Woodbine Saturday

Woodbine Mile (Grade 1)

Summer Stakes (Grade 1)

GODOLPHIN were expected to take advantage of what looked like lower quality fields for the two Grade 1s for older horses at Woodbine last weekend, but it proved a disappointing evening with favourite Cinderella’s Dream withdrawn from the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes and two other runners performing below expectations.

There was a British winner on the card however, when New Century gave trainer Andrew Balding his second big winner in North America in recent weeks in getting the better of Godolphin’s favourite Al Qudra to win the Grade 1 bet365 Summer Stakes over a mile.

The second looked a shade unlucky as he was bumped twice by the third horse, Dream On, hanging to his right in the final furlong and a half but it was a well-ridden success for Oisin Murphy on the Qatar Racing’s son of 2000 Guineas winner Kameko, challenging wide and showing resolution to win by a length and a quarter. It was a first Grade 1 win for the sire. The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf is his target.

In the Grade 1 Rogers Woodbine Mile Stakes, Naval Power was favourite to maintain Appleby and Godolphin’s run of success in the North American Grade 1s over the summer but he proved a disappointing favourite, having every chance in the straight but finding little for pressure from William Buick.

The leading home fancy Filo Di Arianna had looked to be set for success early in the straight but in the final furlong it was a Mark Casse runner in Win For The Money who got a lovely split through on the rails under Patrick Husbands and took the spoils. Last year’s top French colt, Big Rock, showed a bit more sparkle. Ridden off the pace in first time blinkers, he came through for third place.

The winner is a son of Mohaymen, bred by Ken and Sarah Ramsey, and running in the familiar black and red colours of Live Oak Plantation.

Jockey Kazushi Kimura won the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes when Full Count Felicia, trained by Kevin Attard and the stablemate to favourite Moira, turned the race into a solo performance. Taking the lead from the start, the pair were nearly 20 lengths in front at one stage.

The field, led by Moira did close in the straight but never looked likely to haul back the leader. The War Front mare, bred by Joseph Allen, won by three and a half lengths as Moira was two and a half lengths clear of last year’s winner Fev Rover in third.

Attard enjoyed a graded race double as Irishman Davy Moran partnered Fashionably Fab to win the Grade 3 Ontario Matron Stakes earlier on the card.

Appleby’s Mountain Breeze was a short-priced favourite for the Grade 1 Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes for juvenile fillies but put up a poor show in finishing eighth.

Victory in the mile contest went to Mark Casse’s And One More Time under Rafael Hernandez as she kept on, challenged well inside final furlong, led final 100yds to defeat stable companion Vixen by a neck.