Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid’s Shadwell breeding operation sponsored the eight-race card at Newmarket on Friday, and the Maktoum family were rewarded on the track with three winners.
Godolphin’s Lucida proved a worthy victor of the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes for Irish trainer Jim Bolger and Princess Haya’s Nabucco survived a 25-minute stewards’ inquiry to land the Listed Godolphin Stakes.
Sheikh Hamdan’s Etaab opened proceedings with a victory in the Listed Rosemary Stakes.
Lucida was the classiest winner of the trio, but Bolger rated her only 50-50 to return to Newmarket for a run in next month’s Group 1 Fillies’ Mile, which Godolphin have won three out of the past four years.
“I’m very pleased with that,” Bolger said.
“She has a very relaxed way of racing.
“I was hoping she would run up to her form.
“It was only two weeks from her last run.”
Mukhadram has carried Sheikh Hamdan’s standard with credit this season, with a win in the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes in July, but was retired yesterday.
“He has been a star,” trainer William Haggas said after saddling Etaab.
“He has been the apple of our eye for a long time.
“He will be hard to replace.”
Follow us on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
