Crisford brings improving Century Dream to Arlington Million

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – North American racing fans who don’t attend to the sport in England and Dubai probably remember Simon Crisford as the longtime face and voice of Godolphin. Crisford was there for the beginning of Sheikh Mohammed’s multipronged racing and breeding operation and for more than 20 years worked as Godolphin’s spokesman.

Then came the 2013 equine drug scandal in England involving the Godolpin trainer Mahmood al Zarooni, whom Crisford had recommended as a trainer to Sheikh Mohammed. In February 2014, Crisford left his Godolphin job supposedly to become a global adviser to Sheikh Mohammed, but later that year, he steered down another path – training.

Crisford, who surely was one of England’s oldest first-year trainers at age 52, now is in his fourth season as head trainer. Things are progressing nicely. His string has grown from about 40 to nearly 100, according to his traveling head lad Les Reynolds. Crisford in 2017 relocated his yard to Kremlin House Stables in Newmarket. And to Arlington this week he has sent a 4-year-old named Century Dream, who is not without a chance Saturday in the Arlington Million.

Crisford wintered every year in Dubai during the Godolphin days and made strong connections there, and much of his client base is derived from the region. Century Dream is owned by Abdullah Belhabb, who has seen his horse progress from a solid 3-year-old handicapper to a real graded-stakes type this season.

A seven-time winner from 15 starts, Century Dream scored his most important win earlier this year, capturing the Group 3 Diomed Stakes over 1 1/16 miles at Epsom Downs. He went on to finish fourth, beaten less than one length, in the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and appears to have the best chance of the three Europeans among the Million entrants.

“The trainer has brought him along well, just given him time, and he’s just improved for us,” said Reynolds. “William Buick won on him in the Diomed, and he said he just feels he’s getting better with age.”

Reynolds knows Arlington and knows the Arlington Million. As traveling head lad for trainer John Gosden, he was here in 2010, when Debussy, another 4-year-old and one with form not considerably stronger than Century Dream’s, won the Million.

Buick is back on Century Dream for the Million. When Frankie Dettori rode the colt July 14 in the Summer Mile Stakes, things didn’t quite go Century Dream’s Way, though he still ran a respectable fourth.

“He probably didn’t run quite to his mark,” Reynolds said. “He was keen, and Frankie said from a bad draw he couldn’t get him back. It just didn’t work out that day.”

Century Dream won over 1 1/4 miles, the Million distance, last fall at Newbury. Reynolds rates him best overseas at one mile over a course with a bit of give, but said the 1 1/4 miles at Arlington, which is undemanding by European standards, is within Century Dream’s scope. Firm, fast turf wouldn’t be a disaster, but something softer is better for Century Dream, and no one in his camp was crying when about 2 1/4 inches of rain fell at Arlington late Tuesday afternoon.

It’s possible that after this internationally significant race, Simon Crisford will be fielding questions not about a Godolphin big-race winner but about one of his own.