The stars continue to align for Sheikh Mohammed with the Godolphin blue again in the winner’s circle in the UK overnight with undefeated filly Desert Flower taking out the Group I Newmarket 1000 Guineas (1m).
In a history making weekend Godolphin have taken all before them winning the Kentucky Derby with Sovereignty (read about him here), the Kentucky Oaks with Good Cheer (read about her here) and the Newmarket 2000 Guineas with Ruling Court (read about him here).
Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, Desert Flower made it five wins in as many starts in her first race since landing the Group I Fillies Mile at Newmarket last October.
The daughter of Night of Thunder picked up right where she left off, showing her class at the finish to forge clear and win by a length over a pair of Ollie Sangster trained fillies in Flight (Siyouni) and Simmering (Too Darn Hot).
William Buick has ridden Desert Flower in four of her five wins.
“Desert Flower is incredible. We looked at the race beforehand and we thought we'd have to make our own running and she showed what a versatile filly she is. She's very uncomplicated and she keeps galloping,” Buick said.
“She's all class. I think she could be an Oaks filly. I think that was the way everyone was thinking beforehand.”
Charlie Appleby reflected on a historic weekend for the stable which now includes both the colts and fillies Guineas winners.
“It's been amazing. It took long enough to win a Guineas with the colts and the fillies have been hard to come by. With the fillies, it's not a page I often look at in the conditions book as we haven't had many,” he said.
“So, when people ask me is Desert Flower the best filly we've had, she is by far, yes. I see no reason why she can't potentially stretch up to the mile and a half. She does all her best work in the last furlong and she settles well. So, it's just a nice conversation to have.”
The champion 2YO Filly last year, Desert Flower is now 5-2 favourite (from 7-1) for the Epsom Oaks with Paddy Power and will look to do the Guineas / Oaks double which in the past 10 years has been achieved by Coolmore fillies Love (Galileo) and Minding (Galileo).
A three-quarter-sister to Group III winner Aablan, Desert Flower is the second foal and second stakes-winner for Group II winning Hard Spun mare Promising Run, a daughter of South American Group I winner Aviacion.
She is one of six G1 winners for Darley’s Night of Thunder, who shuttled to Australia for one season in 2016 and now commands a fee of €150,000.
