Godolphin have won the Group 1 Lockinge on nine previous occasions. Can they record a tenth victory with the Saeed bin Suroor trained Real World, set to be partnered by Oisin Murphy, in this year’s renewal?

 

Cape Cross (1998)

The first of Godolphin’s nine winners in the Lockinge Stakes came in 1998 when jockey Daragh O’Donohoe carried the royal blue silks to victory aboard Cape Cross. It was his first run under the care of Saeed bin Suroor having moved from John Gosden’s yard. He made all the running to win by a neck ahead of Poteen. Despite not winning another Group 1 after the Lockinge, he went on to record back-to-back Group 2 victories the following year in the Queen Anne Stakes and the Celebration Mile. Having retired to stud in 1999, he sired multiple Group 1 winners including the exceptional Sea The Stars, Derby winner Golden Horn, Awtaad and Ouija Board to name just a few.

 

Fly to the Stars (1999)

Having previously been trained by Mark Johnston for P D Savill, Fly To The Stars moved to Saeed bin Suroor in January 1998. He secured Group 2 success in the Prix du Rond Point before returning from a break of 189 days to win the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes under Willie Supple. Sent off at odds of 9/1 he held on to come home one and a half lengths ahead of Jim and Tonic. His win in the Lockinge was to be the only Group 1 Fly To The Stars won.

 

Aljabr (2000)

Unbeaten as a two-year-old including victory in the Group 1 Prix de la Salamandre, Aljabr won five of his nine career starts. He recorded a second Group 1 win in the Sussex Stakes as a three-year-old before landing his third Group 1 in the 2000 renewal of the Lockinge Stakes. Ridden by Frankie Dettori, he was sent off 8/13 favourite having returned from a break of 258 days. The son of Storm Cat, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, made all and went clear by two lengths to record a comfortable victory in the Lockinge.

 

Creachadoir (2008)

The progressive miler, Creachadior, moved from Jim Bolger to Saeed bin Suroor in October 2007. He won his first start for Godolphin in the Group 3 Joel Stake at Newmarket before ending the year after being beaten a shorthead in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile. Having finished down the field in the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free, Creachadior returned to British soil and was sent off 3/1 favourite in the Lockinge under Frankie Dettori. He had the race in control and landed a comfortable victory ahead of the Sir Henry Cecil trained Phoenix Tower. He would only run once more in the following March before retiring to stud.

 

Farhh (2013)

The runner up in four consecutive Group 1’s as a four-year-old, it wasn’t until the first run of his five-year-old career when Farhh finally secured his maiden Group 1 in the Lockinge. Sent off a 100/30 shot under Silvestre De Sousa, he went clear to finish four lengths ahead of the Michael Bell trained Sovereign Debt. Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Farhh only ran once more after his Lockinge win when beating Cirrus Des Aigles by a neck to win a vintage renewal of the QIPCO Champion Stakes at Ascot. Having retired to stud, he has sired Group 1 winners King Of Change and Fonteyn as well as Group winners including Tribalist, Move Swiftly, Nocturnal, Dee Ex Bee, Wells Farhh Go, Atlast and Far Above.

 

Night of Thunder (2015)

Night of Thunder recorded the first of three consecutive wins in the Lockinge Stakes for Godolphin. Initially trained by Richard Hannon Snr, he was unbeaten in two starts as a two-year-old. Hannon Jnr then look over the licence in January 2014 and Night of Thunder provided the trainer with his first Classic success in the 2014 QIPCO 2,000 Guineas. Numerous placings at the top level followed that season but it wasn’t until the 2015 renewal of the Lockinge Stakes that he secured a second Group 1 victory. Ridden by James Doyle for the first time, Night of Thunder was sent off 11/4 joint favourite and held off stablemate Toormore to win by a neck. His progeny includes Group 1 winners Highfield Princess, Thundering Nights and Kukeracha as well Group 2 winners including Flight Plan, Isaac Shelby and Thunderous to name just a few.

 

Belardo (2016)

Trained by Roger Varian, Belardo was a Group 1 winner as a two-year-old having won the Dewhurst Stakes. He failed to win again until April 2016 when landing victory in the Listed Doncaster Mile. A fourth place finish in the Group 2 bet365 Mile followed before securing a second Group 1 victory as a four-year-old in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes. Ridden by Andrea Atzeni, the 8/1 shot stayed on well to win by a length ahead of the Marco Botti trained Euro Charline. Belardo was to have only one more run in the Queen Anne Stakes where he finished second behind Tepin before retiring to stud.

 

Ribchester (2017)

The son of Iffraaj maintained an unbeaten record at Newbury having won the Mill Reef as a two-year-old and the Lockinge as a four-year-old, the only two starts Ribchester had at the Berkshire track. He first landed Group 1 glory in the Prix Jacques le Marois as a three-year-old. Two further placings in Group 1 company followed before being sent off 7/4 favourite in the 2017 renewal of the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes. Partnered by William Buick, he kept on strongly to finish three and three-quarter lengths ahead of Lightening Spear. He went on to record two further Group 1 victories that year in the Queen Anne Stakes and the Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. He retired after a fifth-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Mile having earnt £2,641,449 in prize money. His most notable progeny is 2024 Dubai Turf winner Facteur Cheval.

 

Modern Games (2023)

A Group 1 winner at two, three and four-years of age, Modern Games earnt £2,780,158 throughout his international career. Having won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, he returned after a break of 190 days to win the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Poulains. He consistently ran at the highest level and recorded further Group 1 success in the Woodbine Mile Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Mile. Despite a dramatic mid race move from runner up Chindit when trying to bite the eventual winner, Modern Games held on to secure his first domestic Group 1 in the Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes. Sent off 3/1 favourite under William Buick, he provided trainer Charlie Appleby with a first winner in the race. The winner of five Group 1 races, Modern Games retired to stud after a fourth-place finish in the 2023 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.