Buratino gives Godolphin an early success at Royal Ascot

Sport360 staff 08:52 17/06/2015
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  • Leading the way: Buratino.

    Mark Johnston’s Derby day winner Buratino gave Godolphin an early success by landing the Coventry Stakes in some style.

    The son of Exceed and Excel routed the opposition in the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom just 11 days ago and was a 6-1 shot stepped up to Grade Two company in Berkshire.

    William Buick buried the youngster in the middle of the pack for much of the six-furlong journey, before switching him towards the stands side to launch his challenge.

    Buratino showed off his gears as he quickened up to the lead and only had to be pushed in the last 100 yards to beat Aidan O’Brien’s Air Force Blue by two lengths. Eltezam was third ahead of two of the winner’s stablemates, Beaverbrook and Ode To Evening, in fourth and fifth respectively.

    Round Two was the favourite for Jim Bolger, but having raced close to the pace he weakened and was ultimately disappointing. Buick said: “He travelled so well. I had a lot of belief in him after the Woodcote, but fair play to Mark Johnston as he’s come on for every run.

    “It’s a huge thing to get a win on the board early, I’m very pleased to do it for my boss (HH Sheikh Mohammed in Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and the ruler of Dubai).

    “He’s very exciting, he’s the best two-year-old around at the moment. I see no reason why he wouldn’t stay seven furlongs, but there’s no need to go that far yet.”

    Johnston said: “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.

    “When he won on the first day of the season Simon Crisford (former Godolphin racing manager) said put him away for Ascot, but I think they need experience and when Attraction won the Queen Mary she’d run a few times. When you go to Ascot you need experience under your belt.”

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