Gladiatorus back to winning ways.

Gladiatorus lands first Group 1 for Godolphin

San Siro: Premio Vittoria di Capua (Group 1) 1m, 3yo+

DUBAI DUTY FREE winner Gladiatorus returned to winning ways to score his first Group 1 success for Godolphin.

The four-year-old mayrun again this year, though connections have no specific targets as yet, after making short work of his rivals to record a four-and-a-half-length victory over Win For Sure.

"We knew he was very well going into the race, as he'd been working nicely," said trainer Saeed Bin Suroor. "He started his career in Italy, so he was at home in Milan, and it looked an ideal opportunity for him.

"He might run again this season, as he's got plenty of entries and options, but we won't make any definite plans until we've seen how he takes this run."

On the Godolphin website, racing manager Simon Crisford said: "We may run him again this year but we don't know where or when."

Breeders Cup Mile? American tracks should suit his running style but whether he's good enough is another matter.

Makes Goldikova`s last win(forgiving her the defeat)look even sicker,can`t wait to see her in the States.

Breeders' Cup Mile the target for Gladiatorus


GLADIATORUS is expected to go for the Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita on November 6 after returning to Group 1-winning form in Italy on Sunday.

The American-bred colt was at his most impressive when blowing away the opposition in the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Nad Al Sheba in March and was sent off 9-4 favourite for the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot but his unplaced effort behind Paco Boy was followed by two other below-par efforts.

However, Gladiatorus was much more his old self in the Group 1 Premio Vittorio di Capua in San Siro where he made most of the running under Ahmed Ajtebi and came home unchallenged by four and a half lengths from Win For Sure.

With Sea The Stars now absent from the Breeders' Cup Classic the possibility of running in that event had come into question but he is likely to join stablemate Delegator in the Mile, accompanied by St Leger winner Mastery as the British-based contingent of the Godolphin squad at Santa Anita.


Simon Crisford, racing manager to Godolphin, said on Wednesday: "It was good to see Gladiatorus come back to form and he has come out of the race in good form. At the moment the plans is to go for the Breeders' Cup Mile where he will be joined by Delegator with Mastery running in the Marathon. The team of American horses for the Breeders' Cup is likely to decided next week."

Gladiatorus is a 20-1 shot for both the Mile, behind odds-on favourite Goldikova, and the Classic, for which Rip Van Winkle is a best-priced 9-4 market leader.

Zenyatta is being considered for the Classic and the Ladies' Classic, which she won last year. If she runs in the Classic, it will be her first start against males.

John Shirreffs, the trainer of Zenyatta, told the Daily Racing Form that the retirement of Sea The Stars would have no bearing on whether Zenyatta takes on the boys.

"That has nothing to do with Zenyatta," he said from his barn at Hollywood Park. "Not at all. It's all up to her, how she's doing."

Alain de Royer-Dupre, who runs Alpine Rose in the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday and Ashalanda (Chritophe Lemaire) in the Group 2 Pride Stakes on the same card, is also eyeing Santa Anita.

He said: "I am just waiting for the final all-clear but it seems very likely that Sweet Hearth will be sent to Santa Anita for the Filly and Mare Sprint next month."

Royer-Dupre has always thought highly of Sweet Hearth and she was only just touched off by stablemate Varenar in the Group 1 Prix de la Foret at Longchamp earlier inthe month.