Frontiersman heads trio seeking Godolphin prize

G1 runner-up Frontiersman spearheads a three-pronged challenge for the 12-furlong Listed Godolphin Stakes at Newmarket, UK, on day two of the Cambridgeshire meeting, Friday, September 29. 

The four-year-old Dubawi colt, trained by Charlie Appleby, went down by a length and three quarters to Highland Reel in the G1 Coronation Cup, also over a mile and a half, at Epsom Downs in June. 

He also filled the runner-up position over a mile and half when chasing home stable companion Hawkbill in the G2 Princess Of Wales’s Stakes on Newmarket’s July Course in July, and finished sixth on his latest outing in the extended 12-furlong G2 Grand Prix de Deauville at Deauville, France, on August 27. 

Charlie Appleby reported: “Frontiersman was a little disappointing in Deauville, but we are hoping he can get his head back in front at this level and build some confidence.

“He has worn cheekpieces on his last few starts but we are putting on blinkers to hopefully rekindle some of the spark we saw earlier in the summer.”

James Doyle takes the ride on Frontiersman in the Godolphin Stakes which has seven declared runners.

Six-year-old Red Galileo (Saeed bin Suroor/Daniel Tudhope), a Meydan handicap winner over a mile and three quarters in January, steps back up in class following second places in 12-furlong handicaps at Ascot on July 28 and at York’s Ebor meeting on August 25. 

Saeed bin Suroor said: “Red Galileo has been running well over this trip and is a horse that always tries hard in his races. He has been doing well at home and we are looking for another good run.”

Best Of Days (Hugo Palmer/Josephine Gordon) captured the G2 Royal Lodge Stakes at last year’s Cambridgeshire meeting and the three-year-old colt was denied a clear run when coming home fourth in the G3 Winter Hill Stakes over an extended 10 furlongs at Windsor on August 26. 

Hugo Palmer commented: “Best Of Days has been terribly unlucky this season. He was injured in the spring, didn’t get his ground at Newbury two starts ago and didn’t benefit from the clearest of runs at Windsor last time. 

“I hope we don’t get too much rain at Newmarket, but Best Of Days is in great heart and I am hoping that he can belatedly get his season back on track.”