Soul searching in Dubai

In a week that produced his100th individual winner for the season in Australia, Commands recorded another significant achievement, when his four-year-old son Soul raced for the first time at Meydan, scoring by one-and-a-quarter lengths over 1200m on the straight turf track.

A winner of the G2 Danehill Stakes during his three-year-old season and the Listed Kevin Heffernan Stakes at his last Australian run, Soul was transferred to race under the Godolphin banner for the remainder of his career.

Jumping away well from the gates, jockey Frankie Dettori always had the gelding within striking range of the leaders and as the field neared the final 400m Soul edged forward, taking the lead and going away to score an impressive victory, defeating three-time Stakes winner Invincible Ash.

Bred by Woodlands Stud, Soul is out of the winning Night Shift mare Marvilha, a half-sister to Darley stallion Denman, fellow G1 winner Preserve and Listed winner Rio Osa.

Currently sitting in third position on the Australian sires table, Commands is once again enjoying a stellar season through the deeds of four-time Stakes winner Rain Affair, as well as fellow Stakes winners Jimando, Ambidexter, Lamasery, Balmont and First Command.

Achieving very positive sales results at the recent Inglis Premier yearling sale, Commands will head to the Inglis Easter yearling sale at the beginning of April with a draft of nine yearlings highlighted by lot 311, a filly out of G1 winner Our Egyptian Raine, lot 263, a half-sister to G1 winner Apercu and lot 134, a three-quarter sister to Stakes-winning Exceed And Excel filly Mrs Kipling, from the family of G1 winners Easy Rocking and Fairy King Prawn.