Godolphin achieved a spectacular brace of wins Nov. 1 at Flemington on Derby Day, each with homebred colts as Tentyris and Observer stamped their class when taking the Coolmore Stud Stakes (G1) and Victoria Derby (G1) respectively under jockey Mark Zahra.
Beginning the red-letter day, Tentyris was produced to perfection in Saturday's time-honored 1,200-meter contest, showcasing a deadly turn-of-foot to add his name to the list of stallion prospects to win the Flemington feature.
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained son of Street Boss began his campaign last month, placing in the Danehill Stakes (G2) before a pulsating win in the listed Gothic Stakes Oct. 18.
Bumped slightly at the break, Tentyris settled second-last. Zahra remained ice cold, waiting until the 300 meters to move aboard the favorite. Tentyris' response was immediate, the 3-year-old exploding between Jimmy Recard and his owner-mate Beiwacht and putting a swift gap on his rivals. He crossed the line with 2 1/2 lengths to spare over a closing My Gladiola, with Legacy Bound another three quarters of a length back in third.
Sam Freedman said a trip to Royal Ascot could be on the cards for Tentyris, with the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1) looking a fitting option.
"We've earmarked him possibly for Ascot," he said. "We've got some unfinished business there after taking over Artorius a few years ago. This horse is every bit as good as him, if not better.
"We had been thinking about Ascot before today as he has handled straight-track racing. He would be one we would love to take over. He is the best of the 3-year-old crop. He smashed them today and he has improvement in him. Every time we've stepped him out he has got better and better. You wouldn't quite know where the ceiling would be. Hopefully we'll find out one day."
Godolphin's Australian managing director Andy Makiv added: "We're a stallion business, so to look at races in Britain, including at Royal Ascot, and maybe even in Dubai would be interesting for us and the colt.
"To promote him anywhere would be the best thing to do. He's a son of Street Boss, who is getting a bit long in the tooth, so to have a ready-made replacement is very pleasing."
Already a group 2-winning juvenile who went close in the Blue Diamond Stakes (G1), Tentyris became the 11th group 1 winner for Darley's Street Boss with Saturday's win. Street Boss is standing this season at a fee of AU$66,000 at Darley's Northwood Park.
The colt joins the illustrious list of previous winners of the group 1, a roll of honor contains household names among Australia's stallion ranks, including Zoustar, Brazen Beau, Encosta De Lago, and more recently Coolmore's exciting duo Home Affairs and Switzerland.
Observer Wins Victoria Derby
The epic Godolphin double was completed when Ghaiyyath colt Observer produced a commanding front-running display in the AU$2 million Victoria Derby, giving leading trainer Ciaron Maher his second success in the classic and completing an unforgettable four-timer for Zahra.
Zahra—who also won the Wakeful Stakes (G2) and The Damien Oliver (G2)—made full use of barrier 4, sending the $2.45 favorite straight to the lead.
Observer mirrored the tactics often employed by his sire, controlling proceedings throughout and finding plenty when called on to score his first group 1 victory by three quarters of a length. The Justify colt Arcora finished a brave second, with the Matt Cumani-trained Deal Done Fast the same margin away in third. Observer's victory provided Godolphin with a first win in the VRC Derby.
"I ummed and ahhed about whether to lead, but speaking to Ciaron he gave me great confidence," Zahra said. "I heard him say, 'he'll run it, so if you want to lead, just do it'.
"He never switches right off, he's always on the bridle, but he's tough. He's just like his old man, and late when they got to him, he found again."
"I think the sky's the limit for this colt, he's just so adaptable," the winning trainer said. "He was unlucky in the Guineas, he's won a Vase and now he's won a Derby and he's pretty similar to his old man."
Observer became the first group 1 winner for Darley's exciting second-season sire Ghaiyyath, who did not return to Darley's Northwood Park base for 2025 having shuttled there from Kildangan Stud for four previous seasons, standing at a fee of AU$27,500 throughout his time in Australia.
The highest-rated son of Dubawi stood the 2025 northern hemisphere breeding season for a fee of €20,000. All told, his global individual stakes winner count stands at eight.
Pride Of Jenni reigns again in Empire Rose
Maher landed a group 1 double at Flemington himself as Australia's darling mare Pride Of Jenni added another extraordinary chapter to her rollercoaster of a career when she regained her Empire Rose Stakes (G1) crown later in the day.
Two years after her first triumph in the group 1, the 8-year-old produced another breathtaking front-running masterclass under Declan Bates, cementing her place among Australia's elite mares as she became the first horse to win the Empire Rose twice when demolishing her rivals by 4 1/2 lengths.
The $4.80 chance stretched the field from the outset, leading by nearly 10 lengths mid-race before holding a commanding advantage over Leica Lucy and On Display at the finish.
Bates, who famously lost the Pride Of Jenni ride after last year's Cox Plate (G1) only to be reinstated this spring, was overcome with emotion as he saluted aboard the mare for the seventh time.
"She was retired, I was sacked and that was all good, everyone was OK, but to be standing here, winning another group 1 is making me emotional," Bates said. "She didn't fly the lids, but she quickly came up underneath me and she was wanting to cross the field and I took my time getting there and every time I grabbed the bit, she wanted to go and at the half-mile she extended beautifully.
"After 100 meters in the race I knew we were winning...she did get tired late but the job was done, she's an absolute warrior of a horse."
Bates described Pride Of Jenni's ability to sustain her powerful gallop as "freakish."
"You can do things on her that you just can't do on other horses...for her to keep coming back and doing it year after year, it's such a credit to everyone involved," he said. "Ciaron's done an amazing job to keep getting her back. Tony and Lynn (Ottobre) are wonderful owners who absolutely adore her. To be a part of this horse, it's amazing."
Bred by Trelawney Stud, Pride Of Jenni is the best winner out of four-time winner Sancerre, herself a daughter of New Zealand-bred Queensland Oaks (G1) winner Vouvray.
The mare is one of five group 1 winners and 23 stakes winners for the Street Cry son Pride Of Dubai, who stands at Coolmore for a fee of AU$27,500.
