Godolphin - anybody else think something's really wrong in that outfit?

Question

How come so many outside trainers do really well with horses they have in training, but once they become successful and get snapped up by the Sheikh and disappear into Godolphin, they are never the same again. Shamadal is just one of many and people like Mark Johnston must weep. Are there just too many horses in training with Godolphin? I used to think it was down to this over-Wintering in Dubai and coming back here being too much of a shock to the system, early on, but as the Season progresses, and this year has been as bad as it gets, things are not improving. Personally I'd not risk a bet on a G-horse now.

Answer 1

Cutting their nose off to spite their face.

Answer 2

It is just a cycle they are going thru. It happens to the best of trainers.

Answer 3

The Godolphin team are a complete failure and Sheikh Mohammed needs to do something drastic to turn around their fortunes. He can start by getting rid of Saeed Bin Suroor and Simon Crisford. They've been living on past glories for long enough.

They should keep their string at home in Newmarket for the winter instead of taking them on a pointless excursion to Dubai which knocks them back when they return to England in the spring.

Sheikh Mohammed should also go back to having horses in training with the likes of Henry Cecil, John Gosden and Michael Stoute. He shouldn't keep all his eggs in one basket.

Godolphin should go back to utilising Coolmore stallions. Just because of a silly tiff with the Coolmore boys, Sheikh Mo has denied himself access to the best thoroughbred stallions in the world. Just because he's got the likes of New Approach to stand for him in the future guarantees nothing and if his progeny are anything like their sire, they'll all be a bunch of nutcases.

Frankie Dettori should ride more often.

Godolphin should stop trying to 'buy' success.

Answer 4

100% agree with Sir Alan and furthermore they didn't even have a horse good enough to run in the Sussex Stakes this year, won by Henrythenavigator, and in the King George at Ascot which they have won many times.

Kevin McEvoy was sent off to ride in Australia  and it doesn't look as though things are getting any better as they only had 6 Group 1 wins last year worldwide, and some of their best horses Ramonti, Chreachadoir and Ibn Khaldun are on the injured list.

Godolphin should try a 'New Approach' and stop trying to buy the bloodlines of stallions such as Danehill and Galileo through the back door and heal the rift with Coolmore, maybe then the winners will come Storming Home again.

Answer 5

Well from an Aussies perspective.

The only reason why The Sheikh is going alright here at the moment is because they have only just brought Woodlands, whose horses all had outstanding breeding and with Hawkesey and Darren Beadman the Crown Lodge team were unbeatable, (150+ wins last season they were together), but as soon as Hawkesey shut down his Brissie stable i knew something was up. Peter Snowden who is now top trainer for Darley Australia is a great trainer and to train 47 winners since they started is pretty good. Then there's Kerrin, suspended twice within a few weeks.

The only stable I USED to follow was Crown Lodge and the team run by John Hawkes, and I used to win alot of money to, but now it'll be Hawkesey, Bart and Gai.

Answer 6

Sheikh Mo should make Aidan O`Brien an offer he can`t refuse.

Answer 7

Here in the US, we get a lot more Shadwell horses than Godolphin horses, but the few that they send over here do pretty well... and the Shadwell horses are great.  Both Little Belle and Music Note are Godolphin horses and are among top 3 year old fillies.  I don't know why Godolphin's not doing well across the pond.

Answer 8

godolphin are not the same outfit for one reason and the other,but shamardal is not the best example to use.dont forget as a 3yo he raced 4 times under godolphin ,winning 3 ,its because he got injured after york that they had to retire him,that could of happened under any trainer.doyen i think is a good example.under andre fabre,he made his debut over 1m1f then raced at 1m4f thereafter including coming 4th in the arc.considering there are more 1m2f options than 1m4f options for french 3yo's,fabre knew that was his correct trip.he started great for godolphin with a royal ascot 1m4f course record win and the king george,but then they had the stupid idea of going for 1m2f group 1's(this enhances his stallion prospects and value) and ran 5 poor races therefater before retiring.