LONDON: Godolphin will decide whether to race Dream Castle in the Group 1 Dubai Turf on World Cup night
at Meydan.
The Saeed bin Suroor-trained five-year-old won the Jebel Hatta on Super Saturday to open up the possibility of more success in two weeks’ time. Ridden by Christophe Soumillon, Dream Castle outfought fellow Godolphin horses Wootton and First Contact to win the nine-furlong turf highlight.
The son of Frankel had it all to do coming back from second-last with two furlongs to go, but displayed an impressive turn of speed to storm to victory, as he won by a length and a quarter from Wootton in 1 minute 48.17 seconds on good ground with First Contact in third.
Now the Dubai-based stable has to decide if Dream Castle will go for more glory on World Cup night.
“Dream Castle is doing really well and he reminds me of Benbatl, who also won the Singspiel Stakes and Al Rashidiya last year before finishing second in this race,” bin Suroor said.
“In the old days, some of the jockeys would get off Dream Castle and say that he was a sprinter and should be racing over five or six furlongs, but I believed that this distance would be his best trip.
“We have campaigned him over nine furlongs this year and he has shown his class, winning a Group 3, a Group 2 and now a Group 1 race. It is a great result for us.
“We will leave it to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed to make a decision, but we could take him to the G1 Dubai Turf (9f) on Dubai World Cup night.
“All of the team work very well and this victory gives us lots of confidence.”
Soumillon, who is looking for a good Word Cup night on March 30, declared: “The last two wins were quite impressive and I was really confident with him, even with the nine draw.
“The race went well for us, with a nice pace. When I saw I was behind Wootton, I was very confident, because I knew he was going to take me quite far.
“When I asked Dream Castle to go, he really quickened sharply. After I hit the front, he was looking around for a while. He is a really different horse compared with last year, when he was
a colt.”
Meanwhile, Godolphin are hopeful Old Persian can grab glory on World Cup night with the four-year-old going in the Group 1 Sheema Classic. Ridden by William Buick, the Dubawi colt pipped
Racing History on the line in a thrilling finish to win the Group 2 Dubai City of Gold race. That has made the “Boys in Blue” excited about more success on World Cup night.
“Old Persian has a bright future ahead of him — he is already a three-time G2 winner now, having won at Royal Ascot and beaten Cross Counter at York before tonight,” trainer Charlie Appleby said.
“We took the gamble of running him in the St. Leger last season, but the petrol gauge ran out
between the three-furlong and two-furlong pole that time, and we were very pleased with
his preparation coming into this evening.
“We have our eyes firmly set on the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic (1m 4f) on Dubai World Cup night, so hopefully there is still a little bit of improvement to come.
“He was a bit fresh in the paddock tonight and there should be a bit more to come.”
Godolphin ponder Meydan mission for Dream Castle
Godolphin ponder Meydan mission for Dream Castle
Paul Casey and Anirban Lahiri re-sign for Crushers GC ahead of new LIV Golf season
- Crushers to maintain same roster for a record fifth consecutive season under captain Bryson DeChambeau
- Team returns in 2026 Season as most successful team in LIV Golf history, with eight regular-season team titles and one team championship
NEW YORK: Crushers GC of the LIV Golf League has solidified its roster for the 2026 season with the confirmed return of team veterans Paul Casey and Anirban Lahiri, who once again will team up with captain Bryson DeChambeau and Charles Howell III following an accomplished 2025 showing that included three consecutive team victories in 2025 at LIV Golf Korea, Virginia, and Dallas.
“Keeping this core together for 2026 positions us to build on the momentum we carried out of 2025,” DeChambeau said. “This group knows what it takes to win; we lifted the trophy in 2023 and finished second last season, and that experience fuels our drive to compete at the top week in and week out. We’re a team of competitors, creators, and leaders who take pride in pushing the game forward, and having this group return gives us continuity, confidence, and a clear direction as we raise our standards heading into next season.”
Crushers GC enters the 2026 season with a clear identity rooted in inspiration, energy, and creativity, built to push boundaries and expand its global footprint. Led by DeChambeau, the Crushers combine elite competition with a creator-first mindset, using connection, innovation, and global reach to ignite fandom. The team prides itself on making golf more accessible, entertaining, and engaging, blending high-performance play with education, mentorship, and social-first storytelling that resonates with modern fans.
DeChambeau returns as one of the sport’s most exciting and influential figures. His power game has remained elite; he impacted both individual and team performance in 2025, winning the individual title at LIV Golf Korea and finishing third in the season-long individual Championship race. He also led Crushers GC to three consecutive victories in 2025 in Korea, Virginia and Dallas.
Paul Casey returns as a steadying force within the Crushers lineup, and as one of the most consistent players on the LIV Golf circuit. A proven winner with more than two decades at the highest level of professional golf, Casey has won 21 times in 13 different countries on his way to becoming one of the sport’s most popular players. His precision, consistency, and competitive intelligence remain central to the team’s pursuit of excellence. Casey recorded four top-10 finishes in 2025, and finished runner-up at LIV Golf Dallas in a four-man play-off.
Two-time Olympian Lahiri begins his fourth full season with Crushers GC after providing a reliable and consistent presence, anchoring the back of the lineup to keep things steady. A trailblazer whose career spans victories and contention across multiple tours, Lahiri is one of the most decorated Indian professional golfers, having earned 18 professional wins worldwide.
Howell continued to be a steady backbone for Crushers GC throughout the 2025 season, underscoring his value as one of the league’s most consistent and dependable competitors. The veteran posted six top-24 points finishes, including two top-five results in Crushers GC’s three team wins, proving he delivers when it matters most in big moments. Howell is the only other Crusher besides DeChambeau to win a LIV Golf individual title, having done so in Mayakoba in 2023. Whether anchoring the team’s deep lineup or contributing key points in high-pressure situations, Howell’s blend of consistency, experience, and measured excellence helped fuel Crushers’ run in 2025 and sets a tone for his role heading into 2026.
With their full 2025 roster returning, Crushers GC enters the 2026 season tied as most successful team in LIV Golf history, with eight regular-season team titles and one team championship.
