All Blacks run riot over Wallabies in Bledisloe Cup
Godolphin handler gracious in defeat as stable star Benbatl finishes second in Cox Plate
World champions New Zealand crushed old foes Australia 37-20 in Japan yesterday to complete a 3-0 Bledisloe Cup series whitewash.
Fly-half Beauden Barrett scored 17 points and was fivefrom-six with the boot in Yokohama as the All Blacks piled more pressure on the struggling Wallabies and underfire coach Michael Cheika.
Barrett dived over for the pick of New Zealand’s five tries just before the hour mark to cap a dazzling individual performance.
Total domination
The Wallabies, meanwhile, slumped to a ninth defeat in their last 12 Tests after being dominated in all departments. Liam Squire, Kieran Read, Ben Smith and Rieko Ioane also touched down for the rampant all Blacks, who came into the Japan Test having won nine of the last 10 matches against their trans-Tasman rivals.
Sonny Bill Williams set up New Zealand’s opener on his 50th Test appearance with a clever pass for Squire to crash over after sustained All Blacks pressure.
A long Kurtley Beale penalty cut the deficit before All Blacks skipper Read rolled off a scrum to score easily, helped by some matador Wallabies defending.
Saeed Bin Surour, Godolphin’s veteran handler, knows a thing or two about the art of turning defeat into victory as he showed after watching his stable star, Benbatl, go down to Australian wonder mare Winx, in the Australian $5 million (Dh13 million) Cox Plate (Group 1) at Moonee Valley, yesterday.
Winx stamped herself as one of the greatest racehorses in history when recording her 29th consecutive victory, and 22nd at Group 1 level.
Benbatl, Arabic for “ready for battle”, ran a big race to finish just two lengths adrift of Winx, but Bin Surour acknowledged that the winner was “very special.”
“We took our chances but we were beaten by a better filly,” the accomplished Emirati trainer said in Australia. “I’m very happy for the trainer, the owners, the jockey. Winx is a superstar, the best of the best.
“Like I said before the race, the ground may not suit Benbatl, but no excuses, Winx is something special,” he added.
Godolphin, the racing stable created by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has its headquarters in Dubai.
However, for the time being, Bin Surour is based in Australia ■ for the Spring Carnival, where he will also saddle Best Solution in this week’s Melbourne Cup (G1), a race that has been one of Godolphin’s principal targets.
‘In good shape’
He also revealed that returning for next year’s Cox Plate with Benbatl will always be an option. “He’s in good shape and we’ll take him back to Dubai and talk to Shaikh Mohammad and he’ll make a decision for the future,” he said.
Meanwhile, jockey Oisin Murphy, who has been associated with most of Benbatl’s major wins in Dubai, England and Germany, echoed Bin Surour’s comments on Winx: “It was a big run and we’ve met a champion in Winx and she was very impressive today.
“Full credit to her team, her owners and Hugh Bowman.”
Before yesterday’s Cox Plate, there were questions being asked about the Australian mare’s ability against international opposition, but she proved her greatness with a scintillating performance that saw her coast to victory without breaking a sweat.
Victory at Moonee Valley also made her the greatest moneywinner in racing history with earnings close to A$23 million.
In a repeat of 2017, Darley stallions, the stud owned by Shaikh Mohammad, sired the first three home in the Cox Plate with Winx (Street Cry), Benbatl (Dubawi) with Humidor (Teofilo).
Benbatl, Arabic for ‘ready for battle’, ran a big race to finish just two lengths adrift of Winx, but Bin Surour acknowledged that the winner was “very special.”