Resurgent Godolphin look to snatch Coolmore's crown at Royal Ascot

Forget the fascinators, it’s the battle to be Royal Ascot’s leading owner that is really fascinating, writes James Toney.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien remains the dominant force in his sport as he seeks to finish the royal meeting as the leading handler for the fourth straight year.

But his Coolmore connections – backed by the millions of Irish business magnate John Magnier and partners Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith – may not have it all their own way.

Last year they held off arch-foe, Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin, by the slenderest of margins – both enjoying six wins at the £7 million meeting but Coolmore taking bragging rights after achieving seven second places to their rival’s six.

Relations between Europe’s biggest racing and bloodstock operations have long been strained, with many conspiracy theories mooted and Sheikh Mohammed spent 12 years boycotting Coolmore-sired yearlings until relations became less frosty last year.

Since its inception as the Maktoum family’s private thoroughbred horseracing stable in 1992, Godolphin have won 5,000 races worldwide and counting.

But until Masar scorched to victory in this month’s Derby – ending a 23 year wait for a winner in their famous blue silks – Godolphin have had their noses pressed to the window on racing’s big occasions.

O’Brien and all-powerful Coolmore have emerged as flat racing’s winning machine, churning out Classic winners for fun in recent years.

Until Masar’s triumph, the last Godolphin Classic winner was long-shot Encke, who denied O’Brien’s Camelot his Triple Crown at the St Leger six years ago. Since then 28 Classics had been and gone and the Dubai ruler, the sort of man who usually gets what he wants, has been an increasingly frustrated bystander.

All of which provides a tasty sub-plot for Royal Ascot, with Godolphin’s Benbatl, trained by Saeed bin Suroor, and the O’Brien-trained Rhododendron clashing in the first race of the meeting, the group one Queen Anne Stakes.

Bin Suroor is the leading trainer in the one mile race with seven victories, though the last was 11 years ago.

And Godolphin are the top owner with eight wins, the Richard Fahey-trained Ribchester powering to victory 12 months ago in record time.

“It’s what the sport needs and what we want to see; it’s all about competition,” said Charlie Appleby, another Godophin trainer, who guided Masar to his Derby win.

“Sometimes you wonder what you have to do to beat the Coolmore guys but the Derby win has given us confidence and will hopefully be a springboard to more success at Royal Ascot.”

Bin Suroor has high hopes for Benbatl, who won the Dubai Turf earlier this year and will be ridden by Christophe Soumillon, with regular jockey Oisin Murphy riding Lightning Spear for his Qatar Racing paymasters.

However, there must be some doubts about whether he will handle the straight mile course at Ascot.

“The Queen Anne is a tough race to win against the very best in Europe. He’s dropping back in trip from nine furlongs but the stiff mile should be fine for him and everything will suit,” said Bin Suroor.

“Last year was a good meeting for Godolphin and the Derby victory has been a long time coming and I’m just delighted for Sheikh Mohammed.”

Last year Ribchester proved himself as Europe’s top miler in Royal Ascot’s opening race but there are few standout horses over the distance this time.

O’Brien’s Rhododendron – who he toyed with putting up against the mighty Cracksman in the mile and a quarter Prince of Wales Stakes – won last month’s Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, the same route taken by Ribchester 12 months ago.

She gets a female weight allowance against 14 male rivals in a far from sparkling renewal.

“She came out of the race at Newbury really well and we decided to keep her at a mile and we’re looking forward to it,” he said.

His better hopes will come later in the week, with Order Of St George looking to regain the Gold Cup, narrowly lost year in an epic battle with the popular but absent Big Orange.

However, there is also buzz about Australian sprinter Merchant Navy, trained Down Under by Aaron Purcell and switched to O’Brien for a northern hemisphere summer campaign.

In the absence of wonder mare Winx – who was mooted to put her unbeaten record on the line at Royal Ascot before electing to stay racing in Australia – Merchant Navy looks a strong representative with the Diamond Jubilee Stakes his target.

“He’s not been with us long but he’s a very honest horse, very uncomplicated and a real pleasure to work with,” added O’Brien.

“Everything about him is class and Ryan Moore was very happy with how he won his first race with us at the Curragh, he really surprised us with how he did.

“However, The Diamond Jubilee Stakes is a competitive race this year, the opposition is very strong and Ascot’s six furlongs on an incline can make it tough.”