Godolphin bid for more Group 1 prizes with Mischief Magic and Mawj at Newmarket

Godolphin look to add to their 19 Group 1 prizes this weekend with three horses entered in some of Europe’s most prestigious six-furlong juvenile contests.

Mischief Magic and Mawj line up at Newmarket on Saturday while their 2021 UAE Derby winner Rebel’s Romance travels to Germany for the Preis von Europa at Cologne on Sunday.

Mischief Magic heads into the Middle Park Stakes on the back of a thrilling last-to-first success in the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes at Kempton Park earlier this month.

The Charlie Appleby-trained homebred Exceed And Excel colt also scored on his two previous starts, comfortably taking a Goodwood maiden before winning by six-and-a-half lengths on Newmarket’s July Course.

“We were all very impressed with the way Mischief Magic quickened at Kempton,” Appleby told godolphin.com.

“We know that we are taking on a different calibre of horse this time but he has progressed with each run and won’t look out of place in this field.”

Mischief Magic will have most to fear from Blackbeard, Persian Force and The Antarctic – the first three home in that order in last month’s Group 1 Prix Morny at Deauville in France.

Mawj steps up to the highest level for the Cheveley Park Stakes having posted several excellent performances this season, including a battling all-the-way victory in the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket’s July Festival.

Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, the half-sister to Modern Games filled the runner-up spot in the Group 3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot and came home fourth under a penalty in York’s Group 2 Lowther Stakes on her last appearance in August.

“I have been pleased with Mawj and her preparation,” Bin Suroor said. “She came out of York well and we gave her a little break before getting her ready for this race, which has been her target for a long time.

“Six furlongs is the best distance for her at this stage of her career and the ground should suit, so she has plenty in her favour.”

Mawj will face a tougher challenge from a few smart fillies – Mediate, Trillium, Lezoo, Swingalong and Juliet Sierra.

Rebel’s Romance puts his unbeaten turf record on the line when he returns to Germany for the Preis von Europa.

The four-year-old Dubawi gelding has proven a revelation since switching surfaces earlier in the summer, with three wins over a mile-and-a-half culminating in a neck success in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten in mid-August.

“Rebel’s Romance came out of the Grosser Preis von Berlin well. He has to concede weight to a couple of three-year-olds, including the German Derby winner, but we are not sure that our horse has reached his ceiling,” Appleby said.

“He has progressed with each run and won at this level last time out, which makes us very hopeful that he can put up another good performance.”