O'Brien leaves Godolphin feeling blue

While Aidan O'Brien, Johnny Murtagh and the Coolmore team sweep all before them at Ascot this week, arch rivals Godolphin are left wondering what has happened to their fortunes at the Royal meeting.

The boys in blue remain winless this week and have only hit the target twice since Doyen's win in the Hardwicke Stakes in 2004 - Shamardal's St James's Palace Stakes victory in 2005 and Ramonti's Queen Anne triumph last year.

With millions spent on bloodstock year after year, Godolphin boss Sheikh Mohammed must now surely be questioning the merits of trainer Saeed Bin Suroor.

Of the 10 runners so far this week, Il Warrd's second in Wednesday's Jersey Stakes has been the Godolphin team's best performance, while you could sum up the whole situation as Diabolical - the name of their runner in tomorrow's Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes.

Campanologist, Iguazu Falls and Emirates Skyline hold chances on today's card, but they are difficult races to win and the embarrassment for Sheikh Mohammed will be harder to take in the light of the success Ballydoyle have had this week.

Yeats's historic third Gold Cup victory yesterday was O'Brien and Murtagh's fourth Group 1 success this week and 10th overall in 2008.

Creachadoir's Lockinge win is the only Group 1 win for Bin Suroor this season.

And while the Sheikh did manage to buy Derby winner New Approach for his wife Princess Haya, that horse was trained in Ireland by Jim Bolger.

Two Group 1 races remain to be won before Royal Ascot reaches a close tomorrow night and there is every chance that the Ballydoyle set could be rubbing Godolphin noses in the dirt further with O'Brien running the fancied Psalm in today's Coronation Stakes and US Ranger, who holds a live chance, in tomorrow's Golden Jubilee Stakes.