A team effort across Godolphin and its Darley stallion division has been a large reason why Aft Cabin has enjoyed such a brilliant start to his career.
They are the thoughts of Darley Australia’s head of sales, Andy Makiv, heading into the Eskimo Prince Stakes over 1200m and worth $200,000 at Randwick on Saturday.
The precocious colt goes into the Group 3 sprint first-up as the $2 favourite across betting sites because of the fashion in which he won his last start, the Caulfield Guineas Prelude on September 17.
In his fourth start that day, the three-year-old’s finish was all class, comfortably prevailing by 3 ½ lengths on a Heavy 8.
Makiv said a large collective effort from Godolphin and Darley staff led to that performance by Aft Cabin, by impressive sire Astern and out of Shelters.
It was also why Aft Cabin finished a comprehensive 1 ½-length winner in a 795m trial at Warwick Farm on January 16.
“It starts off by doing the mating. We own the stallion and their mothers,” Makiv told HorseBetting.com.au.
“They’re made to be conceived and they’re foaled down.
“There’s a team of people who foal them down, there’s a team of people who raise them.
“There’s a break-in team, there’s early education for all the horses.”
Astern has brought about excellent results to Godolphin, with progeny Golden Mile and Brigantine as well as Aft Cabin all enjoying fine starts to their careers.
“The effort that goes into these really good horses like Aft Cabin, Golden Mile, Anamoe or Paulele, most of the organisation at some stage have got their fingerprints on them,” Makiv said.
“And therefore they’ve got their fingerprints on their success.
“So it is something that everyone is very proud of. It’s very rewarding when a good one lobs on a Saturday.”
Indeed, Aft Cabin is one of those good ones.
Like his Caulfield Guineas Prelude triumph, he showed excellent finishing qualities inside the final furlong during his trial win 2 ½ weeks ago.
“I thought it was very adequate. He trialled up very nicely,” Makiv said.
“He’s a very talented horse. He’s going to start pretty short (on Saturday) by the look of the early market.
“He’s a pretty exciting prospect for the team, and hopefully one day for the stallion team as well.”
Aft Cabin will push on to the Hobartville Stakes on February 18 ahead of the Group 1 Randwick Guineas over a mile on March 4.
“Hopefully he can get it done (this Saturday) and head into more significant races as the autumn kicks off,” Makiv said.
“Fingers crossed (he can push for Group 1 honours). I think he’s pretty smart, so hopefully he can get it done.”
Aft Cabin might run his last race this year, with Cummings saying he will compete in a sensible amount of races before retiring to the Darley stud team.
Makiv is also excited about the prospects of half-brother Golden Mile, who won last year’s Caulfield Guineas when Aft Cabin – the early favourite – was sidelined after suffering a bleeding attack.
“In the spring (Aft Cabin) was going to start a very short-priced favourite in the Guineas, and the stablemate got it done,” the Darley stallion expert said.
Also under the watch of champion trainer James Cummings, fellow three-year-old colt Golden Mile produced a solid first-up performance in the Expressway Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.
He finished runner-up to six-year-old mare Mariamaria, Joe Pride once again proving his mastery with a tried horse.
“We are very excited by (Aft Cabin) and Golden Mile, both being sons of Astern,” Makiv said.
“They’re both targeting Guineas, so hopefully Aft Cabin can resume in style towards the Guineas.
“Whether or not they end up at the same Guineas, or one comes to Melbourne, that’s for James to decide.
“But they’re both on a Guineas path. I would suspect that they’d split at some stage.”
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