Godolphins new trainer...

Nulty

Well, for one horse.

Aria joins Godolphin - but stays with Johnston

GODOLPHIN are set to break new ground when Eastern Aria is transferred to their operation to carry the famous blue silks - but will continue under the care of trainer Mark Johnston to be trained for the Melbourne Cup.

Although other British-based trainers handled certain Godolphin horses in their early days, the four-year-old filly will become their only horse in Britain not trained by Dubai nationals Saeed Bin Suroor and Mahmood Al Zarooni.

She will join Campanologist and Wednesday's Goodwood winner Holberg - both now trained by Bin Suroor after leaving Johnston - in the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 2.

Frankie Dettori will ride Holberg, while Melbourne star Craig Williams will partner Eastern Aria. Nojockey has been finalised for Campanologist, twice a Group 1 winner this term in Germany.

Eastern Aria, a daughter of Halling, ran on in gutsy fashion to win the Group 2 DFS Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster on September 9 in the green and red colours of Sheikh Mohammed's son, Sheikh Hamdan, who has a large string with Johnston that is, in effect, a Godolphin nursery.

However, news that she will carry the Godolphin silks in future while staying with the Middleham trainer represents a new departure for the Dubai team.

Speaking on the Godolphin website, racing manager Simon Crisford said: "Eastern Aria is joining Campanologist and Holberg in quarantine, which starts on Sunday.

"She will be racing under the Godolphin banner but will still be trained by Mark Johnston.

"Obviously, there are several weeks between now and the start of November but all three horses have performed well in their trials and we are hopeful that they can do themselves justice in the Emirates Melbourne Cup."

All three horses will be based at Godolphin's private quarantine centre in Newmarket before setting out for Australia on Sunday, October 10.

Godolphin has saddled the runner-up in the Melbourne Cup on three occasions - Central Park (1999), Give The Slip (2001) and Crime Scene (2009).

http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/m-johnston-frankie-dettori-melbourne-cup-eastern-aria-joins-godolphin-but-stays-with-johnston/770484/top/

UrbanSea

If Holberg can get there safe and well I think he has a serious chance,he just keeps on improving. Difficult to call though when you know so little about the opposition.

smartaform

There's ample aussie racing sites for you to find anything you need about the opposition.
The BIGGEST factor over the years between the aussies and the European horses is the Aussies can do it at Both ends, you need a horse that can finish really well. Unlike the UK/Irish style of grinding to the point of exhaustion.
Cumani and Weld have copped the fact that horses need a run in oz to get them used to that style of racing before tackling the cup itself...