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Godolphin has become
synonymous with international competition, targeting races at all
points on the compass. To achieve that, it has developed a unique
approach to training horses. One that is designed to advance Godolphin's
achievements around the world.
Godolphin has come a long way in a short
time winning 124 Group One races in 11 countries (Canada, Dubai,
England, Ireland, France, Italy, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore
and America). What started ten years ago with a handful of horses,
has evolved into a complex operation. Its headquarters is Al Quoz,
where strategies are forged and ambitious new targets formulated.
Godolphin's horses congregate at Al
Quoz every winter to enjoy the mild Dubaian climate. In many ways
it represents a sanctuary, an oasis for man and horse after the
rigours of the summer campaigns.
Al Quoz Training Track
The stylish office building was completed in 2002 and the facilities
for the horses include a private training track and an equine swimming
pool. The welfare of the horses is of prime concern and the Godolphin
team benefits from a dedicated feed mill, ensuring both control
and uniformity in the diets of its horses worldwide.
From Al Quoz, Godolphin campaigns its
string at Nad Al Sheba, beginning with the Dubai International Racing
Carnival. This nine-week festival of top class racing starts at
the end of January, culminating in the US$6 million Dubai World
Cup, the world's richest race, in late March.
Racing stock is assimilated annually
before the cream is skimmed off for Godolphin's international agenda.
The process starts in Dubai, where some of the best-bred yearlings
assemble for their early education. The annual intake is made up
of yearlings bought at public auction and those handpicked from
the Maktoum family's private studs. The juveniles are housed at
Desert Stables, adjacent to Al Quoz.
Desert Stables
Desert Stables is a state-of-the-art complex with its own private
training track. It was built at the turn of the 21st century and
here the yearlings are broken in and ridden out until they are ready
to start more strenuous work. Desert Stables resembles an academy
where recruits are monitored and graded regularly by a team of experts.
After the winter in Dubai, the
Godolphin team heads to Europe where the horses spend the summer
at Godolphin Stables or Moulton Paddocks, Newmarket. This serves
as the starting point for any number of international raids, whose
successes cement and advance Godolphin's reputation. |
