All three of his Dubai wins were front-running performances, as had been the case when Gladiatorus had been trained in Italy, and were achieved by local trainer Mubarak Bin Shafya, but there was little reason to suppose that the switch to Newmarket and the Godolphin yard would have any detrimental effect. However, what followed last summer and autumn baffled most observers and, probably, even those within Godolphin’s inner circle. Gladiatorus started as favourite for the Group One Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and also broke from the gate like a scalded cat, but finished nearly 20 lengths behind the winner. This set the pattern for his dismal runs in both the Prix Jacques le Marois and the Prix du Moulin. However, he then went on to win a Group One in Italy, where he simply outclassed his field, but then finished the season on another low note when trailing in ninth of 11 behind Goldikova in the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita.
Tags: