Tornado Alert storms to victory in Germany

Tornado Alert saw some strong efforts in the UK rewarded with a first G1 success in Germany on Sunday, with the Too Darn Hot colt decisively beating older opposition in the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis.

Fourth behind Ruling Court in the G1 2,000 Guineas, the Saeed bin Suroor-trained three-year-old had no problems with rain-softened ground in Munich as he scored by two and a half lengths over G1 Prix Ganay runner-up Map Of Stars.

Tornado Alert is the fifth Godolphin horse to win the Grosser Dallmayr-Preis following Kutub, Benbatl, Barney Roy and Nations Pride, and the first three-year-old in the royal blue silks to triumph. He looks set to tackle more G1 races over a mile and a quarter over the coming months, having shown his versatility with ground conditions.

Sovereignty has already shown himself to be the best three-year-old in North America and the Bill Mott-trained colt backed up his Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes wins with another assured display in Saturday’s G2 Jim Dandy Stakes.

The Saratoga race is the traditional prep for the G1 Travers Stakes back at the same course next month and Sovereignty will be hoping to continue his outstanding campaign in the contest colloquially known as the Midsummer Derby.

Rebel’s Romance had won the UAE Derby by the time Sovereignty was born and Godolphin’s most decorated horse ran an admirable race at Ascot on Saturday as he finished third in the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes for a second time.

All roads hopefully lead to California and a crack at an unprecedented third Breeders’ Cup Turf victory for the seven-year-old, who could take in the G1 Canadian International at Woodbine beforehand.

Time To Turn also scored at Ascot in Friday’s Listed Pat Eddery Stakes. Godolphin horses have now won five of the last seven editions of the race for two-year-olds, with subsequent G1 winners Naval Crown and Ancient Wisdom finishing third in the other two renewals.

Following two inconclusive starts in sprints, Off Trail enjoyed the step back up in trip as he dead-heated for second in the G3 Sekiya Kinen at Niigata on Sunday, a race in which the first seven all ran quicker than the previous track record.

The G2 Swan Stakes in October is a potential next step for the Farhh colt, who captured the G3 Radio Nikkei Sho last season.

A small but select team for Glorious Goodwood this week is headlined by veteran stayer Dubai Future, who is chasing a first G1 victory at the age of nine in Tuesday’s Goodwood Cup.

Exciting Ghaiyyath colt Opera Ballo will be hoping to take another step forward in Friday’s G3 Thoroughbred Stakes, with two-year-olds Morris Dancer, Military Code and Maximized due to run at the meeting.

A big Saturday in Saratoga will see Godolphin runners bid for a trio of G1 prizes, with recent G3 Kelso Stakes scorer Think Big going in the Fourstardave Stakes. Last year’s G1 Jockey Club Stakes victor Highland Falls returns to Saratoga for the Whitney Stakes, while unbeaten filly Ragtime runs in the Test Stakes.

Recent Newmarket Listed winner Spirited Style is also set to test her credentials at G1 level after she was supplemented for Sunday’s Preis der Diana in Germany.