Dubai World Cup: Godolphin-bred Banishing fitting winner of Godolphin Mile

DUBAI, 28th March, 2026 (WAM) — Godolphin-bred Banishing, owned by Sharaf Mohammed Alhariri, David Jacobson, Lawrence Roman, took the prize for the United States and Saudi Arabia, winning the $1,000,000 Group 2 Godolphin Mile, sponsored by EMAAR, in the 30th Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday.

The American Grade 2 winner relished the stamina-sapping test, charging home under UAE champion jockey-elect Silvestre de Sousa for Kentucky handler David Jacobson to deny leading local horseman Bhupat Seemar.

Dubai World Cup-winning trainer Seemar finished second (Commissioner King), third (Mendelssohn Bay) and fourth (Diamond Dealer), but the Zabeel Stables conditioner not claim his first Godolphin Mile. Instead, Banishing became the seventh American winner of the 1600m dirt feature.

De Sousa said: “My horse was coming back in trip and it suits him, he’s a proper miler. There was a lot of pace in the race and I just held the horse where he wanted to be. He took the turn a bit wrong, with the wrong leg, but he responded well under pressure.

“I was happy to follow him [Commissioner King] and also to have Mendelssohn Bay on my inside. I just took the safe option but the horse wasn’t helping me, he was lugging to the outside when he came into the straight.”