Banishing lived up to his pedigree and claimed the Godolphin Mile
- Turf Diario
- Mar 28
- 2 min read
Bred by Godolphin, the American-bred runner unleashed a powerful late run at Meydan to thwart the local dominance of Bhupat Seemar
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Special for Turf Diario).— In a race that carries its name and its essence, the victory ultimately stayed home... albeit with an international accent. Banishing, bred by Godolphin, claimed the Godolphin Mile (G2) in a finish that captured all the nuances of the great night at Meydan.
He did not wear the traditional royal blue silks, but his origin was enough to give the result its full meaning. The son of Ghostzapper, representing the United States and Saudi Arabia, proved to be the ideal protagonist in a symbolic event for the operation of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Under the ride of Brazilian Silvestre de Sousa, the virtual champion of the season in the Emirates, Banishingunleashed a powerful late run to hunt down the local Commissioner King (Commissioner), who had dominated the scene from the start.
The pace was intense from the beginning. Commissioner King set demanding fractions, especially through the middle stages of the race where the tempo was grueling. For a large part of the trip, Bhupat Seemar's trainee seemed to have everything under control, holding a several-length advantage upon entering the home straight.
But behind him, lurking, was Banishing. De Sousa kept him in the hunt throughout, never panicking and waiting for the right moment. When he decided to go after the leader, the result was emphatic: in just 200 meters, he went from pursuer to dominator, leaving his rival behind with authority to win by 2 1/4 lengths.
Behind him, Seemar's dominance was clear on the scoreboard, if not in the result: Commissioner King took second, followed by Mendelssohn Bay (Mendelssohn) and Diamond Dealer (Lord Nelson), completing a 2-3-4 finish for the local trainer who, nevertheless, watched the victory slip away once again in this race.
From the United States, trainer David Jacobson celebrated from afar: “I knew the horse was doing well. My team did a fantastic job. I wasn't sure about the distance, but the development went as we wanted. The jockey rode him perfectly.”
For De Sousa, meanwhile, the key was patience: “There was plenty of pace, so I let him run where he felt comfortable. He is a true miler. In the straight, he hung out a bit, but he responded very well when I asked him.”
The victory also reaffirms a trend: Banishing became the seventh American winner of the Godolphin Mile, confirming the efficacy of an export model that seeks to exploit the major prizes of the Middle East.
And for his owner, Sharaf Mohammed Al Hariri, the formula continues to work. He had already celebrated with Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) in the Saudi Cup (G1), and now adds another great conquest in the region.
At Meydan, in a race that bears its name, Godolphin won again. Although this time, it did so through its heritage.
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