Godolphin (racing)

Godolphin's first runner and winner was Cutwater (GB) at Nad Al Sheba, Dubai on December 24, 1992 while Godolphin's international operation commenced in 1994.

Godolphin's operations are based in Al Quoz, Dubai, UAE and in Newmarket, United Kingdom, at Godolphin Stables (former Stanley House Stables, built in 1903 by Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby) and the historic Moulton Paddocks.[5] Godolphin also has three stables in Australia, two in Sydney and one in Melbourne.

To date, Godolphin has won a total of 288 Group One races around the globe. Godolphin registered its 100th Group One win with Sulamani in the 2003 Arlington Million. Hunter's Light, trained by Saeed bin Suroor and ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, recorded Godolphin's 200th Group One success with an impressive victory in the Al Maktoum Challenge R3 Sponsored By Emirates Airline at Meydan, Dubai, on Saturday, March 9, 2013.

Godolphin has won the Group One Dubai World Cup on ten occasions, thanks to Almutawakel (1999), Dubai Millennium (2000), Street Cry (2002), Moon Ballad (2003), Electrocutionist (2006), Monterosso (2012), African Story (2014), Prince Bishop (2015) and Thunder Snow (2018 and 2019).

Numerous major North American wins include six at the Breeders’ Cup meeting, highlighted by the victories of Daylami (1999) and Fantastic Light (2001) in the Breeders’ Cup Turf and Outstrip (2013) in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, Wuheida in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (2017) and Talismanic in the Breeders' Cup Turf (2017).

In keeping with its pioneering international outlook, Godolphin has gained four wins at the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races and Heart Lake scored an early Japanese Group One win in the 1995 Yasuda Kinen.

In 2013, stable jockey Frankie Dettori departed the organisation. In the same year, the British Horseracing Authority disclosed that Godolphin employee Mahmood Al Zarooni (who had joined Godolphin as a trainer a few years earlier) had been charged with doping after 15 Godolphin horses he was training had tested positive for anabolic steroids. Sheikh Mohammed declared he was "appalled and angered" and would 'lock down' the stables with 'immediate effect'. Al Zarooni was quickly dismissed, and all 15 horses were later cleared to race.[6] Godolphin commissioned an independent inquiry into Al Zarooni's activities, and subsequently a major reorganisation took place within Godolphin's UK operations[7] On account of the scale of Godolphin's operations, and as doping activity is generally extremely rare in flat horse racing (robust anti-doping procedures mean detection is highly probable), the incident was described by The Economist as "the biggest doping scandal in racing history".[8]

In late 2014, it was announced that Godolphin is to have a permanent presence in Australia. William Buick and James Doyle were appointed stable jockeys in early 2015, joining Mickael Barzalona, who joined the team in March 2012, and is Godolphin's retained rider in France.

In September 2016, Saeed bin Suroor reached a landmark 2,000 winners worldwide when Sky Hunter won the Listed Foundation Stakes at Goodwood, UK.

From Saturday, 17 March 2018, all horses currently racing in the JRA in the name of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will race in the name of Godolphin. The racing silks carried in Japan will change to royal blue with a lighter blue band on the sleeve.

• Godolphin has three principal retained trainers; Saeed bin Suroor (UK & UAE), Charlie Appleby (UK & UAE) and James Cummings (Australia), along with numerous horses in training with external independent trainers in Australia, Japan, France, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
• Godolphin has three principal retained jockeys; William Buick, James Doyle and Mickael Barzalona.

Some of Godolphin's top horses include:

• Godolphin website
• Article on Godolphin Stables