Caradak best in Celebration Mile

Caradak capped a big international weekend for Sheikh Mohammed at Goodwood on Sunday as the Godolphin 5-year-old surprised both George Washington and Soviet Song in the $188,000 Group 2 Celebration Mile.

What had been intended as a triumphant return to the races for 2000 Guineas winner George Washington was instead a Sheikh Mohammed exclamation point added to the victories of Godolphin's Discreet Cat and Ashkal Way and Darley Stable's Bernardini at Saratoga on Friday and Saturday. Always close up, the 6-1 Caradak held off the late rush of the 50-1 outsider Killybegs to record a short head victory while getting the mile on good ground in 1:37.26.

George Washington, who was running for the first time since suffering a hip injury when second in the Irish 2000 Guineas on May 27, missed the break under Michael Kinane, was rank in the early going, and only got up for third, 1-1/4 lengths behind Killybegs. Aidan O'Brien said afterwards that his 5-6 favorite was "rusty" but that he was happy with his performance.

But 5-time Group 1 winner Soviet Star never got involved in finishing fifth of six, beaten a total of three lengths.

The victory of Caradak, a son of Desert Style who was a two-time Group 3 winner in Ireland last year when trained by John Oxx for his breeder the Aga Khan, lifted the spirits of his rider Frankie Dettori, whose home in Stetchworth, Cambridgeshire near Newmarket was burglarized on Friday. Stolen were trophies Dettori received for winning three Dubai World Cups and the Japan Cup, as well as his British MBE and Italian medal of honor. Caradak was running on just eight days rest off a third-place finish in the 7-furlong Group 2 Hungerford Stakes at Newbury on August 19.

*At the Curragh on Sunday, the 14-1 Miss Beatrix outgamed the 12-1 Silca Chave by a short head in the $383,000 Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes for juvenile fillies. Trained by Kevin Prendergast, the daughter of Danehill Dancer covered the 7 furlongs in 1:23.10 on good to firm ground. Easy Galway maiden winner and 7-2 favorite Supposition was third while Group 2 Debutante Stakes winner Gaudeamus weakened to finish eighth in the 12-runner field.