Spring might not be the season for fairytales but tell that to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Godolphin team, who were up in the clouds after Calming Influence, a first ever runner for Mahmoud Al Zarooni, who has just been appointed as second trainer to the boys in blue, came up with a dream start in the Godolphin Mile, the ninth time the Al Quoz team have won this Group 2 race.

Calming Influence, taking a big jump in class, was given a supremely confident ride by Ahmed Ajtebi making a joyous double celebration for the locals as they held off Green Coast by a length, with Skysurfers, the Godolphin second-string finishing third.

Plans for Cat Junior to make the running went out of the window when he blew the start, and Ajtebi got the perfect lead from long shot Le Drakkar.

The Godolphin-owned Desert Party, the mount of Frankie Dettori, was in trouble before the straight and trailed in 11th.

Simon Crisford, racing manager to Godolphin, said:”What a start for Godolphin, and what a day for Mahmoud and Ahmed, who gave Calming Influence such a brilliant ride. He is not easy – he can be hot and run free – but he was in control throughout and I could not be happier for him.

“Mahmoud, too, has done a lot of hard work on Calming Influence, and it is great for the locals, who also give us so much support. Calming Influence will go back to Europe and be aimed at all the top races. The only disappointment was Desert Party. He was drawn wide and was always doing too much.”

Image: Andrew Watkins

Post race quotes for the Godolphin Mile, sponsored by Etisalat

Ahmed Ajtebi, jockey, Calming Influence, 1st: “I’m so happy to win for the trainer. I’ve been with him for five years.”

Tadhg O’Shea, jockey, Green Coast, 2nd: “He’s run out of his skin. He’s rated a few pounds below the best of these. He’s a hold up horse and he needs daylight, so I had to ride him the way I did. I thought at the furlong pole I might get there, but his run peaked soon after. Still, I’m delighted. It was a terrific run.”

Ted Durcan, jockey, Skysurfers, 3rd: “Had him in mid-field. Very happy with my position and at the top of the straight, a gap opened up. He went through it but he just flattened out in the last few hundred yards, but for such an inexperienced horse, it was a brilliant effort.”

Shinichiro Kobayashi, jockey, Glorious Noah, 4th: “He ran very strongly. I felt I need more power on an All Weather track than the dirt. He finished very well.”

Ryan Moore, jockey, Forgotten Voice, 5th: “He’s run a good race but he’s probably needs a bit further now. He’s looking for a bit more ground.”

Richard Hills, jockey, Kalahari Gold, 6th: “He had nothing left at the end. He’s a seven-furlong horse. He needs softer ground.”

Kevin Shea, jockey, Lucky Find, 7th: “He ran to his ability. He’s all heart. I’m very happy. He had every chance.”

Wayne Smith, jockey, Vesuve, 8th: “My horse sat down in the gates with me. Missed the kick and came home very well. Finished seventh. Would have been very close.”

Jamie Spencer, jockey, Cat Junior, 9th: “He missed the break but it made no difference. He was where I wanted him after 50 yards. Turning for home I thought he’d run a big race but he ran a bit flat.”

Carlos Sanchez, jockey, Le Drakkar, 10th: “He didn’t have a very good run.”

Lanfranco Dettori, jockey, Desert Party, 11th: “I had a bad run. I was never in the race.”

Kieren Fallon, jockey, Summit Surge, 12th: “He just didn’t handle it. Look forward seeing him go on grass again. He hasn’t got a hold of (this track). We were just hoping that because it was a bit tighter, he’d might have gotten hold of it.”

Aaron Gryder, jockey, Consul General, 13th: “He’s run well but he’s not able to match them over the last [400 metres] two furlongs.”

Royston Ffrench, jockey, Jet Express, 14th: “He travelled very well but he had a long season. He had four consecutive wins at Jebel Ali. I think he deserves a rest.”