Raging Torrent and Dettori Much the Best in the Godolphin Mile

[Wandering Eyes]

Raging Torrent (Maximus Mischief) made it back-to-back triumphs for trainer Chief Stipe O'Neill in the $1 million G2 Godolphin Mile sponsored by Emaar, producing an explosive performance from the front under Frankie Dettori to follow up his GI Malibu Stakes success at Santa Anita on Boxing Day.

Closely attended by Mufasa (Chi) (Practical Joke) for much of the contest, Raging Torrent was soon in control once that rival cried enough inside the final two furlongs, powering clear thereafter to win by three and a half lengths in a time of 1:36.69. French raider King Gold (Fr) (Anodin {Ire}), the conqueror of Laurel River (Into Mischief) in January's G3 Firebreak Stakes, stayed on well from off the pace to fill the runner-up spot, with another half a length back to Japan's Kazu Petrin (Jpn) (Rulership {Jpn}) in third. Mufasa, the winner of December's GIII Mr. Prospector Stakes at Gulfstream Park, weakened out of the frame to finish sixth on his stable bow for Bhupat Seemar.

For Raging Torrent it was a sixth career success, with the others including last year's GII Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar, before he went on finish seventh behind Straight No Chaser (Speighster) in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint at the same venue. Meanwhile, this victory was a third in the Godolphin Mile for O'Neill, who most recently struck with Two Rivers Over (Tamarkuz) last year, while Dettori was winning this Group 2 contest for a record-extending eighth time.

“Eight Godolphin Miles, that's a hell of a record,” said the successful jockey. “I think it's fair to say I grew up here. It's great satisfaction coming back and winning–and hopefully I can win the World Cup again.

“He [Raging Torrent] is such a lovely horse and he did the rest. You need the horse to lead like he did. He was quick away and I was able to do my own fractions. In fairness, he's always been a sprinter in America. So, I was thinking of that and I didn't want to kick too early.”

O'Neill added, “I was confident, but that's why you run these races, you never know. He had a good, clean break, got the lead, got a little breather mid-race. Speed was always going to be his strength. I'm on cloud nine and I've got to thank everyone here.”

 

Welcome back, @FrankieDettori

The maestro dictates the @godolphin Mile, sponsored by @emaardubai, aboard #DWC25 | @emirates pic.twitter.com/o85KkfAKxY

— Dubai Racing Club (@RacingDubai) April 5, 2025

 

Pedigree Notes

The first top-level winner for the Spendthrift-based Maximus Mischief when successful in the Malibu, Raging Torrent is the lone starter from his dam, Violent Wave (Violence)–a half-sister to the GIII Shakertown Stakes winner The Nth Degree (Distorted Humor)–who was offered with the colt in utero at the 2021 Keeneland January Sale but was led out unsold on a bid of $27,000. Raging Torrent was himself bought back for the same price by his breeders, Rodney Winkler and Alfoso Mazzetti, at Keeneland September in 2022, while it was Mark Davis's name on the ticket when the colt fetched $75,000 at the 2023 OBS April Sale. He sported the silks of Zhang Yuesheng for the first time at Meydan, with the Yulong founder now owning the colt in partnership with Great Friends Stables.

Violent Wave is also the dam of the three-year-old colt Contra Mundum (Honor A.P.), a $55,000 RNA at KEESEP in 2023, and the two-year-old filly Layan (Collected), who was exported to Saudi Arabia after being bought for $47,000 at KEENOV the same year. After failing to find a new home at $145,000 at Keeneland November in 2023, Violent Wave was entered for last year's KEENOV, subsequent to Raging Torrent's victory in the Pat O'Brien, but she was bought back on a bid of $575,000 in foal to Up to the Mark.

Saturday, Meydan, Dubai
GODOLPHIN MILE (SPONSORED BY EMAAR)-G2, $1,000,000, Meydan, 4-5, NH4yo/up & SH3yo, 1600m, 1:36.69, ft.
1–RAGING TORRENT, 126, c, 4, by Maximus Mischief
1st Dam: Violent Wave, by Violence
2nd Dam: Coastal Wave, by Dixieland Band
3rd Dam: Orange Wave, by Coastal
($27,000 RNA Ylg '22 KEESEP; $75,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR).
O-Yuesheng Zhang & Great Friends Stables; B-Rodney J
Winkler & Alfonso Mazzetti (KY); T-Chief Stipe O'Neill; J-Lanfranco
Dettori. $580,000. Lifetime Record: GISW-US, 13-6-1-2,
$1,247,400. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick
   Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–King Gold (Fr), 126, h, 8, Anodin (Ire)–Miss Gandelia (Fr), by
Kingsalsa. (180,000gns RNA '24 TATDEC). O-Mme Christian
Wingtans & Nicolas Caullery; B-Mme Christian Wingtans (FR);
T-Nicolas Caullery. $200,000.
3–Kazu Petrin (Jpn), 126, h, 5, Rulership (Jpn)–Les Etoile (Jpn),
by Fasliyev. O-Kazumi Yoshida; B-Niikappu Hashimoto Bokujo
(JPN); T-Manabu Ikezoe. $100,000.
Margins: 3HF, HF, 1HF.
Also Ran: Steal Sunshine, Mendelssohn Bay, Mufasa (Chi), Qareeb, Fort Payne (Fr), Sadaaty, No Lunch (Ire), Peptide Nile (Jpn), Oasis Boy (Arg), Little Vic, Sword Point (Aus). Scratched: Cagliostro, Meshtri. Click for the ERA chart & video.

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