Ghaiyyath completed a brilliant Group 1 hat trick after demolishing the opposition in the Juddmonte International, the highlight on the opening day of the Ebor festival meeting, at York on Wednesday.
William Buick had the Charlie Appleby-trained Godolphin horse quickly out of the gates to lead with his familiar front running to register another authoritative success at the highest level.
Ghaiyyath finished three lengths clear of Aidan O’Brien’s Magical followed by Lord North in the silks of Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed and the 2000 Guineas winner Kameko.
The result stretched Ghaiyyath’s winning streak to four for the year after his victories in the Group 3 Dubai Millennium Stakes at Meydan in February, and Group 1 races, the Coronation Cup at Newmarket and the Eclipse at Sandown Park.
Ghaiyyath was recording his ninth win, including four Group 1s, in 12 career starts. It took Godolphin’s worldwide Group 1 tally for the year to 12.
“I'm delighted with his performance today,” Appleby said of Ghaiyyath’s demolition of the five-runner field over the 10-furlong distance. “It is an honour to have a horse like this on our hands and what a fantastic ride by William.
“It was a lovely race to watch, he got into a lovely rhythm and coming up the straight, once I saw William gather him up and change his hands, I was confident he would gallop on strongly to the line.”
Buick, who has been on board in all of Ghaiyyath’s four victories this year, was as pleased as the trainer.
“This horse can do things that most horses cannot,” he said. “His high cruising speed, the way he keeps coming and at the business end he has another gear to finish the others off completely.
“He is high-class and he's now beaten the best around at this trip. He's obviously very good at a mile and a quarter but he stays a mile and half. As long as the ground wasn't bad, I think the Arc would be a very interesting target for him.”
The Group 1 Prix de L’arc Triomphe is the only time in which Ghaiyyath failed to finish in the top three when racing in heavy underfoot conditions.
As indicated by Buick, Ghaiyyath is in the form of his life and another crack at the Arc in October appears as a likely target.
