Goldolphin's day at Goodwood - but Hughes has his say as well

The famous colours of Godolphin dominated the winner's enclosure at Goodwood's penultimate meeting of the season.

They took the honours in the afternoon’s first two races - then doubled their tally with another two successes, including one in the £30,000 feature race, the Tanqueray Stakes.

But despite their domination, Goodwood’s top jockey Richard Hughes was still the most successful rider of the day with a double to take his 2011 wins tally at the course to 20.

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Four different jockeys steered Godolphin runners to victory, three on Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained runners, one on a Saeed Bin Suroor contender.

It was Ted Durcan on 10/1 shot Hunter’s Light who got their big win of the day in the feature event, comfortably beating two more likely Godolphin runners, Debussy and Prince Siegfried, both much better-priced.

Bin Suroor, who won the same listed race last year with Holberg, said: “He ran well - I think a mile and a quarter is the best trip for him. The ground really helped him and he has always shown ability on soft ground at home.

“There are no plans, but we’ll keep the options open for European races for the rest of the year.”

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The card began with a Godolphin one-two. Frankie Dettori won the British Stallion Studs Supporting British Racing EBF Maiden Stakes on Genius Step, the Mahmood Al Zarooni-trained 6/4 favourite.

Another from the same stable, Okimono, was impressive in finishing second at 8/1.

And Antioco Murgia steered Welcome Gift home after going off at 7/4 favourite in the RH Hall EBF Maiden Stakes.

The ten-length victory had some bookies making Welcome Gift 33/1 for next year’s Derby.

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After the feature, Goldolphin were at it again, this time with Ahmed Ajtebi guiding Sandusky home ahead of stablemate Estourah, ridden by Dettori, in third. Andrew Balding’s Billy Buttons (David Probert) separated them.

But Hughes can never be kept out of the winner’s enclosure for long at this course and he had a double to savour on a day when 5mm of rain had left the going soft.

In the 3663 First For Food Service Stakes he took a photo-finish win for Silenzio, the 7/2 favourite - his and trainer Richard Hannon’s 19th success of the season on the Downs.

And he bettered that in a thrilling Discovery Foods Stakes on board the Alan King-trained Samsons Son (16/1), beating Bin Suroor and Godolphin’s Tahaamah by a neck in another photo.

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The last, the Merbury Catering Consultants Apprentice Stakes, went to John Holt-trained Mata Hari Blue (11/4) ridden by Matthew Lawson.

Goodwood’s final meeting of 2011 takes place on Sunday, October 9.

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