Blue Trail, a four-year-old son of Teofilo, gained his first Black Type victory and his fourth career success on Saturday, 18 November, when landing the 10 furlong Listed Churchill Stakes in a thrilling finish at Lingfield.
Trained by Charlie Appleby, Blue Trail jumped clear but soon settled back into third by James Doyle where he travelled well on the inside rail. With three furlongs to run Forest Of Dean (Iffraaj) made his move on the outside and soon took the lead, however Blue Trail was switched for a clear run, quickening smartly, he stayed on gamely to see off Tyrrhenian Sea and Forest Of Dean in the final stages to prevail by a head, with Forest of Dean in third.
Blue Trail comes the long way around to win the BetUK Churchill Stakes 🥇#ITVRacing | @LingfieldPark | @godolphin | @the_doyler pic.twitter.com/p5YO74aLwX
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) November 18, 2023
Owned and bred by Godolphin, Blue Trail is one of three winners produced by the winning mare, Pietrafiore (Dubawi), herself an own-sister to G1 Dubai World Cup victor, Monterosso. They are out of the Australian G1 Filly & Mare Classic winner, Porto Roca.
The sire of 24 individual G1 winners, Teofilo will stand for a fee of €30,000 at Kildangan Stud, Ireland in 2023. He is also now the sire of three G1 Melbourne Cup heroes – Twilight Payment, Cross Counter and this year’s winner Without A Fight, who became only the 12th horse to complete the G1 Caulfield Cup/ G1 Melbourne Cup double.
