Classic winners hoping stars can align again on mammoth weekend

Godolphin’s outstanding group of Classic winners will be aiming to create more history this weekend, with Sovereignty, Good Cheer, Ruling Court and Desert Flower all returning to action.

Kentucky Derby hero Sovereignty bids for more glory in the final leg of the Triple Crown, the G1 Belmont Stakes at Saratoga on Saturday. His main rival looks set to be Journalism, who chased home the Godolphin colt at Churchill Downs before winning an eventful renewal of the Preakness Stakes.

Having asserted her position as the best of her sex in North America, Good Cheer looks to add to her G1 Kentucky Oaks success in Friday’s G1 Acorn Stakes. No rival has got to within two lengths of the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro during her seven previous starts and she looks strongly placed to continue her dominance of the division.

Ruling Court hopes to become the first horse to win the G1 2,000 Guineas and the G1 Derby since 2012 when he lines up at Epsom Downs on Saturday. Tornado Alert, who was fourth behind Ruling Court at Newmarket, is also set to challenge for Classic glory in the same race.

Like Good Cheer, Desert Flower has yet to taste defeat in her career and the daughter of Night Of Thunder seeks to be the 50th filly to annex both the G1 1,000 Guineas and the G1 Oaks at Epsom Downs on Friday.

Cualificar emerged with plenty of credit on his first Classic appearance as he finished a half-length second in Sunday’s G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly. A step to a mile and a half could be next for the Lope de Vega colt, potentially in next month’s G1 Grand Prix de Paris.

Top stayer Trawlerman warmed up for another crack at the Gold Cup as he readily won the G3 Henry II Stakes at Sandown Park on Thursday. The seven-year-old was runner-up in the staying showpiece last year, although defending champion Kyprios won’t be at Royal Ascot following his recent retirement.

Opera Ballo could yet have Royal Ascot on his agenda after his victory in the Listed Heron Stakes on the same Sandown Park card. The Ghaiyyath colt won comfortably despite racing keenly, although he could bypass the St James’s Palace Stakes for a slightly easier option at this stage of his career.

In Japan, Abu Qir Bay flew the flag for the Classic generation as the homebred daughter of Fine Needle flew home to take the G3 Aoi Stakes at Kyoto on Saturday. A strong result for Darley stallions in the race saw Rapier finish third – his sire Tower Of London is enjoying a dream start with his first crop, having sired recent G1 NHK Mile Cup winner Panja Tower.  

La Quemada, a homebred son of fellow Darley resident American Patriot, secured a first Listed victory in Sunday’s Azuchijo Stakes. Scents Blood narrowly failed to provide a Listed double on the same Kyoto card as he was agonisingly denied by a head in the Shirayuri Stakes.

A good weekend in Japan also saw Wayward Act take the Akhalteke Stakes at Tokyo on Saturday. The US-bred five-year-old boasts a progressive profile on dirt, making the first three in all 10 career starts, including five victories.

Four-year-old Thorny Issue is establishing himself as a rising force on dirt as well, with his three-length success in Saturday’s Momoyama Stakes at Kyoto taking his record to four wins and two seconds from seven career starts. The homebred son of Sinister Minister is from the same family that produced last year’s G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Sierra Leone.