Godolphin will be sad to see 2018 come to end.
The James Cummings-trained Best Of Days (GB) captured the Group 1 Kennedy Mile to give the worldwide superpower it's 29th Group 1 of the year and round out a successful Victoria Derby day at Flemington following his wins of Ranier and Osborne Bulls earlier in the day.
Settled three pairs back on the fence, Craig Williams found a narrow seam in the final 250 metres on the imported son of Azamour to defeat the admirable Le Romain by a half-length with Peaceful State back the same distance back in third. (photos Grant Courtney).
"Craig delivered a copybook ride, from admittedly a beautiful gate," Cummings said.
"We talked about trying to emulate the Shillelagh ride from earlier in the day, and he did that perfectly in the last 200 metres.
"He just savaged the line today like a good horse in form. He had that desire today and I'm just so proud of the horse.
"When the blinkers went on today it really counted. He paraded perfectly and he was fit and at his peak.
"It's a huge thrill for everybody."
Winner of the Group II Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket at two when trained by Hugo Palmer, Best of Days came into the Kennedy Mile off a win in the Group III Coongy Cup at Caulfield on October 20.
He is the first foal out of the German stakes-winner Baisse (High Chaparral) who is a sister to the Group III Gallinule Stakes winner Grand Ducal (Danehill Dancer) and Listed-placed Hurricane Floyd (Pennekamp).
Best Of Days (GB) becomes the fifth Group 1 winner for former Brighthill Farm shuttler Azamour who is also the sire of Group 1 MRC One Thousand Guineas heroine Aloisia.
The Aga Khan-bred son of Night Shift won the St James's Palace Stakes and Irish Champion Stakes as a three-year-old, before taking the Prince Of Wales's Stakes and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes as a four-year-old.
Azamour was euthanised Aga Khan's Gilltown Stud in 2014 after suffering a serious leg injury.
