manu/mldr-zoomed-100char-total-queries-documents

chunk_id stringlengths 3 9	chunk stringlengths 1 100
99_1	two-year-old in 2016 but in the following year he won the Hampton Court Stakes and was placed in
99_2	both the Craven Stakes and the Dante Stakes as well as finishing fifth in the Epsom Derby. In 2018
99_3	he began the season in Dubai where he won the Singspiel Stakes and the Al Rashidiya before
99_4	defeating a strong international field in the Dubai Turf. On his return to Europe he won the
99_5	Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in Germany and was then sent to Australia where he took the Caulfield
99_6	Stakes and ran second in the Cox Plate. In 2019 he secured the first of two victories in the Joel
99_7	Stakes. He won the Singspiel Stakes for a second time in 2020, and the Joel Stakes for a second
99_8	time in 2021. At the end of the 2021 season he was retired to stud.
99_9	Background
99_10	Benbatl is a bay horse with a white star bred in England by Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Stud and owned
99_11	by the Godolphin organisation. He was sent into training with Saeed bin Suroor whose horses are
99_12	based at Newmarket, Suffolk in summer but typically spend the winter at Godolphin's base in Dubai.
99_13	He was sired by Dubawi a top-class son of Dubai Millennium, whose wins included the Irish 2,000
99_14	Guineas and the Prix Jacques Le Marois. At stud, Dubawi has been a highly-successful breeding
99_15	stallion, siring major winners such as Monterosso, Al Kazeem, Makfi, Lucky Nine and Night of
99_16	Thunder. Benbatl is the first foal of his dam Nahrain who won the Prix de l'Opéra in 2011 and the
99_17	Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes in 2012. Nahrain was a daughter of the Ribblesdale Stakes winner
99_18	Bahr, who was in turn a granddaughter of La Mer.
99_19	Racing career
99_20	2017: three-year-old season
99_21	Benbatl made his racecourse debut on 2 April 2017 when he started the 15/8 favourite for a maiden
99_22	race over seven furlongs at Doncaster Racecourse in which he was ridden by Josephine Gordon and won
99_23	"readily" by seven lengths from eleven opponents. The colt was immediately moved up in class and
99_24	distance for the Group 3 Craven Stakes over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket Racecourse and finished
99_25	third behind Eminent and Rivet, beaten two lengths by the winner. At York Racecourse in May he
99_26	contested the Group 2 Dante Stakes (a major trial race the Epsom Derby) over ten furlongs. He
99_27	started the 4/1 favourite but after briefly taking the lead in the straight he was beaten into
99_28	second place by the Mark Johnston-trained Permian, with Crystal Ocean and Rekindling in third and
99_29	fourth.
99_30	In the 2017 Epsom Derby was the least-fancied of the three Godolphin runners and started a 20/1
99_31	outsider. After turning into the straight last of the eighteen runners he made steady progress and
99_32	came home fifth behind Wings of Eagles, Cliffs of Moher, Cracksman and Eminent. Nineteen days later
99_33	at Royal Ascot the colt started the 9/2 second choice in the betting behind the Aidan
99_34	O'Brien-trained Orderofthegarter in the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes over ten furlongs. Ridden by
99_35	Oisin Murphy, he tracked the leaders, went to the front approaching the final furlong and stayed on
99_36	strongly to win by half a length from Orderofthegarter. After the race Saeed bin Suroor said
99_37	"today's trip was brilliant for him. He was in a nice position and kicked really well. He is a nice
99_38	horse for the future. We will keep the options open. He could be anything".
99_39	Benbatl returned to the highest class and took on older horses for the first time in the King
99_40	George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on 29 July. He never looked likely to win but
99_41	"plugged on" in the straight to come home fifth behind Enable, Ulysses, Idaho and Highland Reel. On
99_42	his final run of the year the colt failed to show his best form, finishing sixth when favourite for
99_43	the Group 3 Superior Mile on heavy ground at Haydock Park in September.
99_44	2018: four-year-old season
99_45	Winter and spring: Dubai
99_46	For the winter and early spring of 2018 Benbatl was relocated to Godolphin's racing base in Dubai
99_47	was campaigned at Meydan Racecourse, being ridden in all his races by Oisin Murphy. He began his
99_48	campaign in the Group 3 Singspiel Stakes over 1800 metre on 11 January in which he started
99_49	favourite and won "comfortably" by two and quarter lengths from Emotionless. In the Group 2 Al
99_50	Rashidiya over the same course and distance on 1 February he won "easily" by almost four lengths
99_51	from Bay of Poets having taken the lead 300 metres from the finish. The colt was expected to
99_52	complete a hat-trick in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta on 10 March but in a slowly-run race he was unable
99_53	to run down Godolphin's outsider Blair House and was beaten three quarters of a length into second
99_54	place.
99_55	Three weeks after the Jebel Hatta Benbatl met Blair House again in the Dubai Turf, with Murphy's
99_56	mount starting the 4/1 favourite. Among the other 13 runners were Coolmore's Lancaster Bomber, the
99_57	Darley Stakes winner Monarch's Glen and a five-horse Japanese contingent including Vivlos (winner
99_58	of the race in 2017), Real Steel (winner in 2016) and Neorealism (Queen Elizabeth II Cup). After
99_59	tracking the front-runner Janoobi, Benbatl took the lead in the straight and drew away to win
99_60	easily by more than three lengths from Vivlos. Murphy commented "Last time [in the Jebel Hatta] I
99_61	gave the horse a bad ride and it was very good of Sheikh Mohammed and Saeed to give me another
99_62	chance on him. I was determined to make amends and once in that position I was pretty sure I would
99_63	win. It's very hard to find a world-class horse to ride, but he is a horse you dream about. He's
99_64	very talented and today he had a good trip and showed his class. Today everything fell right."
99_65	Summer: Europe
99_66	On his first appearance after his return to Europe, Benbatl started 11/4 favourite against twelve
99_67	opponents in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes over one mile at Royal Ascot in June. Ridden by
99_68	Christophe Soumillon he was among the early leaders and briefly gained the advantage two furlongs
99_69	out before fading badly and coming home in tenth place behind the 33/1 upset winner Accidental
99_70	Agent. He was then moved back up in trip and sent to Germany for the Group 1 Bayerisches
99_71	Zuchtrennen over 2000 metres at Munich on 29 July. The only other foreign challenger was the
99_72	British-trained Stormy Antarctic, while the seven German runners were headed by Iquitos, the 2016
99_73	German Horse of the Year. With Murphy in the saddle, Benbatl took the lead soon after the start and
99_74	drew away from his rivals in the straight to win by two and three quarter lengths from Stormy
99_75	Antarctic. Saeed bin Suroor said "He made all and the pace suited him as he was still on the bridle
99_76	with two furlongs to go. I'm very pleased with him and we'll now look at our options", suggesting
99_77	that the colt might be sent to Australia to take on the great mare Winx in the Cox Plate.
99_78	On his third and final European start of 2018, Benbatl was ridden by Jim Crowley when he was sent
99_79	off at odds of 10/1 for the International Stakes over ten and a half furlongs at York Racecourse on
99_80	22 August. He briefly took the lead approaching the last quarter mile but was soon overtaken and
99_81	came home fifth behind Roaring Lion, Poet's Word, Thundering Blue and Saxon Warrior. He was struck
99_82	into during the race and sustained cuts to his legs. After the race he entered quarantine to
99_83	prepare for his journey to Australia.
99_84	Autumn: Australia
99_85	Benbatl arrived in Australia on 29 September as part of a large Godolphin team which also included
99_86	Blair House and Best Solution. On 13 October he made his Australian debut in the Group 1 Ladbrokes
99_87	Stakes (better known as the Caulfield Stakes) over 2000 metres at Caulfield Racecourse and started
99_88	at odds of 8/1 in an eleven-runner field which included his fellow imports Blair House and Cliffs
99_89	of Moher. The Rosehill Guineas winner D'Argento started favourite while the other local runners
99_90	included Humidor (Memsie Stakes, Australian Cup), Unforgotten (Australian Oaks) and Homesman
99_91	(Underwood Stakes). After breaking quickly from the starting stalls, Benbatl was settled in second
99_92	place by his new jockey Pat Cosgrave as Homesman set the pace. He took the lead approaching the
99_93	last 200 metres and got the better of a sustained struggle with his old rival Blair House to win by
99_94	a short head. When asked about the colt's prospects against Winx in the Cox Plate Cosgrave said "I
99_95	think he is going to be on his A-game to win that is for sure. She's a great mare. I don't know if
99_96	I want to ride him. If I did happen to beat her I would have to scurry out of the country fairly
99_97	quick". On 27 October Benbatl started second favourite for the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley
99_98	Racecourse After settling in third behind Rostropovich and D'Argento he moved up on the outside to
99_99	dispute the lead on the final turn. He was soon overtaken by Winx, but kept on well for second, two
99_100	lengths behind the winner. His rider Oisin Murphy said "Winx was completely dominant. I gave it my

99_1

two-year-old in 2016 but in the following year he won the Hampton Court Stakes and was placed in

99_2

both the Craven Stakes and the Dante Stakes as well as finishing fifth in the Epsom Derby. In 2018

99_3

he began the season in Dubai where he won the Singspiel Stakes and the Al Rashidiya before

99_4

defeating a strong international field in the Dubai Turf. On his return to Europe he won the

99_5

Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in Germany and was then sent to Australia where he took the Caulfield

99_6

Stakes and ran second in the Cox Plate. In 2019 he secured the first of two victories in the Joel

99_7

Stakes. He won the Singspiel Stakes for a second time in 2020, and the Joel Stakes for a second

99_8

time in 2021. At the end of the 2021 season he was retired to stud.

99_9

Background

99_10

Benbatl is a bay horse with a white star bred in England by Sheikh Mohammed's Darley Stud and owned

99_11

by the Godolphin organisation. He was sent into training with Saeed bin Suroor whose horses are

99_12

based at Newmarket, Suffolk in summer but typically spend the winter at Godolphin's base in Dubai.

99_13

He was sired by Dubawi a top-class son of Dubai Millennium, whose wins included the Irish 2,000

99_14

Guineas and the Prix Jacques Le Marois. At stud, Dubawi has been a highly-successful breeding

99_15

stallion, siring major winners such as Monterosso, Al Kazeem, Makfi, Lucky Nine and Night of

99_16

Thunder. Benbatl is the first foal of his dam Nahrain who won the Prix de l'Opéra in 2011 and the

99_17

Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes in 2012. Nahrain was a daughter of the Ribblesdale Stakes winner

99_18

Bahr, who was in turn a granddaughter of La Mer.

99_19

Racing career

99_20

2017: three-year-old season

99_21

Benbatl made his racecourse debut on 2 April 2017 when he started the 15/8 favourite for a maiden

99_22

race over seven furlongs at Doncaster Racecourse in which he was ridden by Josephine Gordon and won

99_23

"readily" by seven lengths from eleven opponents. The colt was immediately moved up in class and

99_24

distance for the Group 3 Craven Stakes over the Rowley Mile at Newmarket Racecourse and finished

99_25

third behind Eminent and Rivet, beaten two lengths by the winner. At York Racecourse in May he

99_26

contested the Group 2 Dante Stakes (a major trial race the Epsom Derby) over ten furlongs. He

99_27

started the 4/1 favourite but after briefly taking the lead in the straight he was beaten into

99_28

second place by the Mark Johnston-trained Permian, with Crystal Ocean and Rekindling in third and

99_29

fourth.

99_30

In the 2017 Epsom Derby was the least-fancied of the three Godolphin runners and started a 20/1

99_31

outsider. After turning into the straight last of the eighteen runners he made steady progress and

99_32

came home fifth behind Wings of Eagles, Cliffs of Moher, Cracksman and Eminent. Nineteen days later

99_33

at Royal Ascot the colt started the 9/2 second choice in the betting behind the Aidan

99_34

O'Brien-trained Orderofthegarter in the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes over ten furlongs. Ridden by

99_35

Oisin Murphy, he tracked the leaders, went to the front approaching the final furlong and stayed on

99_36

strongly to win by half a length from Orderofthegarter. After the race Saeed bin Suroor said

99_37

"today's trip was brilliant for him. He was in a nice position and kicked really well. He is a nice

99_38

horse for the future. We will keep the options open. He could be anything".

99_39

Benbatl returned to the highest class and took on older horses for the first time in the King

99_40

George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot on 29 July. He never looked likely to win but

99_41

"plugged on" in the straight to come home fifth behind Enable, Ulysses, Idaho and Highland Reel. On

99_42

his final run of the year the colt failed to show his best form, finishing sixth when favourite for

99_43

the Group 3 Superior Mile on heavy ground at Haydock Park in September.

99_44

2018: four-year-old season

99_45

Winter and spring: Dubai

99_46

For the winter and early spring of 2018 Benbatl was relocated to Godolphin's racing base in Dubai

99_47

was campaigned at Meydan Racecourse, being ridden in all his races by Oisin Murphy. He began his

99_48

campaign in the Group 3 Singspiel Stakes over 1800 metre on 11 January in which he started

99_49

favourite and won "comfortably" by two and quarter lengths from Emotionless. In the Group 2 Al

99_50

Rashidiya over the same course and distance on 1 February he won "easily" by almost four lengths

99_51

from Bay of Poets having taken the lead 300 metres from the finish. The colt was expected to

99_52

complete a hat-trick in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta on 10 March but in a slowly-run race he was unable

99_53

to run down Godolphin's outsider Blair House and was beaten three quarters of a length into second

99_54

place.

99_55

Three weeks after the Jebel Hatta Benbatl met Blair House again in the Dubai Turf, with Murphy's

99_56

mount starting the 4/1 favourite. Among the other 13 runners were Coolmore's Lancaster Bomber, the

99_57

Darley Stakes winner Monarch's Glen and a five-horse Japanese contingent including Vivlos (winner

99_58

of the race in 2017), Real Steel (winner in 2016) and Neorealism (Queen Elizabeth II Cup). After

99_59

tracking the front-runner Janoobi, Benbatl took the lead in the straight and drew away to win

99_60

easily by more than three lengths from Vivlos. Murphy commented "Last time [in the Jebel Hatta] I

99_61

gave the horse a bad ride and it was very good of Sheikh Mohammed and Saeed to give me another

99_62

chance on him. I was determined to make amends and once in that position I was pretty sure I would

99_63

win. It's very hard to find a world-class horse to ride, but he is a horse you dream about. He's

99_64

very talented and today he had a good trip and showed his class. Today everything fell right."

99_65

Summer: Europe

99_66

On his first appearance after his return to Europe, Benbatl started 11/4 favourite against twelve

99_67

opponents in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes over one mile at Royal Ascot in June. Ridden by

99_68

Christophe Soumillon he was among the early leaders and briefly gained the advantage two furlongs

99_69

out before fading badly and coming home in tenth place behind the 33/1 upset winner Accidental

99_70

Agent. He was then moved back up in trip and sent to Germany for the Group 1 Bayerisches

99_71

Zuchtrennen over 2000 metres at Munich on 29 July. The only other foreign challenger was the

99_72

British-trained Stormy Antarctic, while the seven German runners were headed by Iquitos, the 2016

99_73

German Horse of the Year. With Murphy in the saddle, Benbatl took the lead soon after the start and

99_74

drew away from his rivals in the straight to win by two and three quarter lengths from Stormy

99_75

Antarctic. Saeed bin Suroor said "He made all and the pace suited him as he was still on the bridle

99_76

with two furlongs to go. I'm very pleased with him and we'll now look at our options", suggesting

99_77

that the colt might be sent to Australia to take on the great mare Winx in the Cox Plate.

99_78

On his third and final European start of 2018, Benbatl was ridden by Jim Crowley when he was sent

99_79

off at odds of 10/1 for the International Stakes over ten and a half furlongs at York Racecourse on

99_80

22 August. He briefly took the lead approaching the last quarter mile but was soon overtaken and

99_81

came home fifth behind Roaring Lion, Poet's Word, Thundering Blue and Saxon Warrior. He was struck

99_82

into during the race and sustained cuts to his legs. After the race he entered quarantine to

99_83

prepare for his journey to Australia.

99_84

Autumn: Australia

99_85

Benbatl arrived in Australia on 29 September as part of a large Godolphin team which also included

99_86

Blair House and Best Solution. On 13 October he made his Australian debut in the Group 1 Ladbrokes

99_87

Stakes (better known as the Caulfield Stakes) over 2000 metres at Caulfield Racecourse and started

99_88

at odds of 8/1 in an eleven-runner field which included his fellow imports Blair House and Cliffs

99_89

of Moher. The Rosehill Guineas winner D'Argento started favourite while the other local runners

99_90

included Humidor (Memsie Stakes, Australian Cup), Unforgotten (Australian Oaks) and Homesman

99_91

(Underwood Stakes). After breaking quickly from the starting stalls, Benbatl was settled in second

99_92

place by his new jockey Pat Cosgrave as Homesman set the pace. He took the lead approaching the

99_93

last 200 metres and got the better of a sustained struggle with his old rival Blair House to win by

99_94

a short head. When asked about the colt's prospects against Winx in the Cox Plate Cosgrave said "I

99_95

think he is going to be on his A-game to win that is for sure. She's a great mare. I don't know if

99_96

I want to ride him. If I did happen to beat her I would have to scurry out of the country fairly

99_97

quick". On 27 October Benbatl started second favourite for the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley

99_98

Racecourse After settling in third behind Rostropovich and D'Argento he moved up on the outside to

99_99

dispute the lead on the final turn. He was soon overtaken by Winx, but kept on well for second, two

99_100

lengths behind the winner. His rider Oisin Murphy said "Winx was completely dominant. I gave it my