New strategy endorsed by Godolphin Doncaster triumph

It was a fateful day for Godolphin in June 2014, when chief executive John Ferguson announced in Newmarket (UK) that the stable would hand-pick suitable horses internally for export, to be trained by John O'Shea in Australia.

The intention was that they would be aimed at a series of G1 targets in Melbourne and Sydney during the Australian Spring and Autumn Carnivals.

Up to that point, Godolphin had always relied on annual raids by small teams of Northern Hemisphere-based horses - they specifically targeted the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and the Cox Plate - which then returned to the UK.

But under the new strategy, those shipped out were effectively on a one-way ticket.

The first crop of Europeans for export to O'Shea made an immediate impact and changed the course of events forever.

The group included Hartnell and It's Somewhat, as well as Contributer, who had been purchased out of the stable of Ed Dunlop after winning the Listed Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot in 2014.

Following the great triumph of It's Somewhat in Saturday's G1 Doncaster Mile at Randwick, those three horses alone had collected career prizemoney totaling A$7.37m - an emphatic endorsement of the new policy.

It's Somewhat, under a clever ride from Zac Purton, used every ounce of stamina in his DNA to hold off Happy Clapper, Sense Of Occasion and Palentino after making almost every metre of the running on the Randwick 'mile' course.

The ground was 'gluey' and with the spectacular exception of Chautauqua, who came from last to snatch a third consecutive G1 TJ Smith Stakes, this track favoured those who raced prominently throughout.

In the UK, It's Somewhat, trained by Mark Johnston, had always been very useful. He won the Listed Washington Singer Stakes at Newbury as a two-year-old - the 1995 Derby winner Lammtarra had won the same race - and he finished third as pacemaker in the G1 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown (UK), behind Mukhadram and Trading Leather.

To underline his stamina reserves, It's Somewhat also finished third to Snow Sky in the G3 Gordon Stakes at Goodwood as a prelude to his 10th in the G1 Doncaster St Leger (with Hartnell 7th in the same race).

Unquestionably, the gelding has thrived in Australia for O'Shea, who had always regarded the winner as one capable of winning one of the 'majors'.

The crowd of 20,573 almost lifted the roof off the stand when the Team Hawkes-trained Chautauqua flew home from an impossible position to win the TJ Smith under Tommy Berry. Many had written off the grey champion, but he had them eating their words with a simply incredible performance.

The Australian Derby went to New Zealand colt Jon Snow, giving the Darley shuttle stallion Iffraaj a second Classic in less than a month.

Iffraaj also sired New Zealand Derby winner Gingernuts, who this time could finish only 5th after getting a long way back. In Britain, Iffraaj stands at Dalham Hall Sud, Newmarket, while he also shuttles to Haunui Stud, Karaka, outside Auckland.