A WORLD OF POSSIBILITY
Record-breaking Ghaiyyath will have his future plans decided this week
EAGERLY-AWAITED plans for the next destination for Ghaiyyath could become a little clearer later in the week.
Trained by Charlie Appleby, the five-year-old has been one of the stars of the season to date, winning the Coronation Cup at Newmarket in a track-record time before beating Enable in the Coral-Eclipse and following up with another impressive triumph in the Juddmonte International at York last week.
The son of Dubawi is currently the highest-rated horse in the world with the British Horseracing Authority’s lead handicapper, Dominic GardinerHill, and sits third in the ante-post market on the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe behind Love and Enable, although he did disappoint in the ParisLongchamp showpiece 12 months ago.
Appleby said on www.godolphin.com: ‘No decisions on his programme have been reached, but all the major races one would expect are under consideration – the Group One Irish Champion Stakes, the Group One Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Ascot’s Group One Champion Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland. ‘Ghaiyyath has come back from York in fine order. He has taken it well, and post-race, he looks very good.
‘The old racing cliche is applicable here – he will tell us where and when he goes next. We will monitor him closely and work something out by the end of the week.
‘Our policy is always to do what is best for the horse.’
The hugely talented but fragile Malone Road is faring well after extending his unbeaten career record on his hurdles debut at Kilbeggan.
Gordon Elliott’s six-year-old came home nine and a half lengths clear of his nearest rival in division two of the Hurley Family Maiden Hurdle on Friday.
That victory followed a 642-day absence from the track, and was Malone Road’s first run after recovering from the recurrence of a knee injury.
The point-to-point winner was a £325,000 acquisition by Cheveley Park Stud in April 2018, and went on to be very impressive in his two autumn bumper victories for Elliott. He was subsequently priced up as ante-post favourite for the 2019 Cheltenham Festival Champion Bumper, before injury struck.
Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud, confirmed Malone Road’s well-being after his Kilbeggan comeback.
He said: ‘I spoke to Gordon the following day, and he came out of the race fine, thankfully.
‘Obviously soft ground is important to him – and having been off for a long time, he was quite ring rusty. Hopefully we can creep along – where we go next I couldn’t say, but it’s nice to see him back.
‘That’s the most important thing, that he’s back and sound after the race.’