Caulfield Cup winner All The Good.

He brushed his horse's coat to a brilliant gold, he dressed his hooves with oil and he combed its mane.

He travelled with him in the back of the float, kept him calm and happy all afternoon and led him around the parade ring before the race.

And when All The Good loomed up to win the $2.5 million race, Muhammad led the cheering for the entire worldwide Godolphin stable.

Standing by the outside fence in front of the winning post he leapt and shouted and cried for "my boy".

As he collected him at the gate to the enclosure, Muhammad kissed his horse's sweaty neck and slapped his hand against its shoulder.

"It is my happiest day," he said.

"I thank my God."

It was impossible to know how the main players in the Godolphin team reacted to the win, because none of them was at Caulfield.

Sheikh Mohammed, who heads the stable, and his brothers Sheikh Hamdan and Sheikh Ahmed were either in Dubai or England, as was the horse's trainer Saeed bin Suroor.

But it can be assumed Sheikh Mohammed at least was rather pleased.

The Caulfield Cup isn't the biggest race he has won, not by a longshot.

While Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikh Hamdan have won several Group One races in Australia in their own right, the Cup was Godolphin's first Australian Group One after trying with 15 horses.

The stable's racing manager Simon Crisford said the All The Good had given Godolphin the major Australian win that it had so desperately wanted.

"We have been coming to Australia for more than a decade trying to win one of your big Cups," Crisford said.

"We've had a lot of bad luck, a lot of disappointment.

"But it is a tribute to Sheikh Mohammed that the stable has finally broken through."

Godolphin has regularly sent horses to Melbourne in the spring since 1995.

They had won a couple of Group Two races with Hatha Anna and Beekeeper and had three placings in Melbourne Cups.

But mostly it has been a story of misfortune.

Two years ago, things went so poorly that they packed up and went home a week before their first scheduled start.

Things haven't entirely turned around since.

This year, for instance, the Godolphin horses had won around US$9 million and had collected seven Group One wins around the world before Saturday.

All The Good added $1.5 million to that total, becoming the stable's biggest single earner for the year.

The man who got him ready on Saturday morning, looked after him at the races, hosed him down in the afternoon and put him to bed in the night will see his share of it.

But he won't be out on Saturday night toasting the victory with the rest of the team.

He'll go home and get the buckets and the sponges ready for Saturday's shampooing, and muck out his horse's box.

"Then I will pray."