Blue Point nails it for Godolphin
dubai — Blue Point made His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, proud by clinching the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.
Close on the heels of Masar winning the Epsom Derby earlier this month, Godolphin’s first Derby winner, trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick joined forces again to pilot Blue Point to a fantastic victory on the opening day of Britain’s most famous race meeting.
The four-year-old from the famous Shamardal, broke nicely from Gate 10 in the five-furlong contest, part of the British Champions Series. It was a quick start from the 14 runners and Blue Point stayed in touch with leader and overwhelming favourite Battaash
I’m just delighted. We have loved this horse since he was a two-yearold. I was confident coming today, he’s a nice horse Charlie Appleby, Trainer
before applying the pressure and hunting him down.
Buick asked for more and Blue Point responded beautifully to take the lead with just half a furlong left to play out before crossing the line. Blue Point, twice a Group 3 winner at Ascot last year, won by 1 3/4 lengths over the Charles Hillstrained Battaash. It was Blue Point’s first Group 1 win and his sixth victory in 13 starts.
It was a remarkable comeback from Blue Point, who had gone through a bit of a rough patch since the Dubai World Cup Carnival in February. He had finished second there and then had to withdraw from the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint, a race won by stablemate Jungle Cat at the Dubai World Cup. Blue Point had finished a lowly ninth in Hong Kong in April before he was given a break by his handlers. And that time off seemed to have done wonders.
“He is a very good horse. He was following the fast pace and he was travelling very well,” a smiling Sheikh Mohammed said after the race.
“Of course, Charlie (Appleby) has been with us for a long time and he knew what we want. William (Buick) is a very good jockey and both are very good people,” he added.
Meanwhile, a delighted Appleby said: “The Derby has been fantastic, but this horse has meant a lot.”
“I’m just delighted. We have loved this horse since he was a two-year-old. I was confident coming today, he’s a nice horse. Buick has done a fantastic job. He ran his prep race for Al Quoz and finished second. He withdrew from the Al Quoz, which was unfortunate. After Hong Kong, we gave him a break and since then he has flourished. Win, lose or draw, this is the best I’ve ever seen this horse in. He shows a lot of natural pace. The five furlongs was a race where he could come in well at the end,” he added.
Appleby has had a dream season, so to speak, ending his Dubai World Cup drought before winning the Derby and now at Royal Ascot. But Appleby said that that he wouldn’t be sitting on past laurels. In this sport, you have to put it behind us and look to raise the benchmark. Coming here, we were relaxed and were looking to pinch a win or two,” Appleby said.
Meanwhile, Buick was equally ecstatic about Blue Point. “We stuck our neck out about Blue Point as a two-year-old. Things haven’t gone his way in some race. It is very, very satisfying and he deserves this more than anyone. He’s a Group 1 winner now,” Buick said proudly.
“He’s a very quick horse. He was going to see the race out better than Battaash. Question was when to make the move. We always look to get better. We work for a great man Sheikh Mohammed, who certainly sets high standards,” he added.
Meanwhile, Godolphin’s Wootton finished third in the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes.
james@khaleejtimes.com