Newbury, England // Godolphin threw everything they had at the Lockinge Stakes and Belardo rewarded their approach in some style with a seventh win in the Group 1 contest for the Dubai-based operation.
Belardo swooped fast and late under Andrea Atzeni to reel in long-time leader Euro Charline and Ryan Moore, and had enough in the tank to hold off the Dubai Turf runner-up by a length.
Atzeni had ridden 23 times for Godolphin prior to Saturday’s race but it was the first time he had guided a horse in to the winners enclosure for ‘boys in blue’.
“When you are a kid, and you’re watching Frankie Dettori ride winners in these colours, you always think that should be me,” the jockey said. “Well it is now and I’m very lucky.”
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Belardo was one of four horses in the 1,600-metre race to carry the royal blue silks, and Godolphin made their numerical advantage pay.
The Godolphin quartet were bunched in the stands’ side stalls, while chief rivals Limato and Kodi Bear were drawn in the far side stalls. As soon as the gates opened Belardo’s stablemate Barchan was ridden by Jack Mitchell as a pacemaker from stall 12, which dragged across most of the field from their true line.
James Doyle had Toormore in Barchan’s slipstream and when he started to falter 500m from home to finally finish last, Doyle took up the pace duties. Toormore then too started to tire, and with Moore urging Euro Charline forward the outcome looked a formality.
Atzeni had other ideas, however, and the Italian rider blindsided the field by pulling out Belardo for a surging run down the far side of the track. By the time Moore caught sight of his challenger the race was over.
It was a first Group 1 win for Belardo since he beat Kodi Bear in the 2014 Dewhurst Stakes.
With confidence renewed, connections are eyeing a clash with American mare Tepin in the Queen Anne Stakes, won last season by the now-injured Solow, at Royal Ascot next month.
“Chasing Solow home at Ascot last season told us to keep Belardo in training,” trainer Roger Varian said. “I’m delighted for Sheikh Mohammed and his Godolphin operation for keeping faith with the trainer.
“I messed Belardo around a bit last season, to be fair, as we got him ready for races that he didn’t run in due to the firm ground. We then took him back to six furlongs at Haydock, which didn’t suit him so he deserved a big one.”
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