The Godolphin operation in England had not won a Classic since 2004. At Doncaster that year, Rule Of Law carried Sheikh Mohammed’s royal blue silks to victory in the English St Leger, the oldest among the five Classics. Last Saturday, it was again time for celebration in the Godolphin camp and the scene was Doncaster racecourse. Mastery, a Sulamani colt trained by Saeed bin Suroor and a 14-1 chance, beat Kite Wood, the better-fancied stablemate and the 9-4 favourite. Ted Durcan was aboard Mastery, the winner of the Italian Derby this year. Frankie Dettori rode Kite Wood.

On a perfect day at the Town Moor (that is how Doncaster is referred to), Colm O’Donoghue and Von Jawlensky, an Aidan O’Brien-trained runner, set a good pace in the 14-furlong race. Kite Wood raced second and Mastery lay third. Changingoftheguard, John Murtagh up, was fourth. With 600 metres left, Kite Wood struck the front. Mastery was in hot pursuit. Changingoftheguard was not making headway. There were 400 metres to run and it was an all –Godolphin affair. Mastery went one better and won by three parts of a length. Monitor Closely edged Father Time out for third place. The time was 3:04.81 seconds on a good to firm course.

Sulamani, Mastery’s sire, won the Arlington Million (through a disqualification) and the Canadian International at Woodbine. Mastery’s dam is Moyesii whose son, Kirklees, who recently won a graded stakes in England.

Jockey Ted Durcan expressed his gratitude to the Godolphin team. “Sheikh Mohammed and (his son) Sheikh Rashid and everyone has been a huge help to me. To win a St Leger for them, it’s just great. The entire team needs to be complimented.”

Fifteen minutes after Mastery had won at Doncaster, Godolphin’s silks were in the limelight in another country in another high-profile horse race. Schiaparelli was the 2-1 favourite in the 2800-metre Irish Field St Leger at the Curragh, outside Dublin. Schiaparelli’s jockey was Olivier Peslier who had flown in from Paris. It was Yeats, the venerable eight year-old and the winner of four consecutive Ascot Gold Cups who was the cynosure of all eyes. Alandi, owned by the Aga Khan and trained by John Oxx, was Mick Kinane’s mount and had a large following. Seamie Heffernan rode Yeats. The going was soft. The Irish Field St Leger is open to older horses.

Peslier had Schiaparelli on the engine and Yeats lay in contention. Alandi raced in striking range. As Schiaparelli bowled along merrily, Yeats began to fade halfway home. Alandi mounted a challenge in the stretch and Clowance, rallying well off the pace, loomed large with 400 metres to run. Alandi was making a dent on Schiaparelli’s resolve and Kinane was finding more with Alandi and Schiaparelli was getting leg weary. Alandi forged ahead and Clowance ran on. Schiaparelli was a well-beaten third. Yeats beat a hasty retreat and finished last.

Trainer John Oxx was at Doncaster. Mourayan, the Oxx trainee, had finished fifth in the English St Leger after a trouble-filled journey. Oxx spoke about Alandi. “It was a good performance. The Prix du Cadran (3,000 metres) on Arc day is the next race for Alandi. He is an out and out stayer. He is a different horse with plenty of ease in the ground.”

Jockey Heffernan, second in line in the Ballydoyle pecking (riding) order, commented on Years. “It was a no go day for Yeats. He does not exert himself on soft ground.”

Saturday had begun well for Sheikh Mohammed. Mastery had won at Doncaster. Schiaparelli had taken third in the Irish St Leger. Now, the scene shifts to Belmont Park in New York. Rain had made the main track muddy as the runners (fillies and mares) lined up for the $300,000 Ruffian Handicap, a 1700-metre race. The 3-10 favourite was the Godolphin-owned Seventh Street, ridden by Rajiv Maragh. Seventh Street, a Street Cry filly, was coming off an emphatic win in the Go For Wand Stakes at Saratoga in early August.

Seventh Street was prominent, pressed the pace and took the lead with 400 metres left. Swift Temper, Alan Garcia up, was away from the leaders, charged three-deep entering the final turn, challenged Seventh Street and gained the upper hand late in the lane. Swift Temper won by a length and three quarters in a time of 1 40.59. The day did not end on as bright a note as it had started for the Godolphin team in England several hours earlier.

A 4-1 chance, Swift Temper is trained by Dale Romans and was coming off a second place finish in the Personal Ensign at Saratoga on August 30. A five year-old, Swift Temper’s sire is Giant’s Causeway. Glasgow’s Gold is the dam who is by Seeking The Gold. Swift Temper is now assured of a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic at Santa Anita.

Trainer Dale Romans spoke. “I did not like bringing her back on such short rest. However, she came out of her last race better than any race I have had her for. We will talk about the Breeders’ Cup and may be, we will go there straight.”

Jockey Garcia explained his ride. “She broke okay but I eased her back. I thought I could make a surprise move and intimidate Seventh Street. We took advantage and won.”

There was another Grade I race, the $300,000 Garden City Stakes for sophomore girls, at Belmont Park on Saturday. It was a race over 1,800 metres on the inner turf course, which had come up soft. Miss World, Cornelio Velasquez up, was the surprise winner at 13-1. The 2-5 favourite was Gozzip Girl coming off an impressive win in Hollywood Park’s American Oaks. Maram, going for five in a row lifetime, was a late withdrawal.

Miss World swept past the leaders in the stretch to win by a length and three quarters in a time of 1 53.55. Gozzip Girl finished fourth after stumbling early and almost unseating jockey Kent Desormeaux. Her fourth place finish, in the circumstances, was commendable.

Winner of a maiden race in July, Miss World, a Bernstein filly out of Moonstar by Kingmambo, scored in a first level allowance event in August. Her third career win and third successive victory came in the Garden City. She was unplaced in her first five outings.

Winning trainer Christophe Clement said, “Iit took a while for me to understand the filly. I ran her short and on dirt last year. She’s obviously a turf filly. The Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup (G I turf at Keeneland) on October 17 is her next race.”

Cornelio Velasquez commented. “Mr Clement told me to get covered up. The last 3/16, I had a lot of horse. She loved the soft track.”

Grand Couturier finished fifth three races in a row. In his last race, the Sword Dancer handicap, a race he had won in 2007 and 2008, the six year-old son of Grand Lodge, had disappointed. On Sunday, on a yielding turf course at Belmont Park, the Robert Ribaudo-trained horse found that elusive spark in the $158,500 (Grade II) Bowling Green Stakes. It was a two-length win in a time of 2 15.80 seconds over 2200 metres.

Trainer Ribaudo expressed relief. “How good the race was, I will get a better look at it. As nice as the race was, it is the next step he has to get to in order to be where he was last year.”

Alan Garcia was aboard Grand Couturier. He spoke. “My horse was a little rough by the 3/8 pole but he was ready to run. I was waiting, waiting and turning for home, he decided to take off. He was much the best today.”

This piece will not be complete without a reference to Set Alight, the darling of the Indian equine fraternity. I spoke to trainer Pesi Shroff Monday morning Chicago time. “The luck of the race was not with her in the Derby. The fact she had not raced in four months was a contributing factor in her Hyderabad loss. She did it very well yesterday. I believe she is very near her best. I was very pleased.”

“I will stay with Chris Alford. Yes, the Invitation Cup is her target. She should be ready. Yes, Set Alight will race next year. It is a strong possibility she may race abroad. Everything is on the table. We will have to talk to Dr Mallya. No decisions yet,” Shroff remarked.