Godolphin’s two-pronged attack in Saturday’s Group 1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick has been reduced to one after race favourite Pericles’ scratching from the Sydney feature.
The stable will now pin its hopes on Theo Marks Stakes winner Golden Mile.
🇦🇺 #Pericles (Street Boss) dominates the G2 Tramway Stakes over 1,400m at Royal Randwick.
— Godolphin (@godolphin) September 2, 2023
👉 #Hauraki won this race before securing the G1 Epsom Handicap over 1,600m for #TeamGodolphin. https://t.co/jorWABqKvp
The James Cummings-trained Pericles was primed to line up alongside stablemate Golden Mile but the Tramway Stakes winner was scratched on Tuesday after found to have “blood in the near side nostril later in the morning after having completed trackwork”.
A stewards’ report said: “A subsequent endoscopic examination of the horse detected blood in its trachea”.
The 4YO gelding was the favourite with Unibet and his withdrawal leaves the Kerry Parker-trained Hope In Your Heart ($6.00) as the new favourite.
Godolphin’s remaining runner Golden Mile ($15.00) is going for back-to-back wins after saluting in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes at Rosehill earlier this month.
Golden Mile at his brilliant best in the G2 Theo Marks!@nashhot and @JamesCummings88 make it a back-to-back feature double. pic.twitter.com/WsRWHRRRn1
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) September 9, 2023
