Bella Ballerina brings up 1,500th Pattern-race victory

Unbeaten juvenile Bella Ballerina recorded a landmark 1,500th success for Godolphin in Group or Graded races with a brave win in the G2 Golden Rod Stakes at Churchill Downs on Saturday.

A maiden winner over six furlongs at Keeneland’s Fall Meet, the daughter of Street Sense had no issue with the step up to an extended mile as she beat Atropa by half a length.

The last four Kentucky Oaks winners have all run in the Golden Rod Stakes, including Bella Ballerina’s half-sister Pretty Mischievous and Good Cheer. Bella Ballerina picked up 10 qualifying points with her victory and looks set to contest more trials early next year.

Her success also ensured that Godolphin received the leading owner title at Churchill Downs’ Fall Meet for a fifth time with seven wins during the meeting.

Motorsports made it a good Saturday for homebred fillies as she swooped from the rear to take the G3 Blue Sapphire Stakes at Caulfield in Australia. The Street Boss three-year-old has won both starts since going down by a nose on debut in October and could bid for more Group-race honours in the autumn.

Ampadu has only met with defeat once in his career as well, and the four-year-old colt recorded his third victory when comfortably scoring in a Tokyo allowance race on Saturday.

A son of Iffraaj, Ampadu has a strong European pedigree, being out of a full-sister to Master Of The Seas and from a family that includes Cascadian.

Narukami has been touted as the successor to Lemon Pop and the Thunder Snow colt will be hoping to match the dual dirt Champion with victory in this Sunday’s G1 Champions Cup at Chukyo on Sunday.

Lemon Pop captured two editions of the race as an older horse, but Narukami would be a rare three-year-old winner of the race. He returns to the JRA following two decisive victories on the NAR circuit, including a two-length success in the Jpn G1 Japan Dirt Classic in October.

Ruler Of Time will be looking to emulate impressive recent winner Devon Island with success on the dirt at Meydan on Friday. This week’s turf highlight in the UAE is the Listed HH The President’s Cup at Abu Dhabi on Saturday, which could feature two-time UK scorer Indian Springs.