Keeneland

Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (Grade 1)

GODOLPHIN’s Mawj led out of the gates and maintained her position all the way to post a half-length victory over Lindy in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana for three-year-old fillies on Saturday at Keeneland.

Trained by Saeed bin Suroor and ridden by Oisin Murphy, Mawj covered the nine furlongs over a turf course rated as good in 1m48.06secs as bin Suroor collected his 500th career grade or group victory.

Mawj led from the off with Elusive Princess and Mission Of Joy to her inside, and she went into a clear lead going into the first turn. From there, she raced easily on the lead through fractions of 47.72 for the half and 1m 11.89secs for the six furlongs.

Going into the final turn, Elusive Princess was asked for more only to have Mawj kick clear again. Mission Of Joy passed a tiring Elusive Princess to challenge but the Godolphin runner fended off that bid and had enough left in the tank to hold off a final challenge from Lindy and Tyler Gaffalione.

Saeed bin Suroor said afterwards: “This is great to win 500 group (races) and a Group 1 with the filly Mawj, a classic winner. To come to America, to Keeneland, to win is a great result for everybody. It looks to me she has plenty of speed as a miler and she made it today nine furlongs,” he said on a Breeders’ Cup target. The mile might be the best for her, sure, but I want to decide closer to the race.” The Mile was the preferred option later in the week.

Brilliant

Oisin Murphy reported: “Saeed was delighted with her work at home and he asked me to sit on her last week just before she flew and she felt brilliant. We did quite quick sections in the first half but she is a superstar filly. She found plenty.

“She’s got a great heart and mind. I’m delighted to win for Godolphin and Saeed here; it’s his 500th group winner, so for me to ride it for him means the world.”

Following her 1000 Guineas win at Newmarket, Mawj was extending her 2023 winning streak to four. An Irish-bred daughter of Exceed And Excel out of the New Approach mare, Mawj is a half-sister to champion and dual Breeders’ Cup winner Modern Games.

Jessica Harrington’s Sounds of Heaven never threatened, finishing fifth.

Also on the Keeneland weekend cards, the fillies’ Grade 2 sprint, the Franklin, featured previous Breeders’ Cup winners Caravel and Twilight Gleaming.

Twilight Gleaming broke well and led into the straight in the five and a half-furlong contest but she was overhauled in the final furlong by Caravel and Tony Ann, two greys coming wide and late. The Phil D’Amato-trained Tony Ann got the better of Caravel by a neck.

Tyler Gaffalione said of Caravel: “The filly tried hard, but we just weren’t able to get her head in front today. The fractions were solid, very fast, but I was content with where I was. I think my filly really struggled with the ground a bit today.”

Charlie Appleby’s excellent weekend continued on Saturday when the Grade 2 Sands Point Stakes for three-year-old fillies over nine furlongs at Belmont at the Big A meeting went to his favourite Eternal Hope.

The Teofilo filly had won the Lingfield Oaks Trial earlier in the season and the result here was the same as in the Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes in September.

That time the going was firm and two furlongs further but the changes didn’t hinder Jamie Spencer’s mount who again beat Neecie Marie, this time holding her off by an increased margin of half a length.