Dubawi’s brilliant son Modern Games, who won top-flight races at two, three and four, will stand alongside his exceptional sire at Dalham Hall Stud next year.
Modern Games broke his maiden on Newmarket’s July course, before successfully stepping up in class on the Rowley Mile to take the G3 Somerville Tattersall Stakes, beating the Prix Morny runner up.
He went on to add the first of his five G1 victories at Del Mar, running out the emphatic winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
At three, he won G1 races in three separate countries. First came the Poule d’Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp, which he won on his seasonal debut in the third fastest time ever. Having finished third in the French Derby and chased home Baaeed in the Sussex, Modern Games put up another outstanding performance to win the G1 Woodbine Mile in Canada, notching the highest Beyer Speed Figure for a turf mile for almost 20 years.
Modern Games rounded off his three-year-old campaign with another brilliant Breeders’ Cup win, this time in the Mile to become the first back-to-back winner at the Breeders’ Cup to retire to stud in Europe since High Chapparal. He was also crowned Champion miler in Europe and the Eclipse Champion Male Turf Horse.
His first G1 on home soil came at the start of his four-year-old campaign when beating a top-class field in the Lockinge Stakes by one-and-a-half lengths, emulating previous Godolphin winner, his paternal half-brother and fellow Darley stallion, Night Of Thunder.
A homebred for Godophin, Modern Games is out of the exceptional broodmare Modern Ideals, making him a half-brother to 2023 Classic heroine Mawj.
Upon his retirement from racing, trainer Charlie Appleby commented, “Modern Games was a brilliant horse to train and such a great advert for Godolphin. To win at two Breeders’ Cups, to be part of our trio of Guineas winners in 2022, and to land the Lockinge Stakes this season, shows his class, toughness and durability.
“He answered every call we asked of him, and we will miss him at Moulton Paddocks. I’m sure he will be a huge success in his next career as a stallion.”
Sam Bullard said, “The success of Dubawi as a sire of sires is now well known. How lucky we are to have such a sensational addition by the stallion, and one whose mother is also extraordinarily talented. He is a French Guineas winner, and his half-sister won the English Guineas. He won a Group one at two, remaining sound throughout, he finished with a Lockinge at four, and he has a magnificent mindset.”
“He is now available to view, breeders should come and see him while in Newmarket and get involved”.
