Godolphin’s success at this Royal Ascot suggests that suddenly parting with a chief executive can be a fruitful exercise rather than an obvious disaster. Only 16 days after John Ferguson felt he had no option but to quit, Sheikh Mohammed’s team have made five trips to the winner’s enclosure here this week, three more than Coolmore, their arch rivals who have dominated Flat racing for the past decade.
In reality, all five of these wins must owe quite a bit to the systems and people that Ferguson put in place over many years. His name came up again after a victory for the trainer Saeed bin Suroor, whose deteriorating relationship with Ferguson was the cause of the latter’s departure.
“He’s our friend and I wish him good luck for the future,” Bin Suroor said as he stood alongside Benbatl, the winner of the Hampton Court Stakes. Beyond that, the Dubaian was reluctant to add to his comments this month, when he made it clear he had cut Ferguson out of the hierarchy and was reporting direct to the Sheikh, adding that he was not getting a fair share of the quality young horses Ferguson was dividing between him and Charlie Appleby, Godolphin’s two main trainers.
On the subject of how yearlings will be shared out in future, Bin Suroor said: “I hope it will be changed. We need forward [precocious] horses and quality. Our stable is the main stable, the original stable of Godolphin since we start 23 years ago. People there want us to do good. We have a good reputation worldwide. Now we’re looking to the future, that’s not this year, it could be the year coming.
“I’m very positive for the future. The team are happy and so far, so good.” Plans for Benbatl are not settled but Bin Suroor seemed interested in the Champion Stakes as his end-of-term target.
About an hour after this race, Godolphin announced that Joe Osborne, who has been acting as the interim chief executive since Ferguson left, had been appointed to the role in a permanent capacity. But he has not been given Ferguson’s additional role of racing manager, a role requiring close liaison with the trainers, and the Sheikh has yet to decide what should be done about that.
Bin Suroor did not give a direct answer when asked if he reports now to Osborne or will continue to go straight to the Sheikh. “Sheikh Mohammed’s always involved, from last year,” he said. “He loves the horses, he comes to the stable and sees them. Even now, after the race, I talk to him, I give him the options. It’s teamwork. This is great.”
While Godolphin has frequently been described as in turmoil over the past fortnight, these results suggest otherwise and Osborne insisted there would be no lasting damage. “It’s a change but, across the globe, in all of our operations, people are dedicated to producing winners for Sheikh Mohammed. Maybe changes are unsettling in the short term but, longer term, people are still focused on the ball and hopefully there are more Group winners to come.”
The Sheikh was back in the winner’s enclosure after the day’s final race, his Atty Persse having landed the King George V Handicap under an accomplished ride by the apprentice Kieran Shoemark. The horse is based with Roger Charlton, meaning that Godolphin’s five winners have been provided by five trainers.
Atty Persse became the first son of Frankel to win a race at Royal Ascot. “They’re very good-moving horses,” Charlton said of Frankel’s progeny. “For a little horse, this one has a very long stride.”
