REVIEW / GODOLPHIN MILE 35 ADIYAT RACING PLUS ISSUE 840 Thursday 4th April 2024 adiyat racing plus.com adiyat racing plus.com I AM EXTREMELY HAPPY ABOUT HOW IT’S WORKED OUT FOR US AND IT’S AMAZING THAT WE HAVE WON THE GODOLPHIN MILE IN THE PRESENCE OF HH SHEIKH MOHAMMAD BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM — LEANDRO MORA. following the success of Spring At Last in 2007 and clearly meant a great deal to Leandro Mora, who supervises trainer Doug O'Neill's travelling challenge in the United Arab Emirates. “I am extremely happy about how it’s worked out for us and it’s amazing that we have won the Godolphin Mile in the presence of HH Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum,” said Mora. “I actually asked Edwin to stay closer to the pace but it did not work out that way. He knew he was in a little bit of trouble but the horse responded for him.” Maldonado has known plenty of injury ups and downs during his career in Southern California and produced a ride of rare quality here. “He is not a horse that takes the kickback well so I was hoping he would be close in the run and he was,” said the winning rider. “When he came into the stretch I was confident I would get there because I had him in the clear, outside of kickback. He’s very genuine. He gave me everything.” Speaking from California, trainer Doug O'Neill said: “I am so proud of this horse. The owners are the ones who picked him out to claim. They have been super-patient and supportive. He's a young four-year-old on the rise.” Co-owner Todd Cady was understandably emotional after welcoming Two Rivers Over back to the number one spot. Cady said: “What an experience! We were happy to be a part of the occasion but we knew it would be hard to win with the likes of Saudi Crown and Isolate in the field. He was so tough and classy in the finish. We are so thrilled.” Seemar was frustrated and delighted in equal measures with Walk Of Stars who produced one of his best effort of the season to complete a 2-4 for the Zabeel Stables handler with Southern Artist grabbing fourth under Antonio Fresu. He said: “He’s one of those horses that once he passes another horse, he always stops. So he has to be produced last minute but it just so happened that we were drawn inside and Isolate was right on top of us and we couldn’t get him a breather. If he has something to come and aim at, he goes and beats them, but once he’s in front he stops.” Fresu added: “Southern Artist was considered an outsider but I didn’t believe he got the respect he deserved. When I rode him in January, he ran really well and he just got beaten on the line by a very good horse (Hypothetical). He didn’t run as expected the last time. I wish I was drawn a little bit lower because then I didn’t have to be so wide, but I don’t think it would have changed anything. I think finishing fourth was a great effort and an amazing job done by Bhupat Seemar and his team.” RESULTS 1. Two Rivers Over (Edwin /O’Neill) 2. Walk Of Stars (O’Shea/ Bhupat) 3. Isolate (Saez/Watson) Two Rivers Over’s connections celebrate after his triumphant return to the winners’ enclosure following the G2 Godolphin Mile
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