While he will continue to unveil the seemingly never-ending production line of Godolphin’s juveniles at Warwick Farm on Tuesday, John O’Shea will also showcase two of his potential autumn and spring stayers.
Hartnell and Somewhat, both owned by Sheikh Mohammed's son Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed and formerly trained in the UK by Mark Johnson, will have their first public trial since they joined John O’Shea’s stable just before Christmas.
Both four-year-olds last raced in the UK St Leger, where Hartnell finished seventh Somewhat 10th behind Kingston Hill.
Hartnell is the better performed of the pair. He won the listed Queen’s Vase (3200m) at Royal Ascot as well as the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy (2600m) at Newmarket in July last year.
Somewhat, who last won at Newbury in August 2013, boasts a third, beaten 2¾ lengths, behind Mukhadram in the Group 1 Eclipse Stakes at Sandown last July.
“They are group-performed horse with nice Timeform ratings, just short of 110,” Godolphin racing manager Jason Walsh said.
“We'll trial them under Australian conditions, they'll have a soft look around and we'll see how they perform.”
Both Hartnell and Somewhat were specifically identified for Australian racing by Godolphin’s UK-based bloodstock adviser John Ferguson.
“They will find their place, whether they're up to an autumn carnival on their first trip out remains to be seen,” Walsh said.
“But, certainly, we’re hopeful they will fit in somewhere in the spring. They’ve both got good attitudes, I know John is very excited about training them.” (racing network)