Having tracked the leaders for most of the 1,200-metre trip, the son of Exceed And Excel was pushed to lead by William Buick inside the final furlong and he quickens clear to win by two lengths from Air Force Blue, the mount of Ryan Moore.
As he approached the line Buick wagged his finger at the cheering crowds as if to signal, this is only the first!
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Godolphin’s founder, was present at the historic Berkshire track to welcome his winner into the winner’s circle.
British bookmakers were frantically revising Buratino’s odds for next season’s 2,000 Guineas (G1) odds, with Betfair going as low as 8/1 for the May 2 Classic at Newmarket.
“We got an interrupted run behind horses that were going forwards and we were able to pick and choose our path,” Buick told Racing UK. “He’s won very well — he’s one of the best two-year-olds around.
“I see no reason why he shouldn’t improve further or stay seven furlongs, but we’ll take it one step at a time.”
Trip the key
Mark Johnston, who was saddling his 38th winner at Royal Ascot, added: “I kept my feet on the ground with him. You just had to look at the bare form. He got beat at Ascot and again at Sandown, but stepping him up in trip has obviously been the key.
“William has now ridden him three times and the horse has got better in his estimation and given him a better feel.
“William told Shaikh Mohammad he wouldn’t be frightened to run him over seven furlongs later in the year.
“We’ll discuss where to go next. He’s a different horse now.”
The Coventry is the first Group contest of the year for juveniles. Many top class horses to win this race go on to achieve major success.
Meanwhile, French raider Solow staked his claim as the best miler in Europe when recording a thrilling length victory over Ireland’s Cougar Mountain in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes, the high-profile opening race of the five-day meeting.
Godolphin’s Night Of Thunder, looked to have every chance one furlong from the line, but faded away to finish fifth.
Dubai businessman Saeed Manana, who previously owned the horse, said it was an honour to see his horse race in the Dubai-owned stable’s prestigious Royal Blue silks.
“It did not matter that we did not win, but to just have a horse run in the famous colours created by Shaikh Mohammad is a big honour,” he told Dubai Racing Channel.
Solow in fine fettle
Winning trainer Freddy Head praised Solow, who in March won the Group 1 Dubai Turf at Meydan.
“He’s a beautiful horse, lovely to train and is everything you want — he’s the number one.
“We’ll choose our races and try run him for a few more years, maybe the Sussex Stakes [next].”
Goldream closed like an Olympic athlete to win the Group 1 King’s Stand Stakes with a bob of the head from Dubai regular Medicean Man while dual 2,000 Guineas hero Gleneagles was a comfortable winner of the Group 1 St. James’s Palace Stakes.
