Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, the prominent racehorse owner and breeder died on 29 December.

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s recognisable yellow silks with black spots had been carried to hundreds of victories in Britain since the early 1990s.

He was the cousin of Godolphin founder Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The family’s Darley operation bred the great Dubawi, out of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s Italian Oaks winner Zomaradah, whom he also bred.

As an owner, one of his greatest successes was the 1998 Derby at Epsom, won by High-Rise, trained by Luca Cumani and ridden by Olivier Peslier. Another notable horse was the Roger Varian-trained Postponed, son of Dubawi and winner of the 2015 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the 2016 Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Cup.

Postponed was ridden to eight of his nine of his victories by Andrea Atzeni, who rode 193 British winners for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid. Andrea said: “Not only was he my boss, but also a great friend and family man.”

“He leaves behind a great legacy and the love he had for his horses and the sport. My sincere condolences go out to his family,” he said.

More recently, Sheikh Mohammed Obaid enjoyed success as the owner-breeder of the 2024 Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Rosallion and Group One Coronation Cup winner Inisherin. On 14 November 2025, his home-bred Royal Champion won the Bahrain International Trophy.

Godolphin’s director of studs, stallions and breeding Liam O’Rourke said the death of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid is a “tremendous loss to racing and breeding”.

“He has been an outstanding owner and breeder for over three decades and his contribution to the sport has been enormous,” he said.

“We send our condolences to his family, and he will be greatly missed by everyone at Godolphin.”

A British Horseracing Authority spokesperson said that during Sheikh Mohammed Obaid’s decades as an owner and breeder, “he made a significant contribution to the sport, for which all who enjoyed watching his many excellent horses are grateful”.

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Gold Cup winner Papineau, “a champion both on and off the track”, has died aged 24.

Godolphin’s gelding spent much of his retirement providing equine assisted therapy in hospices and hospitals. He was a finalist for the inaugural Sir Peter O’Sullevan Charitable Trust Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) Community Impact Award, and his achievements were celebrated at the RoR Awards on 31 January.

Papineau was “in excellent health” until he was very recently diagnosed with heart issues and the decision was made for him to be put down.

“Papineau was a horse who did even more for others, both within and outside of our industry, in his retirement as he did throughout his career,” said Liam O’Rourke, Godolphin’s director of stud, stallions and breeding.

“He was much loved and will be much missed.”

Papineau, a son of Singspiel, was bred by the late Peter Winfield and bought at the Tattersalls December Sale in 2000. He travelled to Ireland and was raised at Blackhall Stud in Co. Kildare, before starting training with André Fabre.

He joined Saeed bin Suroor in early 2004, winning the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot that summer with Frankie Dettori in the saddle.

“Papineau was a pleasure to train, and his Gold Cup win at Ascot was a very special day indeed. His achievements after his racing career are something that the whole team should be incredibly proud of,” said Saeed.

In 2005, Papineau was retired from racing and retrained, enjoying dressage, showing and life as a family hack. He also spent time as a nanny at Godolphin’s pre-training facility and has taken part in many parades.

He stepped back from his second career for a quieter life at Woodditton Stud, where he was looked after by Geraldine Jones and her daughter Megan. But his carers found he was not quite ready to fully retire, so Papineau found a new purpose in equine-assisted therapy, visiting Newmarket Hospital and East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices. It was for this work that he was recognised as a finalist in the RoR community impact award.

In a video shown on the awards evening at The Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket, Geraldine described him as “incredibly soft and gentle”.

“He just knows – if you’re having a bad day, he is always there to listen,” she said.

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A head girl who has shown “unwavering dedication and loyalty” took home the top prize at the Godolphin Stud & Stable Staff Awards.

Rebecca “Beck” Edmunds, of Bryan Smart Racing, won the leadership award and was then named the 2021 employee of the year at the virtual event (22 February), taking home £30,000 to be split between her and the team.

She was nominated for the awards by her boss, who cited Beck’s “exceptional knowledge, unwavering dedication and loyalty” and her attention to detail when working with both horses and humans.

Beck told H&H the nomination letter “made her cry” and she was “over the moon” to win.

“I’m so proud of all the people I work with, I know it was my name on the award, but we are a team and this is for them,” she said.

“My job is preparing racehorses and you find the keys to make them perform to their best, and it is very similar with the staff.

“To me, they are my family and nobody comes into this yard without me trying to get to know a bit more about them.

“People find it much easier to communicate with you if you understand them.”

She added that she likes knowing the staff trust they can talk to her in confidence and by getting to know the team, it means they can spot if someone isn’t quite themselves. She has also undertaken Racing Welfare’s mental health first aid course.

“You can’t fix everyone, but you can be there for them and I can get them the help they need, if they need it, and there is a lot available,” she said.

She said looking after the staff and making an effort to keep up morale, particularly though Yorkshire’s harsh winters and the pandemic (“some haven’t been able to go home”), is very important.

Alongside the big things that make for a happy work environment, she added little gestures such as tubs of chocolate to cheer the lads up in miserable weather and making an effort on birthdays, don’t take much but show people they are valued.

“If you can just make somebody smile once a day, that’s a good thing,” she said, adding she sees herself a “bit of a mother hen”.

After graduating from Moreton Morrell, Beck worked in a hunting and thoroughbred breeding yard, through which she met her husband, Kevin, who is now Bryan Smart’s assistant trainer. The couple spent a couple of years at a National Hunt yard, when the head lad position came up at Bryan Smart’s.

Kevin got the job and Beck started riding out, before joining full time and worked her way up from being a stable lass to head girl over the last 17 years.

“I’ve been in that position ever since,” she said, adding she loves her job. “The horses’ welfare is always put first and foremost in this yard and that’s why we get on so well with the boss.

She said the bond you form when working with horses and those quiet one-on-one moments are what make the job so special.

“There is nothing better than riding a horse at near-on 40mph — there is nothing like that buzz. It is a thrill and a privilege that these horses trust us enough to let us ride them,” she said.

Nick Luck, chair of the judging panel, said Beck is “a most deserving winner” and her colleagues “should rightly feel very proud”.

“There surely cannot be many prizes as difficult to judge as the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards. Everybody nominated is so deserving of the recognition winning brings and it was a pleasure to get to know the individuals put forward by their colleagues for consideration this year,” he added.

“We know that the continuation of racing over the past few months has had a positive impact on the mental health of the sport’s fans during a most difficult year, so it is right that we acknowledge the sacrifices made by racing staff to make this possible. These dedicated and talented people have worked hard throughout to provide world-class care to our horses, ensuring they are fit and ready to perform at the highest level for our entertainment.

“My congratulations go to all of our winners this evening, as well as those nominated. I also would also like to extend the thanks of the judging panel to racing staff for their incredible work in the last 12 months.”

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The full list of finalists and winners are as follows (winners in bold):

Newcomer

Jaydon Lee – Nicky Henderson

Alice Price – Ben Pauling

Chrissie Sykes – Ruth Carr

Leadership

Alex Cairns – James Fanshawe

Rebecca “Beck” Edmunds – Bryan Smart

Lauren Webb – Daniel & Claire Kubler

Rider/Groom

Joanna Łacisz – Sir Michael Stoute

Sarah Peacock – Tom George

Faisal – Richard Phillips

Stud Staff

Tom Hughes – Hazelwood Bloodstock

Martin Languillet – Fittocks Stud

Elody Swann – Newsells Park Stud

Dedication

Guianand Bissessur – William Haggas

Debbie Howie – John Gosden

Joline Saunders – Richard Phillips

Also honoured was Richard Phillips, who collected the Community Award, presented in recognition of the wonderful work Rory MacDonald achieved at the British Racing School. The runners-up were: Simon Jones (Charity Fundraiser) and Samantha Trainor (National Horseracing College).

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Two fillies by Galileo have become the most expensive yearlings sold at auction in the world this year – as nine lots fetch seven figure prices at the Tattersalls October yearling sale book one last week (6-8 October).

Lot 436, a Galileo filly out of Shastye, was bought by MV Magnier, Coolmore, for £3.57 million on the final day of the sale. The Newsells Park Stud consigned filly is the full sister to Group One winners Japan and Mogul and will join her full-brothers at Ballydoyle.

“It is a great result for everybody involved, she has been bought in partnership with Westerberg,” said MV Magnier. “She is a very nice filly and a very nice mover, like Japan and Mogul. The mare produces great looking stock and great racehorses, let’s hope she does it one more time.”

The second Galileo filly, Lot 374, was also bought by MV Magnier. The filly, out of the dual Grade Two winner Prize Exhibit, sold for £2.94 million.

‘[Her] breeder David Nagle has been saying for a very long time how good a filly she is. We are very lucky to have been able to buy her. She has a great page, and she comes from a very good nursery,” said Mr Magnier.

“These kind of fillies are collectors items with Galileo and how he is doing as a broodmare sire. She is just exceptional.”

During the auction’s three days nine lots sold for seven figure prices including Lot 174, the son of Kingman who sold for £2.84 million to Oliver St Laurence from Houghton Bloodstock, on behalf of Pantile Stud. The colt, out of Galicuix, is a half brother to class winner Galileo Gold.

Bo Hicks-Little, stud manager of Pantile Stud, said the colt has “never put a foot wrong”.

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“He is a superstar, and not just physically, he is so mentally strong too, he is such a professional. He was a late April foal and we had a bad night when he was born as we nearly lost the mare. We had to bottle feed him for 24 hours,” he said.

“He has been bought for Fawzi Nass and Bahraini interests. He is a gorgeous horse, he has a stallion’s pedigree and he will go into training with Roger Varian,” added Mr St Laurence.

Lot 109, a colt by Dubawi out of Cushion, was bought by Godolphin for £2.21 million from Floors Stud. The stable also bought Lot 162, a filly by Frankel out of Flesh d’Or for £2.1 million from Norelands Stud and Lot 41, a colt by Frankel out of Attraction, for £1.16 million from Floors Stud.

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

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Assistant trainer Catriona Bissett was awarded the 2019 ‘Employee of the Year’ at the glittering Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards last night (18 February), which honoured the hard-work staff in racing. “Catch”, who was congratulated for her outstanding leadership skills, fought off tough competition from fellow category victors, including John Bottomley, who has been working in the industry for over 60 years.

Catch was presented with a cheque for £15,000 by 20-time champion jockey AP McCoy, while a further £15,000 will be shared among the staff at her boss Nick Alexander’s Fife yard.

The judging panel, which included Brough Scott, Alice Plunkett and Mick Fitzgerald, were impressed with Catch’s leadership, in particular when something goes wrong. They added that the happy and motivated team of staff are testament to her hard work and commitment to developing them.

“We work for a fantastic boss, we all know where we are going and we pull together in the same direction. I think that is really important and I’m really happy to have won this [trophy] for all of them,” said Catch (pictured, below).

Brough Scott added: “The panel’s job was tougher than it has ever been this year with some extraordinary displays of stories of dedication, commitment and hard work amongst this year’s finalists.

“However, we had to reach a final decision and Catch is a hugely deserving winner for all the work she has done in mentoring other members of the team at Kinneston.”

John Bottomley, 75, won the ‘Dedication to racing’ award following his 60-plus years working within racing. The judges decided his patience, kindness and good humour made him an irreplaceable part of the team at Ollie Pears Racing.

“I don’t want to retire,” said John. “It’s hard to explain, but I still get the buzz when I go racing — if you don’t have that buzz anymore, you don’t want to be in the job. I love every minute of it.”

Andrea O’Keeffe, the wife of trainer Jedd O’Keeffe, took home the Rory MacDonald community award, for her massive contribution to the development of racing programmes, while also supporting her husband’s training operation in North Yorkshire — particularly when Jedd was receiving treatment for cancer in 2011.

“For Catch to be named ‘Employee of the Year’ when our sport employs 6,000 people, who work so hard to provide first-class care to our horses, is a fantastic achievement,” said Nick Rust, chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority.

“We are grateful to all of the staff, who work day in, day out to ensure that the horses are provided with a quality of life that is virtually unsurpassed by any other domesticated animal.”

The full list of winners:

Employee of the Year: Catriona Bissett (Nick Alexander)

David Nicholson Newcomer Award: Sophy Scott (Mark Johnson)

Leadership Award: Catriona Bissett

Rider/Groom Award: Stewart Gossnell (Richard Hughes)

Stud Staff Award: Andrew Snell (Cheveley Park Stud)

Dedication to Racing Award: John Bottomley (Ollie Pears)

Rory Macdonald Community Award: Andrea O’Keeffe (Jedd O’Keeffe)

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Godolphin’s star all-rounder Qewy has started his retraining after retiring from the racetrack to start a new career with his former work rider.

The eight-year-old gelding enjoyed a successful career under Rules, with 20 starts on the Flat, seven over hurdles and two over fences while in training with John Oxx, John Ferguson and most recently Charlie Appleby.

He raced in Britain, Ireland and Australia, amassing more than £462,700 in prize money during his six-year career, retiring in November 2017.

His former work rider Charlotte Wyatt, who travelled with Qewy during his travels across the globe, said it is an “absolute honour to give Qewy the retirement home he deserves”.

“I just couldn’t see him go to anyone else,” Charlotte told H&H.

“When you ride a horse every day you create a special bond, and to travel with him to Australia and share that experience was amazing. Qewy took me to places I would never have thought I would go to and giving him a five-star home is my way of saying thank you.

“He is a funny, intelligent and quirky horse to have on the yard — he loves to be in a routine and enjoys the comfort of having other horses around him.

“I’m really pleased with how well he has adjusted and I just knew from how he behaved when in training that he would fit into the yard at home perfectly – it already feels like he has always been there.”

Charlotte added Qewy “loves hacking” and she is really impressed with the progress he is making with his flatwork.

“It’s like riding a different horse [to the Qewy I rode in training], he moves and carries himself completely differently,” she said.

“He has taken to retraining very well and he surprised me with how successfully he has taken to the flatwork — I think he just wanted a job again as he loves to be in work and is enjoying doing something new.

“We have been working with Mark and Elizabeth Mills, who run The Dressage Company and I couldn’t have got Qewy to this level without them.

“This is all new to me as my experience is mostly riding racehorses. Teaching Qewy the basic flatwork wasn’t easy, but with the help of Mark and Elizabeth he is now performing beautifully.

“I’d never have thought that when he was in training that he would go on to move as well as he does.”

Charlotte, who hails from Norfolk, is hoping to do some Retraining of Racehorses classes and would like to see how he takes to eventing.

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She added Qewy is a “natural” over fences.

“It has just been a case of familiarising him with jumping again and it was like he had never forgotten,” said Charlotte. “I love jumping him, the bigger the jump the better he is!”

“Cross-country will be perfect for him and I think he will find it really exciting.

“He is already familiar with showjumping so now we just need to tidy it all up and look forward to next summer.”

Godolphin Rehoming manager Jo Brisland added racehorses can go on to have successful careers “in any sphere” with the correct training.

“It gives everyone involved in the rehoming scheme great pleasure to see our former stars on the track become such versatile horses in their new careers,” she added.

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The famous blue silks of Sheikh Mohammed’s racing powerhouse Godolphin are a regular sight in the winner’s enclosure across the globe. In Australia, the trainers involved in the large-scale operation have discovered the benefits of jumping the Flat horses.

Horse & Hound spoke to Godophin’s head trainer in Australia, James Cummings, to find out more about this secret weapon…

Q: How do you decide which horses will jump?

A: We get feedback on every horse each day while they are in training. When we start to get the impression that they are bored of the routine or not enjoying it the way they should, we use jumping as one way to introduce something different.

Q: Why do you jump them and how does it help them when racing on the Flat?

A: Popping our horses over logs and brushes forces the horse to think differently, use different muscle groups and it gives them a spark in their week that they are not expecting. This can both generate a turnaround in behaviour and enthusiasm and prolong a horse’s interest in its campaign.

Q: What exactly do you jump them over?

A: At different places we have variations in our jumps. At Flemington in Melbourne we have access to a bullring and at our private facility Osborne Park in Hawkesbury we have little logs and taller brushes.

Q: How much jumping do you do with them per week and how do you integrate it into their training?

A: We tend to keep the jumping to a minimum. We like to do it after they have had a good warm up, with a small canter on the sand track so that we are not placing too much pressure on their legs. We avoid doing it on the same day that the horses train hard.

Q: Do most of the horses take to it naturally and how old are the horses you jump?

A: We jump the horses anywhere from the age of two, right up to the oldest horses we have in training. The older horses are seven or eight years of age in our stable. I would say that our racehorses are a mixed bag. Some jump beautifully at their first go and some others tend to take a bit more time to learn to get themselves set and need to be given a little bit more patience from their riders to learn to jump clear.

Interestingly, we tend to notice the greatest change in behaviour from the horses who tend to need the most improvement when they are first learning to pop over the logs.

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The famous blue silks of Godolphin dominated today’s Investec Derby at Epsom Downs (Saturday, 2 June), as William Buick steered the Charlie Appleby-trained Masar to victory — giving Sheikh Mohammed’s powerhouse a long-awaited first success in the prestigious Group One race.

On the lead up to the big race, the focus was on the Aidan O’Brien-trained Saxon Warrior — this year’s 2000 Guineas victor who went off the 4/5 favourite.

However, under Ryan Moore, the Ballydoyle colt experienced some traffic problems during the race and was never a threat to the leaders, finishing fourth.

The eventual winner — a 16/1 shot — stayed on well and had a clear run up to the finishing line on the stands’ side, holding off runner-up Dee Ex Bee (Silvestre De Sousa) by one-and-a-half lengths, with Roaring Lion (Oisin Murphy) in third.

“All I could think of in the last furlong was that I wanted to be the first trainer to win the Derby in the Godolphin blue,” said Charlie Appleby, who also trained the second-placed Wild Illusion in yesterday’s Investec Oaks.

“It was a fantastic team effort. Brett Doyle rides him every day — we just wanted to get him to switch off and we thought he’d stay. William [Buick] has given him a brilliant ride, but the last 100 yards seemed a long time.

“It still hasn’t sunk in and it probably won’t for days or even weeks. I was always just hoping the door was going to open for us this season and, to be honest, I did think it was going to be yesterday [in the Oaks],” he added.

William Buick, meanwhile, was enjoying his first taste of Derby success, having come close on occasions before.

“I’ve had a few rides in the race and I’ve come close a couple of times,” he said. “I know that some jockeys have ridden in the Derby more times without winning it, however, I often asked myself if my time would ever come. To do it for Sheikh Mohammed and his family — in the famous blue colours — is special, they are loyal supporters of mine and I’m very happy to be part of it all,” William added.

“Masar stayed the trip and travelled beautifully today. The Guineas didn’t happen for him but he’s a very good horse and the team believed in him.

“I’ve dreamt of this moment since I wanted to become a jockey, this is everything. A ‘Derby-winning rider’ — it sounds very good.”

O’Brien’s Oaks success

Aidan O’Brien may have missed out on this year’s Investec Derby victory, however, Forever Together’s brilliant four-and-a-half length win in the Investec Oaks (Friday, 1 June) was a seventh in the fillies’ mile-and-a-half Classic for the top trainer.

Forever Together was ridden by Aidan’s son Donnacha, who won the 2000 Guineas aboard Saxon Warrior last month.

The daughter of Galileo is out of the Theatrical mare Green Room — also dam of Group One winner Lord Shanakill — and she is the first maiden to win the Investec Oaks since Sun Princess in 1983.

Don’t miss the full report from the Investec Derby Festival in Horse & Hound magazine — on sale Thursday, 7 June.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A four-year-old thoroughbred filly became the highest-priced horse ever sold at a European auction after changing hands for 6 million guineas (£6.3million).

Double group one winner Marsha was bought by Coolmore’s MV Magnier for a new partnership at Tattersalls December Mare Sale on Tuesday (5 December).

The racehorse attracted interested from Japan, Qatar, South Africa and the US.

Ed Dunlop, who was sat with Gaynor Rupert, and David Redvers were involved in the early stages, but gave way to MV Magnier for Coolmore and John Gosden on behalf of Godolphin.

The bidding turned into a head-to-head battle between the two racing powerhouses after Mr Gosden bid 4 million guineas.

Mr Magnier jumped back in to take the price to 5 million, with the pace picking up again until the price reached its final total.

The hammer fell on Mr Magnier’s 6 million bid to secure the star mare.

Watch the full video of Marsha’s sale below…

“She really is something special,” said Mr Magnier. “Sir Mark [Prescott, the filly’s trainer] has done a great job with her, she was very fast and the lads were very keen to have her.”

He added she will go to stud and will be covered by champion sire Galileo.

Dan Downie, of former owners Elite Racing Club, said the funds will go towards the running of the club.

“It is exciting, and it is a wonderful for Elite,” he added.

“We did have a price at which we would have taken her home, but we did think it was going to be unlikely.

“She has been wonderful and always takes everything in her stride.”

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The filly, by Acclamation, won this year’s Nunthorpe Stakes at York and last year’s Prix de l’Abbaye.

She was first past the post in seven out of her 18 starts and has notched up £650,114 in earnings over her three-year racing career.

Ten lots broke the million guineas barrier at yesterday’s sale.

These included Zhukova, who was bought by Anthony Stroud for Godolphin for 3.6 million guineas, and Quiet Reflection, who was purchased by Tom Goff for 2.1 million guineas on behalf of Mr Magnier.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Ex-racehorses can be seen strutting their stuff in the dressage arena or flying across hunting country with ease — but settling into a new life working with a golden eagle on the wide expanses of Dartmoor is perhaps a little more unusual.

Ten-year-old former racehorse Shubaat, who was trained by John Ferguson and raced on the Flat and over jumps, is doing just that.

“Shubaat is a lovely stamp of a thoroughbred,” says Martin Whitley at Dartmoor Hawking, a falconry centre that gives clients an interactive experience with birds of prey. “He’s been here for two months now and we’re just working with him to work with the eagles. When you’re working an eagle with a horse, the horse is very much a launching platform and your carrying platform.”

The 2012 Musselburgh Gold Cup-winner is seen here with the golden eagle Artemis, who is used for the handling and flying sessions to teach people falconry from horses. She has a 7ft6 wing span and during the winter months is a serious hunting bird.

“This is Shubaat’s first introduction to the wide, open spaces of Dartmoor,” says Martin. “In another month’s time he’ll be out here around two or three times a week doing different activities with various birds of prey. He’s taking it all very, very well. His whole attitude is absolutely fantastic. He’s just been charging around a big open space that he doesn’t know, and he’s more interested in stuffing his face. That’s what we like.”

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Godolphin — the global thoroughbred breeding and racing team founded by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum — places a big emphasis on finding new jobs for horses at the end of their racing career. The Godolphin Thoroughbred Rehoming scheme operates from Newmarket, where they retrain geldings to help them embark on an alternative career with a new owner.

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A former Ascot Gold Cup winner is enjoying his new life as a showjumper after his retirement from racing.

The eye-catching grey Colour Vision was a 6-1 contender in the 2012 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, where he was piloted to victory by Frankie Dettori.

Frankie faced a stewards’ enquiry following the win, into whether he interfered in the final furlong with fellow Godolphin runner Opinion Poll, who finished second by half a length.

The stewards ruled in Frankie’s favour and the pair kept the win.

Owned by Godolphin, the son of Rainbow Quest had a four-year career under Rules before retiring from the track aged five in September 2013.

Rehomer Bev Seymour explained she found the now nine-year-old Colour Vision through the Godolphin rehoming programme in 2015.

“He loves to jump — it was a very easy job for me to train him,” added Bev.

“He is naturally athletic and he has a very good stride for showjumping.

“The transition to showjumping was a bit chaotic in the beginning as when we got to showjumping shows, he thought he was going to race and was very, very excitable.

“He now gets very excited about jumping.”

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Colour Vision raced 27 times under Rules, winning six of these starts and notching up £352,484 in earnings during his racing career.

He has enjoyed success over coloured fences, with wins and placings in British Showjumping classes.

Bev explained it has been an “a bonus” that the gelding has taken to showjumping.

“I got him really just to ride and not to compete on,” added Bev. “So the competition side of things has really been a bonus.

“More than anything he is my friend and my pet.”

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Thousands of holidaymakers pass through London Stansted airport each week. However, yesterday morning (21 September) there was a different type of arrival in the form of more than 50 racehorses.

All owned by the global breeding and racing powerhouse Godolphin, a total of 57 yearlings made their way from the USA — where they have been bred at studs in Louisville, Kentucky.

After their approximately 10-hour flight, the young thoroughbreds embarked on the final part of their journey by road to the British headquarters of racing in Newmarket to begin their careers in training and on the racecourse.

The Godolphin operation was founded by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai.

As a child Sheikh Mohammed would race bareback on the sands of Jumeirah Beach in Dubai with his friends and this ignited his passion for the racehorse.

The name ‘Godolphin’ originates from the name of an Arabian horse, who was one of three stallions that founded today’s thoroughbred racehorse bloodstock.

Sheikh Mohammed’s racing empire spans across four continents; Dubai, Europe, Australia and America — it is the most international horseracing operation in the world, with horses also in training in Ireland and France.

Godolphin’s main trainers in the UK and Dubai are Saeed bin Suroor — Godolphin’s longest-serving trainer — and Charlie Appleby, who was appointed in 2013 after 15 years working as travelling head lad, stable head lad and assistant trainer for Godolphin.

James Cummings trains for the team in Australia, while back in the UK John Gosden, Richard Hannon, Richard Fahey, Charlie Hills, Hugo Palmer, Roger Charlton, Clive Cox and Kevin Ryan all have horses in training who are owned by Godolphin.

Their main jockeys include William Buick, James Doyle and Mickael Barzalona, while top female jockey Josephine Gordon has also been a regular rider in the famous blue silks.

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John Ferguson has stepped down as Godolphin chief executive stating that his position had become “untenable”.

The news broke today (6 June) and Godolphin has announced that Joe Osborne, the current managing director of the empire’s Irish arm, will take on the role of interim chief executive.

“It has been announced today that John Ferguson has stepped down from his position as chief executive and racing manager of Godolphin,” said a statement from Godolphin.

Mr Osborne added: “We are committed to our objective of achieving success for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and his family.

“Our thanks go to John Ferguson for his longstanding contribution to Godolphin and Darley.”

The Racing Post reported revelations of some internal strife at Godolphin earlier this week.

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Mr Ferguson was a highly successful trainer in his own right before joining Godolphin full-time.

He combined training with working as bloodstock advisor to Sheikh Mohammed before handing his trainer’s licence in at the end of April last year to devote more time to Godolphin and take on the role of chief executive and racing manager.

“Given the recent articles in the media, it was clear my position was untenable,” said a statement from Mr Ferguson to Press Association Sport.

“At times such as these, what matters is the future and my stepping down will allow everyone to draw a line under things and move forward.

“The course of action is best for everyone. All the staff at Godolphin are wonderful people who work so hard for the greater good and I want to thank each and every one.

“His Highness Sheikh Mohammed has given me so much over the years — trust, opportunities, key experiences and perhaps most importantly kindness and counsel.

“For all of these things, I thank him with all of my heart.”

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Freddy Tylicki, the jockey who suffered paralysis in a horrific fall, made a guest appearance at the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards on Monday (20 February), presenting the employee of the year award and receiving a standing ovation (pictured, below).

Terry Doherty, the stud manager at the Lloyd-Webber’s Watership Down Stud in Berkshire, was the recipient of the prestigious award during the star-studded gala evening in Knightsbridge, London.

Hosted by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), the ceremony each year celebrates the achievements of both stud and stable staff from across the country and the vital role they play within the racing industry.

ITV Racing’s Ed Chamberlain and champion jump jockey, Richard Johnson (pictured below with Freddy), were also on hand to present the prizes to each of the six categories — all of which had three finalists.

Terry has been a part of the team at Watership Down Stud for 24 years and has never missed a foaling, having arrived in 1994.

He was presented with a cheque for a staggering £40,000 — of which £20,000 will be shared among the staff at the stud.

Godolphin — the evening’s sponsor — put forward a generous £120,000 in prize-money.

“The finalists were of a quite exceptional standard and it was really inspiring for the judges to hear their stories,” said chairman of the judging panel, Brough Scott. “However, in the end, Terry emerged as a clear and very fine winner and I am sure he will be a great ambassador for the sport.”

As the employee of the year, Terry (pictured below with Freddy) — who earlier won the stud staff award — was praised for his professionalism, integrity and dedication that has helped shape the stud he works for.

The finalists, who were nominated by those in the industry, were interviewed by members of the judging panel at a formal judging day at the BHA’s London office the morning before the ceremony took place to decide the winners.

The winners and runners-up

Employee of the Year: Terry Doherty (Watership Down Stud)

Leadership Award: Rory O’Dowd (Brian Meehan)

Runners-up:

Michael Finn (Graeme McPherson)

Hayley Kelly (Mark Johnston)

Rider/Groom Award: Jamie Bunsell (Paul Henderson)

Runners up:

Jason Favell (William Haggas)

Chetan Singh (Andrew Balding)

Stud Staff Award: Terry Doherty (Watership Down Stud)

Runners-up:

Jo Brown (Overbury Stud)

James Fitz-John (Swanbridge Bloodstock)

Dedication to Racing Award: Colin Nutter (Sir Mark Prescott)

Runners-up:

Kim Jones (Malcolm Saunders)

Bryn Walker (Hugo Palmer)

David Nicholson Newcomer Award: Elisha Whittington (Tom Dascombe)

Runners-up:

Anthony Lynch (Wadacre Stud)

June Palmer Kimpton (Ben Haslam)

Rory Macdonald Community Award: Sarah Monkman (Racing Welfare)

Runners-up:

Gary Humphries (Godolphin)

Kevin Parsons (National Association of Stable Staff)

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A former Royal Ascot winner has qualified for national para dressage championships for the second time in two years after a change of career.

Namibian won the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot 2011 for trainer Mark Johnston.

He also won the Group Three Gordon Stakes at Goodwood the same year and during his four-year racing career his winnings totalled more than £69,000.

The 17.2hh son of Cape Cross is now being partnered by British para dressage rider Julie Frizzell, and the pair have qualified for the Para Dressage Winter Championships at Vale View, Leics, in March in just three outings.

“He is a proper little diva but I have never, ever felt unsafe on him,” Julie told H&H.

“For a horse that has come out of racing who has either done a walk or a gallop, just to be as switched on as he is [is brilliant].

“He is a bit of an impatient learner, there is a sensitivity in teaching him things, but once he has got it, he has it.

“He just takes to everything really easily.”

Julie, a trainer and grade IV rider, has twice won Para Winter Dressage Championship titles and was placed the top three of the home CPEDI2* for the past three years.

She explained it seemed “a bit like fate” that she came across “Barney”.

Julie served in the RAF for 20 years, rising to the rank of wing commander, before retiring on medical grounds in 2008.

Her wrist was crushed in a fall while riding on an Army course at the Defence Animal Centre and after surgery failed to repair the damage, her ulna (main forearm bone) was removed altogether in 2012.

Last year Julie was at a clinic in Brighton and one of the clients was riding a horse who she described as “sharp in a good way”.

It transpired the horse was from the Godolphin Rehoming centre, so Julie went online and got in contact with the centre.

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The next week Julie visited the rehoming base near Ely, where manager Jo Brisland suggested Barney might suit.

“When I realised his full background I just thought how fortunate I am,” said Julie.

She added he is a “massive character” and enjoys pinching bobble hats off people’s heads.

“I am very lucky to have him,” said Julie.

“I think the work Godolphin has done in that moral responsibility, in that Sheikh Mohammed believes in horses that have given him their lives he wants to give them theirs, is fantastic.”

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Talented individuals who work in racing can now be put forward for the 2016 Godolphin stud and stable staff awards.

Nominations opened earlier this week (7 October) for owners, trainers, colleagues and managers to show their appreciation for hard-working members of staff.

The awards, now in their 12th year, reward the dedication and skills of stud and stable staff who are at the heart of racing.

“The stud and stable staff make up the fabric of the sport and these awards are a wonderful opportunity to honour and reward their hard work and dedication that plays such a vital role in our industry,” said Hugh Anderson, managing director of Godolphin and Darley (UK).

The awards, sponsored by Godolphin and run by the British Horseracing Authority in association with the Racing Post, offer over £120,000 in prize money. There is up to £40,000 available to a single yard or stud.

This year an additional prize is on offer to the winner of the David Nicholson newcomer award to complement the £2,000 prize money for the winner and £2,000 for their yard.

For the first time, the winner will be invited on a five-day trip to Dubai to learn more about the country’s racing and culture.

The trip includes a stable visit to Al Quoz, the international headquarters for the Godolphin operation.

“We hope the trip to Dubai for the David Nicholson newcomer award winner will help develop young talent and an international understanding of the racing industry,” added Mr Anderson.

The prizes will be presented on 22 February 2016 at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel in Knightsbridge, London.

Nominations can be completed online at: www.britishhorseracing.com/stablestaff

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The manager of a small National Hunt stud has been awarded £40,000 after being been crowned “employee of the year” at the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards.

Jessica Fort (pictured below), stud manager for Dunraven Stud in Wales, was awarded the Godolphin Trophy at a gala evening ceremony at the Jumeirah Carlton Tower in London last night (Monday 23 February).

The awards, run by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), have six categories: leadership, rider/groom, stud staff, dedication to racing, David Nicholson newcomer and administration staff award. There is a total of £120,000 in prize money divided between the winners and runners-up in each category and their yards.

Jessica (pictured above) won a total of £40,000, of which £20,000 will be shared among the staff at the Dunraven Stud in Wales.

Jessica started her career at the Racing School and joined Dunraven Stud 16 years ago, after a bad facial injury ruined a promising apprentice career.

Dunraven is a small National Hunt stud based near Bridgend, standing two stallions, Dr Massini and Vinnie Roe. Jessica is involved in all aspects of work on the stud, including the office administration, stallion handling, foaling throughout the season, breaking in and updating owners.

All 16 finalists were praised by the judges for their talent, outstanding commitment and contribution to the racing industry. The six catergory winners were decided at a formal judging day held in the morning before the ceremony at the British Horseracing Authority’s London office, where members of the judging panel interviewed the finalists.

“This year’s awards have yet again produced a quite outstanding set of finalists and excellent winners,” said chairman of the panel Brough Scott.

“Despite the remarkable credentials of the winners, Jessica was a clear-cut choice for employee of the year in the eyes of the panel.”

“Despite not being the typical stud staff breed, at less than five feet tall she shows empathy with each stallion and a natural way of handling them that means her lack of physicality is not an issue.

“She has been, and still is, involved in all parts of the game, as well as stud life and is also a magnificently refreshing character.”

The full list of winners are:

Rider/groom award:

Simon Archer (groom – Sir Mark Prescott)

Stud staff award:

Jessica Fortt (stud manager – Dunraven Stud)

Leadership award:

Johnson White (assistant trainer – Philip Hobbs)

Dedication to racing award:

Lesley White (travelling head lass – Mick Channon)

David Nicholson newcomer award:

Tegan Clark (head lad – Olly Stevens)

Administration staff award:

Peter Shoemark (racing office manager – John Gosden)

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Fifteen hardworking stud and stable staff have been selected as finalists in the 2015 Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards.

The 15 were chosen from a record number of nominations from across the racing and thoroughbred breeding industry.

The dozen judges whittled down the 200 nominations to three finalists in each category.

The £120,000 prize-money is shared between the finalists, with their winnings being matched and shared among their yard by the sponsors Godolphin.

In the leadership award the three candidates are: Joanne Fowles (nominated by Roger Varian), Kevin Mooney (Charlie Hills) and Richard “Johnson” White (Philip Hobbs).

The staff up for the dedication to racing award are: Clifford Marsden (Luca Cumani), Robynne Watton (Mark Johnston) and Lesley White (Mick Channon).

For the stable staff award the three contenders are: Dale Clements (Cheveley Park), Jessica Fortt (Dunraven Stud) and Ron Lott (Shadwell Stud).

In the rider/groom award category the three finalists are: Simon Archer (Sir Mark Prescott), Steve Nicholson (Ed Dunlop) and Martyn Peake (Lady Cecil).

The fifth award, the David Nicholson Newcomer is between Tegan Clark (Olly Stevens), Charlotte Clayton (Rae Guest) and Kevin Eggleton (Seamus Mullins).

“It is such a difficult job to pick just three finalists out of so many deserving nominations,” said Brough Scott, chairman of the judging panel and H&H racing columnist.

“But the finalists this year have received 18 previous nominations, which reflects the highly competitive nature of the awards as well as the fact that perseverance pays off.”

The winner in each category will be decided at the final stage of the judging on 23 February.

The winner of the employee of the year award will then be chosen from the winners of the leadership, rider/room, stud staff and dedication to racing categories.

The winner of the administration award has already been selected by the judges and will be announced with all other winners at the awards ceremony on the evening of 23 February at the Jumeriah Carlton Tower hotel in London.

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Do you know someone who works in racing who deserves recognition?

Nominations for the 2015 Godolphin stud and stable staff awards opened this week (23 September).

The awards run by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) have six categories: leadership, rider/groom, stud staff, dedication to racing, David Nicholson newcomer and administration staff award.

“Judges will be focusing on stand out achievements made over the last year, such as someone who has had an association with a specific horse or achieved a particular milestone or remarkable act, which makes them deserving of special recognition,” said Paul Bittar, the BHA’s chief executive.

The judging panel has been doubled to twelve people this year and the judging process revised.

All nominations will now be independently reference checked before going to the judging panel for review.

The nomination period has been extended to 12 December to give flat and national hunt trainers and stud managers more time to propose candidates.

Every nominee will receive a signed certificate and the three rider/groom finalists will have a stable visit from a judge.

The winners will receive their prizes at the Jumeirah Carlton Towers hotel in Knightsbridge, London on 23 February 2015.

Hugh Anderson, managing director of Godolphin and Darley (UK) said the awards are “a wonderful opportunity to honour and reward the hard work and dedication of all stable and stud staff who play such a vital role in our industry.”

Nominations are open until 12 December and can be made by anyone within the racing industry.

There is a total of £120,000 in prize money divided between the winners and runners-up in each category and their yards.

An employee of the year chosen from the winners of the first four categories receives £15,000 with the same amount going to their yard or stud.

To download a nomination form visit www.britishhorseracing.com/stablestaff 

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Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin racing operation has increased its global presence further by establishing a permanent base in Australia.

From 1 August, Godolphin’s royal blue silks will be worn by all runners prepared by Sheikh Mohammed’s Australian head trainer John O’Shea. The Sheikh’s racing in Australia has previously been run through his thoroughbred breeding operation, Darley.

His bloodstock advisor John Ferguson said: “Godolphin represents the crown jewels of Sheikh Mohammed’s horseracing operations and the establishment of a permanent presence in Australia is not only testament to his ongoing commitment to the racing industry but, also to the country at large.”

First published in Horse & Hound magazine on 24 July 2014

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Multiple Group One-winning racehorse Dawn Approach has been retired and will now embark on a career at Darley’s Kildangan Stud in Ireland.

The 3-year-old son of New Approach made his racing swansong — finishing fourth to Olympic Glory in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes — at Ascot on Saturday (19 October).

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said at Ascot: “The ground worked against him, which blunted his turn of foot. But he’s won 4 of the best races in the calendar so his record has been fantastic.

“He is now retiring to stud at Kildangan and we are very much looking forward to his progeny in the future.

“He has done Godolphin very proud — he has been a great racehorse for us. He’s been fantastic.”

Dawn Approach — who was bred and trained by Jim Bolger — was unbeaten in 6 races last season and was crowned the 2-year-old champion.

After defeating a high-class field to win the Coventry Stakes at Ascot (19 June 2012) a controlling share in the stallion was sold for an undisclosed sum to Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin racing organisation.

Despite the sale to Godolphin it was decided that the Dawn Approach would stay in training with Bolger.

He went on to win the National Stakes, the 2,000 Guineas and the St James’s Palace Stakes in the Godolphin colours.

Dawn Approach has led the way for the first crop of foal sired by New Approach. The stallion by Galileo won 4 Group One races including the Epsom Derby when Bolger trained him in 2008.

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A complete ban on all anabolic steroids has been announced by the Australian Racing Board (ARB).

The new rule will apply to all thoroughbreds from the age of 6 months.

In April the doping scandal involving Godolphin trainer Mahmood al Zarooni illustrated the anomalies in worldwide rules.

11 horses at Godolphin’s Moulton Paddocks stables in Newmarket tested positive for anabolic steroids, ethylestranol and stanozolol, which are banned under British Horseracing Authority (BHA) rules. And the trainer admitted to doping 4 more at his BHA hearing.

At that time the use of anabolic steroids was allowed, providing that it was out of the horses system by raceday, in some countries including the Unites States, United Arab Emirates and Australia.

Al Zarooni claimed he was not aware that the use of the steroids was prohibited outside of competition in the UK — but the BHA said rules on prohibited substances were clear in the UK.

As a result of the scandal Godolphin founder Sheikh Mohammed banned the use of all performance-enhancing steroids in equine sports in the UAE.

“The ARB has adopted a zero tolerance policy to the use of anabolic steroids in competition, training and spelling and will institute heavy penalties for breaches of the ban,” said ARB chief executive Peter McGauran.

The ban in Australia will be introduced on 1 November 2013 and will be implemented from 1 May 2014.

“The ban on anabolic steroids goes far beyond any other racing jurisdiction outside of Europe and was decided by the ARB Board after lengthy consideration of veterinary and scientific advice and consultation with trainers’ and owners’ associations,” Peter McGauran added.

“Racing is a sport and as such must be a test of the ability of the individual horse, its trainer and rider, and not of the pharmacologist, veterinarian or sports scientist.

“The true spirit of competition means that no-one gets an unfair advantage, which anabolic steroids can confer in certain situations.”

British Horseracing Authority chief executive, Paul Bittar, said: The ARB’s decision is very good news and represents a significant step towards our goal of seeing the use of anabolic steroids for racehorses banned across the globe.”

Although the racing community in the UK has welcomed the decision, some trainers in Australia could be opposed to its implementation.

Speaking about the possibility of a ban after the Godolphin scandal Australian Trainers’ Association president Colin Alderson said: “This would be a complete over-reaction, an overkill.

“Why should we ban steroids because of one isolated incident in the UK?

“You ban it and the scallywags will still find a way to get around it.”

There is now likely to be international pressure on the United States to move in line with the ban.

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Banned trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni worked alone, according to a British Horseracing Authority (BHA) investigation that ended last week. No further disciplinary charges are to be issued.

Al Zarooni was banned for 8 years on 25 April after 22 horses tested positive for anabolic steroids (news, 2 May).

The BHA said the investigation confirmed “Al Zarooni was the person solely responsible for the events that took place”.

But it has highlighted a “number of key failings” in the management structure at the yard, in which “these offences were able to be perpetrated by Al Zarooni without being detected by others”.

Former assistant trainer Charlie Appleby is now in charge of the 200 horses at the Newmarket yard owned by Godolphin.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (1 August 2013)

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Seven more horses from Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin operation— including the 2012 St Leger winner, Encke — have tested positive for banned steroids.

All were, until recently, under the care of the disgraced trainer Mahmood al Zarooni (pictured) at Moulton Paddocks, Newmarket.

Al Zarooni was given an eight-year ban by the British Horseracing Authority at a disciplinary hearing on 25 April, after 11 horses he trained tested positive for steroids.

At the time, al Zarooni admitted to making a “catastrophic error”. He has since announced he will appeal his penalty.

After the hearing last month, the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) said it would test all Godolphin-owned horses in training in Newmarket, including those at Moulton Paddocks and horses trained by Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor.

All horses under the care of Saeed bin Suroor tested negative.

“These test results endorse the swift action and measures taken by the BHA in this matter,” said BHA chief executive Paul Bittar.

“Whatever the outcome of his [al Zarooni’s] appeal… the gravity and scale of the infringements warranted Mahmood al Zarooni being removed from control of the yard as quickly as possible.”

He added: “We welcome the news that Saeed bin Suroor’s horses tested negative and this clears the way for him to now take charge of Moulton Paddocks.”

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Disgraced racehorse trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni has lodged an appeal after being banned from the sport for eight years for doping.

His disqualification was announced following a disciplinary hearing on Thursday 25 April the British Horseracing Authority’s (BHA) headquarters in London.

The BHA today (Tuesday 7 May) confirmed that the appeal is against the “severity” of the penalty of eight years.

A date for the appeal hearing is yet to be set.

Eleven horses trained by Al Zarooni at Godolphin’s Moulton Paddocks yard tested positive for anabolic steroids ethylestranol and stanozolol during a “testing in training” programme on 9 April. The trainer later admitted to giving steroids to a further four horses who were not tested at the time. All 15 horses were suspended from racing for six months by the BHA.

Godolphin owner, and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed, said he was “appalled and angered” to learn that one of his stables had “violated Godolphin’s ethical standards and the rules of British racing”.

Al Zarooni admitted he had made a “catastrophic error”.

The drugs were given to the horses in mid-March. They were brought in from Dubai by Al Zarooni, where steroids are permitted in training, as long as they are not in the horse’s system on a raceday.

The BHA added that all of the horses that were under the care of Mahmood Al Zarooni have subsequently been tested and the results will be confirmed in due course.

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Just 10 days after Sheikh Mohammed’s racing operation Godolphin was plunged into crisis after 11 horses trained for him by Mahmood al Zarooni tested positive for anabolic steroids, his Dawn Approach won the QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Trained in Ireland by Jim Bolger — for whom this was a first success in the race and who also trained the colt’s sire New Approach — the powerful, white-faced chestnut was an impressive five-length winner of the first Classic of the season. After six unbeaten starts as a two-year-old, this was his first race of the 2013 campaign.

The 11-8 favourite sailed along in the slip-stream of his pacemaker Leitir Mor, who set a strong pace, before moving easily to the front alongside the second favourite, Toronado. But the Richard Hannon-trained Toronado looked to struggle in the final furlong and a half and Dawn Approach drew away comfortably.

Jockey Kevin Manning said: “He’s a very special horse. He travelled very well and when I asked him to quicken, he’s picked up and gone.”

Dawn Approach is now favourite for the Investec Derby at Epsom in a month’s time.

Second was the Kevin Ryan-trained Glory Awaits, a son of the sprinter Choisir, at a massive 150-1 under Jamie Spencer.

Van Der Neer (William Buick) was third, ahead of his Hannon stable-mate Toronado in fourth.

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The steroids found in Sheikh Mohammed’s racehorses last month shocked the world.

And now, the disgraced trainer, Mahmood al Zarooni’s past links with endurance have come into focus.

This week, H&H investigates the doping record of Arab endurance nations — and finds that matters have got so bad, there are demands for the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) to clean up the sport.

To read the full story see today’s issue of H&H (2 May 2013)

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Godolphin trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni has been banned for eight years in one of the biggest doping scandals in British horseracing.

His disqualification was announced following a disciplinary hearing yesterday (Thursday 25 April) at the British Horseracing Authority’s (BHA) headquarters in London.

Eleven horses trained by Al Zarooni tested positive for anabolic steroids ethylestranol and stanozolol during a “testing in training” programme at the Newmarket trainer’s Moulton Paddocks yard on 9 April. The trainer later admitted to giving steroids to a further four horses who were not tested at the time. All 15 horses, including leading 1000 Guineas contender Certify, have been suspended from racing for six months by the BHA.

“This is a terrible situation and a terrible day for Godolphin,” said Godolphin’s Simon Crisford. “He has acted with awful recklessness and caused tremendous damage to Godolphin and to British racing, and for that we are sorry. We are shocked and outraged by his actions.”

Godolphin owner, and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed, said he was “appalled and angered” to learn that one of his stables had “violated Godolphin’s ethical standards and the rules of British racing”.

Al Zarooni admitted he had made a “catastrophic error”.

The drugs were given to the horses in mid-March. They were reportedly sourced from Dubai, where steroids are permitted in training, as long as they are not in the horse’s system on a raceday.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate confirmed to H&H that neither drug, nor any anabolic steriod, is authorised for use on horses in Britain.

Al Zarooni — who has won two British Classics — claimed he was “unaware” he was breaching the Rules of British racing.

Three other employees, an assistant vet and two yard foremen, are now under review by Godolphin.

In a statement after the hearing Mahmood Al Zarooni said: “First and foremost, I would like to apologise to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed as well as to all those involved with Godolphin and the public who follow British racing.

“I accept that it was my responsibility to be aware of the rules regarding prohibited substances in Britain. I can only apologise and repeat what I said in my statement earlier in the week — I have made a catastrophic error.”

Paul Bittar of the BHA said further tests were yet to be carried out and that the intregity of the sport was the utmost importance.

“We believe that the disqualification will serve to reassure the public, and the sport’s participants, that use of performance-enhancing substances in British Racing will not be tolerated and that the sport has in place a robust and effective anti-doping and medication control programme,” he said.

For more on the doping scandal don’t miss Thursday’s (2 May) issue of Horse & Hound.

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Godolphin trainer Mahmood al Zarooni is to face a disciplinary hearing this afternoon (Thursday 25 April) in one of the biggest doping scandals to hit racing in Britain.

Eleven racehorses tested positive for anabolic steroids during the British Horseracing Authority’s (BHA) “testing in training” programme on his Moulton Paddocks yard in Newmarket on 9 April.

Al Zarooni faces multiple charges which could lead to him being banned from racing.

Godolphin owner Sheikh Mohammed yesterday said he was “appalled and angered” to learn that one of his stables in Newmarket had “violated Godolphin’s ethical standards and the rules of British racing”.

“I have been involved in British horse racing for 30 years and have deep respect for its traditions and rules. I built my country based on the same solid principles. There can be no excuse for any deliberate violation,” he said in a statement.

“I have ordered the Godolphin management to undertake an immediate review of our internal procedures and controls to ensure to prevent any reoccurrence of this type of activity in any stables of mine.”

The statement goes on to say that Moulton Paddocks stables will be “locked down” with immediate effect and that “every single horse on that premises” will be dope tested.

“No horse will run from that yard this season until I have been absolutely assured by my team that the entire yard is completely clean. I have worked hard to ensure that Godolphin deserves its reputation for integrity and sportsmanship, and I have reiterated to all Godolphin employees that I will not tolerate this type of behaviour.”

Forty-five horses were tested and 11 samples were found with traces of anabolic steroids ethylestranol and stanozolol, including unbeaten filly Certify, who was a leading contender for next month’s 1000 Guineas.

Al Zarooni has admitted that he was responsible for the administration of the banned substances and said it was a “catastrophic error”. He has since admitted that four more horses had been given steroids — but they weren’t tested by the BHA. He will face charges for breaches of the rules “related to medication records and conduct prejudicial to horseracing” for these.

“I deeply regret what has happened,” said al Zarooni. “Because the horses involved were not racing at the time, I did not realise that what I was doing was in breach of the rules of racing. I can only apologise for the damage this will cause toGodolphin and to racing generally.”

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Eleven racehorses trained by Godolphin’s Mahmood al Zarooni have tested positive for anabolic steroids in one of the biggest doping scandals to hit racing in Britain.

Samples were taken from 45 horses trained by al Zarooni at Moulton Paddocks Stables in Newmarket, run by Godolphin — Sheikh Mohammed’s British-based racing operation.

Al Zarooni has admitted that he was responsible for the administration of the banned substances and said it was a “catastrophic error”.

The samples were taken during a “testing in training” programme run by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), on Tuesday 9 April.

Yesterday (Monday 22 April) it was announced that 11 samples were found with traces of anabolic steroids ethylestranol and stanozolol.

None of the 11 horses, which include the unbeaten filly Certify, will be able to run until further notice. This will mean Certify will miss next month’s 1000 Guineas at Newmarket.

“I deeply regret what has happened,” said al Zarooni. “Because the horses involved were not racing at the time, I did not realise that what I was doing was in breach of the rules of racing. I can only apologise for the damage this will cause to Godolphin and to racing generally.”

Certify, Desert Blossom, Fair Hill, Ghostflower, Orkney Island, Sweet Rose and Valley Of Queens all tested positive for ethylestranol, while samples from Opinion Poll, Artigiano, Bathrat Amal, Restraint Of Trade were found with traces of stanozolol.

“Ethylestranol and stanozolol are anabolic steroids and therefore prohibited substances under British Rules of Racing, at any time — either in training or racing,” said Adam Brickell, director of integrity, legal and risk for the BHA. “The horses which have produced positive tests will also not be permitted to race with immediate effect and for an extended period of time.”

Mahmood al Zarooni — who trained 2011 1000 Guineas winner Blue Bunting and 2012 St Leger winner Encke — will attend a British Horseracing Authority (BHA) disciplinary inquiry.

Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said: “This is a dark day for Godolphin. We are all shocked by what has happened.

“His Highness Sheikh Mohammed was absolutely appalled when he was told and this is completely unacceptable to him. We will await the outcome of the BHA inquiry before taking any further internal action.

“Sheikh Mohammed has instructed me to begin an urgent review of all of our procedures and controls. That is already underway and we will take advice from the BHA in completing it.”

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Popular Flat jockey Frankie Dettori is to go freelance, splitting from Godolphin after 18 years as retained jockey.

During the partnership the jockey rode 943 winners — including 110 in Group/Grade Ones — for Sheikh Mohammed’s organisation. The last Group One winner for the combination was Colour Vision in the Gold Cup at Ascot in June.

News came from Godolphin at the weekend that the retainer “was not really working” and that Frankie needed “a new challenge”.

The 41-year-old will be freelance from 2013.

Speculation began earlier this year when Godolphin signed Mickael Barzalona and Silvestre de Sousa, announcing that the rides would be shared between the three.

And last month Frankie took the ride on rival’s Coolmore’s Camelot in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

In a statement Godolphin racing manager Simon Crisford said: “Frankie is looking for a fresh challenge and we felt that the retainer was not really working, so this is the best way forward. We have had many great days together and we look forward to working with Frankie in the future and hopefully enjoying more success together. He remains a great friend.”

And Frankie added: “I have had 18 wonderful years. Godolphin has been a major part of everything I have achieved in racing and I have loved every minute of it.

“I feel the time has come for a change. My position in the stable has changed a little bit and I need a new challenge. Sheikh Mohammed has been an unbelievable boss to me. He had the confidence to take me on board when I was young and we smashed every record together. I will be forever grateful to him for everything he has done for me and for my family.”

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David Bradley, flat racing trainer Jeremy Noseda’s head lad, was named “Employee of the year” at the annual Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards Ceremony.

A panel of judges selected Mr Bradley following an interview day, when they met each of the category winners.

Frankie Dettori presented Mr Bradley, 57, with a trophy and a cheque for £25,000 — £10,000 of which will be shared among his fellow staff.

He also won the category of “high achiever”.

Jeremy Noseda said: “David is, by a considerable margin, the best member of staff I’ve had the fortune of working with.”

Brough Scott, chairman of the judging panel, said: “We have been blown away by the quality of the winners and this made the decision of choosing the employee of the year very hard.

“However David Bradley brings a unique mixture of international experience, local achievement and future planning, which exemplifies exactly what these awards are about.”

The National Association of Stable Staff (NASS) Special Merit award, and its £5,000 prize, went to Willie Musson’s head lad, George McGrath, who is also NASS president.

He was praised not only for his role within the yard, but for working “tirelessly to make racing a more attractive career, understanding the need for change, and the importance of encouraging the public through the gates.”

Albert “Corky” Brown, who has been head lad at Nicky Henderson’s yard for 33 years, won the award for “dedication to racing”.

The awards, sponsored by Godolphin and run by the British Horseracing Authority, are the richest of their kind in the world — with £120,000 in prize-money.

Each category winner received £5,000 for themselves, and the same amount for their yard or stud.

The two runners-up in each category won £2,000 for themselves, and the same for their yard or stud.

Other award winners — David Nicholson Newcomer Award: Ben Howe (Ruth Carr); Rider/Groom Award: Geoffrey Thompson (Michael Stoute); Stud Staff Award: Graham Paxton (Darley Stud).

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Stud and stable staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes in racing were honoured in the Godolphin Stud and Stable Staff Awards, on Monday 1 March.

The awards, now in their sixth year, attracted 168 nominations, which were judged by a panel of six including British Horseracing Authority (BHA) director Morag Gray and former jockey John Reid.

Stuart Messenger, head lad with flat trainer Sir Michael Stoute, was named as employee of the year and awarded the Godolphin Trophy and a cheque for £25,000.

Stuart, described by Sir Michael as ‘irreplaceable’, started working for the trainer when he was still at school, and has worked in the racing industry for more than 32 years.

“I was delighted to have been nominated in the first place, and having seen the calibre of other nominees, never once thought that I could be in with a chance of winning employee of the year,” said Stuart.

Organised by the BHA and the Racing Post, the awards present £120,000 prize money — more than any similar awards in global racing.

Divided into six categories, each individual category winner, and their respective stud or stables, was presented with £5,000 each.

The two runners up in each category, and their workplace, also collected £2,000 each.

“These awards continue to grow in prestige year on year, and are a highly important event in the racing calendar,” said Nic Coward, BHA chief executive.

“They provide us with a moment to celebrate all the hard working, dedicated and talented people who play a fundamental role in making the sport all that it is today.”

The awards in full

David Nicholson Newcomer Award

Winner: James Gray, second head lad at Whitsbury Farm & Stud

Runners Up: Harry Fry, pupil assistant trainer with Paul Nicholls and Sam Davis, Stable Lad with Rae Guest

High Acheiver Award

Winner: Stuart Messenger, head lad with Sir Michael Stoute

Runners Up: Catherine Morse, stud groom at Overbury Stud and Timothy Potts, head lad with Luca Cumani

Stud Staff Award

Winner: Roy Gedge, stud groom/manager at Hascombe & Valient Stud

Runners Up: David Cartledge, senior stallion man at The Royal Studs and Hazel Woods, yearling foreman at Kirtlington Stud

Rider/Groom Award

Winner: Elizabeth George, head girl with Ed McMahon

Runners Up: Shane Featherstonhaugh, rider/groom with Henry Cecil and Brian Groves, rider/groom with Sir Michael Stoute

Nass Special Merit Award

Winner: Ken Bedford, stable lad for John Dunlop

Runner Up: Jeremiah Michael Walsh, employed by Paul Webber

Dedication To Racing Award

Winner: Jimmy Scott, travelling head lad with Sir Michael Stoute

Runners Up: Clifford Baker, head lad with Paul Nicholls and Larry Wargen, head yard/feed man with Luca Cumani

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Italian jockey Frankie Dettori tried out a different type of horse-power last Wednesday, 13 February, when he swapped racehorses for a powerboat in Dubai.

While out in the United Arab Emirates preparing from the Dubai World Cup — the world’s richest horse race — Frankie took to the Arabian Gulf in a powerboat with Class One Victory Powerboat team.

Frankie will be attempting to win the prestigious Dubai World Cup — which will be held on 29 March — for the fourth time.

Frankie, who has had 91 Group/Grade One wins for international racing stable Godolphin, reached speeds of up to 147mph in the 1,800 horse-power speedboat.

Frankie said: “I’ve been coming to Dubai for the past 14 years and seen these boats in action so I’ve always wanted to take on the challenge.

“You don’t get the chance to drive a boat like this very often so I was very excited to be given the opportunity.

“They tell me we were doing 147mph but I don’t know about that. I was concentrating so hard I was afraid to blink.”

World champion throttleman Jean Marc Sanchez of the Class One Victory team said: “Frankie was a natural. Like anyone doing it for the first time he had to get used to the positions of the turn buoys but once he had a couple of laps under his belt he had a very good feel for the boat and handled her superbly on the turns.”

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The world’s top 20 show jumpers are in Dubai, preparing for the world’s richest ever show jumping competition. The inaugural Al Maktoum Memorial Challenge (11-13 January) offers a staggering prize fund of $1,250,000 (US).

Britain’s Nick Skelton, John and Michael Whitaker and Tim Gredley will be competing against the likes of Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst and Switzerland’s Markus Fuchs for the $760,000 first prize.

“This will be one of the most exciting shows ever staged in the world, perhaps the most exciting in the history of the sport,” said event director Simon Brooks-Ward. “The quality of riders will be on par with the Olympics and we are therefore assured of some of the finest show jumping competitions that the world has ever seen.”

The competition is the brainchild of international show jumper and President of the Dubai Equestrian Club Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein and is designed to raise the profile of show jumping in Dubai.

“The inaugural Al Maktoum Challenge is part of a long term strategy of the Dubai Equestrian Club to develop and promote equestrian sport in the Middle East,” said Mr. Saeed Al Tayer, Vice President, Dubai Equestrian Club. “The Challenge will be the first ever international opportunity in the region to see and admire the best show jumping riders, competing on the best horses, for the highest prize money in the world.”

Following the recent sudden death of Sheikh Maktoum Al Maktoum (pictured), the Al Maktoum challenge has been renamed the Al Maktoum Memorial Challenge. Sheikh Maktoum Al Maktoum established the Dubai Equestrian Club last August in recognition of Princess Haya’s long standing career in show jumping and was heavily involved in establishing the Al Maktoum Challenge. Princess Haya was first Arab woman athlete to compete in an equestrian event at the Olympic Games when she represented Jordan in the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Jumping rounds will be interspersed with displays of medieval jousting and skilled demonstrations of Cossack traditional riding. Each evening spectators will enjoy “The Heroes of the Horse World”, a special production that features past and present World and European Champions from different FEI equestrian disciplines.

A variety of show jumping competitions will be contested throughout the three days including the FEI World Cup qualifier for the Arab League. The Al Maktoum Memorial Challenge itself will take place on Friday and can be watched live on Eurosport 2 at 4:15pm.

For further details about the Al Maktoum Memorial Challenge visit: www.almaktoumchallenge.com

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