Arriving in Australia unheralded despite strong Group form in Europe, the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained Beautiful Romance (GB) became the third stakes winner for Godolphin on the
All three of Godolphin's winners came with different trainers.
After
Beautiful Romance was coming off an excellent seventh in the Group I Melbourne Cup after missing the start.
In a deceptive finish, Glyn Schofield brought Beautiful Romance (GB) between runners after being badly held up for a run to edge out Almoonqith (USA) by a short-half-head with Big Orange (GB) a head back in third. (photo Darryl Sherer).
Winner of the Group II Middleton Stakes at York and the Listed August Stakes at Windsor, Beautiful Romance (GB) was third behind Simple Verse and Journey in the Group 1 British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on October 17.
"I wasn't quite sure, but when I heard Ollie (Damien Oliver) express his disappointment on my outside I thought I might have got there," Schofield said.
"She's done a super job to win after her run in the Melbourne Cup and a great effort from the team.
"She was not entirely comfortable racing really tight between horses around the turn but I could feel my mare get going after Who Shot The Barman shifted off the fence at the corner.
"She lost a bit of momentum at that stage but she picked up again and found momentum."
Damian Oliver's reaction to the finish was the first clue that Almoonqith (USA) had been beaten
"He was home for the world, but he just pulled up when he got to the front, didn't help his own cause. It's hard enough to win as it is, let alone doing that," Oliver said.
Beautiful Romance advances her record to 4 wins and 3 thirds from 12 starts with earnings of $690,408.
She is a daughter of Epsom Derby winner New Approach (IRE) (Galileo), who shuttled to Australia for four seasons (2009-12), out of the Group III winning Cape cross mare
It's the family of Group 1 winners Mastercraftsman and Pressing.
