All Aged Stakes placings tee up massive week of racing action

Savatiano and Cascadian highlighted the fine margins between victory and defeat as they agonisingly missed out on winning the G1 All Aged Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, 24 April.

Street Cry mare Savatiano fought out a tremendous finish with Kolding, losing out by a short-head on the line, as Cascadian swooped late to finish a head back in third. Both six-year-olds had already enjoyed G1 success at Randwick during a superb autumn campaign, with Savatiano bravely taking the Canterbury Stakes and Cascadian getting up on the line in the Doncaster Mile (pictured).

Coincidentally, a short-head and a head also separated the first three home in the 2,000 Guineas 25 years ago this week. On that occasion, it was Mark Of Esteem who prevailed as he gamely repelled Even Top and Bijou d’Inde to provide Godolphin with the first of three wins in the mile Classic.

Godolphin’s contenders for this year’s 2,000 Guineas include G1 Futurity Trophy runner-up One Ruler, who makes his seasonal return on the back of pleasing racecourse gallops at Chelmsford City and Newmarket.

In contrast, Master Of The Seas heads into Saturday’s race following an impressive course and distance victory in the G3 Craven Stakes. Naval Crown, who beat Master Of The Seas at Meydan earlier this year, features among the five-day confirmations as well.

The first Saturday in May also means the Kentucky Derby - one of the few top international races to elude Godolphin so far. Essential Quality appears to hold all the attributes necessary to become the first winner in the Royal Blue silks, with a perfect record of five wins, including two at G1 level.

Maxfield missed last year’s Kentucky Derby through injury but the G1-winning son of Street Sense, who met with a first career defeat when coming home third in the G1 Santa Anita Handicap, is on course to run at Churchill Downs this week in Friday’s G2 Alysheba Stakes.

In France, Magny Cours is due to make his first appearance since finishing third behind Mystic Guide in the Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates Airline as he returns to turf for the G1 Prix Ganay at Longchamp on Sunday.

Last season’s Poule d’Essai des Poulains winner Victor Ludorum could kick off his four-year-old campaign in Saturday’s G2 Prix du Muguet at Saint-Cloud on a busy period worldwide.