Spring Carnival hope Razkalla has a quiet graze under the supervision of disappointed Godolphin stable handler T.J. Kent at Sandown on Tuesday. The Dubaibased team will pack up and abandon its failed 2005 cups campaign this week. Picture: Stewart Chambers.By Glen Atwell
THE worldrenowned Godolphin stable has vowed to put its 2005 disaster behind it and return to its Melbourne base, Sandown racecourse, next year for another crack at the rich Spring Racing Carnival.
The world’s biggest and richest stable will head back to Dubai tomorrow (Friday) after major setbacks and poor form ended its quest for the 2005 Melbourne Cup and spring racing glory.
Stable gallopers Fantastic Love, Fight Your Corner and Razkalla arrived at Sandown several weeks ago with high hopes and strong form, but will return home on Friday, long before the Melbourne Cup is run. But Godolphin spokesperson Alan Byrne said the stable had not given up hope of winning the Melbourne Cup – one of only three major races in the world the stable was yet to win.
“We’ll be back next year, not necessarily bigger but definitely better,” he said. The Godolphin team sent to contest this year’s carnival has been criticised as secondrate in the media, but Byrne said the disappointing and costly trip only reflected the general nature of the sport.
“There are more downs than ups in horseracing … but don’t worry – we’ll be back,” he said. The stable’s major Melbourne Cup hope Fight Your Corner suffered a careerthreatening tendon injury last week.
“It will definitely mean six months out at best, and at worst the horse may never run again,” Byrne said.
Fantastic Love was never set for the Melbourne Cup and after a poor performance and 16thplaced finish Razkalla in the Caulfield Cup, the stable decided this year’s journey was over.
“Razkalla was always going to be a support act for Fantastic Love and had been flying before the Caulfield Cup,” Byrne said.
He praised the facilities at Sandown, giving all those involved an enthusiastic vote of confidence.
“Sandown was a great place to be based,” he said. “Connections and owners stayed in a local motel and the horses were always given opportunities to work.”
Byrne said there were few positives to take from this year’s venture down under, but said it could have been worse.
“Look at Lee Freedman – he has an empty stall to look at after Mummify had to be put down,” he said. “I’m thankful all our horses are coming home with us.”
