Internatiomnal racing supremo Godolphin will have a permanent presence in Australia from the start of the new racing season. John Ferguson, bloodstock adviser to Godolphin’s owner Sheikh Mohammed, announced the move at the operation’s Warwick Farm base on Wednesday.
All horses currently racing under the Darley name for head trainer John O’Shea will now (from Aug 1) race in Godolphin’s distinctive royal blue silks.
"Darley Australia has been a huge success from Crown Lodge but the natural evolution, which has taken place in the same year John O’Shea joining us, is that Godolphin should come to Australia,” Ferguson said. "It is the ultimate from Sheikh Mohammed’s point of view in commitment to Australia because he believes that the Godolphin blue silks will be successful over the next few years with John O’Shea.”
Ferguson said the change in title will not weaken the Sheikh’s presence in Australia. He said the move ensures an even greater commitment to the massive operation with more support from the other Godolphin international operations.
"The fundamental is it means Sheikh Mohammed is totally committed to Australian racing and breeding as he has been everywhere else,” he said.
"He has been (successful) through Darley but the one thing to remember is Godolphin is Dubai’s team.
"Right from the early days of the inception of Godolphin, Godolphin is to Dubai what Juventus is to Turin, what Manchester United is to Manchester.
"It is something that they all follow so there’ll be a much greater commitment from the UAE (United Arab Emirates) towards the stable.”
The establishment of Godolphin in Australia will make it the largest horseracing operation in the southern hemisphere and expands its global scope which includes the UK, Ireland, France, the USA, and Dubai.
Horses trained outside of O'Shea's stable will continue to sport the maroon and white silks.