Racing
Godolphin explains why Tentyris and Tempted won't clash at Randwick
Godolphin Australia supremo Andy Makiv has revealed the rationale for not having brilliant three-year-olds Tentyris and Tempted clash at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Tentyris lines up as the $3.40 favourite against older sprinters in the Group 1 $3 million TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) on Day One of The Championships, a race described as the "Autumn Everest" with all nine starters having won at Group 1 level.
Instead, Tempted is being reserved for the Group 2 $1 million Arrowfield Sprint (1200m) against her own age on April 11 and is a dominant $1.70 favourite.
There has been criticism of Godolphin for taking the so-called "soft option" by not starting Tempted in the TJ Smith.
But Makiv countered it is all about placing their horses in the right races and has empathy for John Messara and Chris Waller with Autumn Glow, and Tony Ottobre with Pride Of Jenni, after the criticism they received when determining autumn race programs for their outstanding mares.
"The reality is the Arrowfield Stud Stakes will be a hard race to win,'' Makiv said.
"It is particularly hard to win any race at this level of competition.
"Unless you are an Autumn Glow, Black Caviar or Winx you mostly lose more often than you win.
"We are targeting our horses at races where we think they can be competitive and hopefully win.
"Likeswise for John Messara, likewise for Tony Ottobre, and likewise for everyone with their horses.
"And it is impossible for Tentyris or Tempted to both win if they are in the same race so why wouldn't you split them up.
"These are difficult races to win and at the end of the day I have no qualms targeting the right races for our horses.''
Tempted might be a short-priced favourite for next week's Arrowfield Sprint but Makiv is taking nothing for granted with her rivals likely to include Marhoona, Grafterburners, Caffé Florian and Beadman among others.
"Everyone thought Tempted would win the Surround Stakes easily but she only just won. We got the luck that day in the photo.
"For all intents and purpose she was going to be a moral that day but it was heads up, heads down, and it could have gone the other way for us.
"But now we have Tempted going to a $1 million race next week and winning them is a really difficult thing to do.
"So, to target a filly at a $1 million race and be favourite going into it is huge. I don't think we are taking the easy approach at all.''
Makiv is also taking a long-term view with Tempted, hoping the filly can be Godolphin's number one sprinter for the next two years ago at least.
"Either that was by necessity or good management but by looking after her she developed into a great champion and raced season after season. It was the same with Winx.
"What is wrong with slowly developing your horses to give them longevity?
"I'm hoping with a horse like Tempted if we look after her as a three-year-old, when she is a four-year-old she will be a very good open class sprinter and then races on as a five-year-old.
"Joliestar won the Arrowfield Sprint as a three-year-old and she is running in The Everest and TJ Smith now she is five.
"I'm hoping Tempted can be our Joliestar and when she is five, she's running in The Everest and TJ Smith Stakes.''
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