Godolphin boost Classic hand with half-share in 2,000 Guineas hope Persian King

Godolphin may have headed into the winter with four Group 1 winners among their Classic hopefuls for 2019 but that has not stopped Sheikh Mohammed adding to his squad with the acquisition of a half share in the highly rated Persian King.

The imposing son of Kingman capped an impressive juvenile campaign for Andre Fabre when defeating subsequent Vertem Futurity Trophy winner Magna Grecia in the Group 3 Autumn Stakes at Newmarket.

All three of Fabre's Guineas winners on the Rowley Mile – Zafonic (1993) and Pennekamp (1995) in the 2,000 Guineas and Miss France (2014) in the 1,000 – won at the course as two-year-olds and Persian King - who has raced in the silks of the Wildenstein family's Ballymore Thoroughbred up to this point – is a best-priced 14-1 for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas.

"Godolphin have bought 50 per cent of Persian King and he will run in our colours this year," said Godolphin representative Lisa-Jane Graffard. "He is obviously a very exciting horse to join the team.

"We haven't discussed which route he'll take yet but we have total faith in his trainer and we will leave it up to him."

Persian King found Anodor too strong on his debut in an informative newcomers' race at Deauville last August but then produced two impressive displays at Chantilly before holding off Magna Grecia under a notably restrained Pierre-Charles Boudot at Newmarket.

Godolphin's three-year-old riches

Quorto (Charlie Appleby)

On a line through his National Stakes defeat of Anthony Van Dyck, the son of Dubawi looks the most potent threat to Guineas favourite Too Darn Hot. The general 8-1 second favourite was unbeaten at two, adding an easy win in the Group 3 Superlative Stakes to his debut success, which also came at Newmarket.

Line Of Duty (Charlie Appleby)

Took three runs to get off the mark but more than made up for that when bravely taking a narrow gap to land a Chantilly Group 3 over nine furlongs. A son of Galileo and demoted 1,000 Guineas winner Jacqueline Quest, Line Of Duty then graduated to the top table with a hard-fought success under William Buick in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Godolphin's recent embrace of Coolmore stallions was further enhanced by the two Group race successes of the Appleby-trained Beyond Reason, a first black type winner for her sire Australia.

Royal Marine (Saeed Bin Suroor)

Made the transition from Doncaster maiden winner to Group 1 hero in one bound when fighting off the attentions of Broome and Anodor to land the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc day. Disappointed on the dirt in Dubai on Thursday so connections may be looking at alternatives to the UAE and Kentucky Derbys.

Read Jason Ford's Meydan preview here

Royal Meeting (Saeed Bin Suroor)

Another late-season revelation, the son of Invincible Spirit showed a great attitude on debut at Yarmouth before confounding a lack of experience to run down Hermosa in the Group 1 Criterium International over seven furlongs at Chantilly.

Read exclusive previews from 6pm daily on racingpost.com