By Sean Cronin
Godolphin's Ottoman Fleet (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}–Innevera {Fr}, by Motivator {GB}) had won one of five overseas starts since annexing last term's G3 bet365 Earl Of Sefton S. at Newmarket and made a winning European return with back-to-back victories in Wednesday's latest renewal of the nine-furlong test.
The gelded 5-year-old backed up last term's success with a win in Belmont's GII Fort Marcy S. before hitting the board in June's GI Manhattan S. back in New York. He then returned off a sabbatical to place in Meydan's G2 Al Rashidiya and G1 Jebel Hatta, but dropped to eighth in February's G2 Singspiel S. last time.
Ottoman Fleet inched forward to stalk the leading duo in a handy third after the initial strides, but slipped one spot with three furlongs remaining. Making smooth headway on the bridle once inside the quarter-mile pole, he seized control entering the final furlong and was ridden out in the latter stages to assert superiority by a length from last year's Cambridgeshire H. victor Astro King (Ire) (Kingman {GB}).
“He just took a bit of a tug, but I thought there was going to be more pace on to be honest,” said Charlie Appleby. “He's been a very consistent horse and has run well in Dubai. Unfortunately, his last race was a bit disappointing, but I think he was just getting the hang of Meydan again. Kieren Fallon rides him at home and said he is as well as h'ed ever felt him, so we came knowing that he was in good order and we know the track suits him. Now he has a penalty it makes him harder to place and we have a team in America, so there is a possibility he could go out there and join them.”
Pedigree Notes
Ottoman Fleet is the first of five foals and one of two winners from as many runners produced by the dual-winning Innevera (Fr) (Motivator {GB}), who has a 2-year-old filly by Pinatubo (Ire) and a yearling filly by Zarak (Fr) to come. The February-foaled bay's dam is a half-sister to five black-type winners, namely G1 Lockinge S.-winning sire Keltos (Fr) (Kendor {Fr}), MG1SP G2 Prix du Muguet victor Krataios (Fr) (Sabrehill), GSW G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud third Loxias (Fr) (Saumarez {GB}), G3 Prix Quincey-winning sire Kavafi (Ire) (Zafonic) and MSW G3 Prix de la Jonchere and G3 Prix Edmond Blanc runner-up Iridanos (GB) (Sabrehill). Descendants of his third dam Northshiel (GB) (Northfields), herself a winning half to MGSW sire Waajib (Ire) (Try My Best), include stakes-winning GII American Derby and GII San Luis Obispo H. second Californian (GB) (Zafonic) and G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere and G1 Coronation Cup runner-up Salouen (Ire) (Canford Cliffs {Ire}).
🔵 Ottoman Fleet records successive victories in the @bet365 Earl Of Sefton Stakes for team @godolphin pic.twitter.com/BcE1WN3ZSy
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) April 17, 2024
Wednesday, Newmarket, Britain
BET365 EARL OF SEFTON S.-G3, £85,000, Newmarket, 4-17, 4yo/up, 9fT, 1:47.51, gd.
1–OTTOMAN FLEET (GB), 128, g, 5, by Sea The Stars (Ire)
1st Dam: Innevera (Fr), by Motivator (GB)
2nd Dam: Loxandra (GB), by Last Tycoon (Ire)
3rd Dam: Northshiel, by Northfields
(€290,000 Wlg '19 ARQDE; 425,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-SCEA Marmion Vauville & Alain Jathiere (GB); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £48,204. Lifetime Record: GSP & GISP-US, G1SP-UAE, 16-5-4-5, $619,057. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Astro King (Ire), 128, g, 7, Kingman (GB)–Astroglia, by Montjeu (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (375,000gns Ylg '18 TATOCT; 36,000gns 5yo '22 TATAHI). O-Capture The Moment, Carter & Lofthouse; B-The Niarchos Family (IRE); T-Daniel & Claire Kubler. £18,275.
3–Hi Royal (Ire), 128, c, 4, Kodiac (GB)–Majestic Roi, by Street Cry (Ire). O-Jaber Abdullah; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Kevin Ryan. £9,146.
Margins: 1, HD, 1 1/4. Odds: 1.75, 7.50, 14.00.
Also Ran: Regal Reality (GB), Embesto (GB), Claymore (Fr), Novus (Ire), Blanchland (Ire), The Foxes (Ire). Scratched: Royal Rhyme (Ire).
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