TWO Godolphin horses dominated the Group 3 JLT Greenham Stakes with Richard Hannon's Barney Roy staying on strongly to beat Dream Castle at Newbury.

The pair pulled a long way clear of the third and with a furlong to run it had looked to be all about Dream Castle, a son of Frankel, who was sent off the 9/4 favourite. He travelled noticeably better than Barney Roy, who was stepping back in distance having won over a mile as a two-year-old.

Oisin Murphy could not find any cover on the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Dream Castle, though, and he was racing on his own for much of the way and was keen into the bargain.

James Doyle had to get stuck into the 5/2 winner when Dream Castle went clear, but the response from the Excelebration colt was immediate and he ended up a clear-cut winner by two lengths, with a yawning gap of four lengths back to Zainhom.

Paddy Power slashed Barney Roy to 6/1 from 16/1 for the Qipco 2000 Guineas.

'WHOOSH'

Hannon said: "He has relaxed enormously, as he was a little bit keen, and in fairness that is more or less down to Sean Levey.

"I was a bit worried coming back from a mile to seven and you can see why, as he just took his time getting going. I thought he was in trouble four down then he went 'whoosh'. I've liked him for a long time, though.

"He has got a chance of going to the Guineas. He will get a trip as well now that he is more relaxed. I did say in the summer he might get a Derby trip, whether he gets that far I don't know. I definitely think he will stay further, but a strong-run mile will suit him well."

Bin Suroor said of Dream Castle, who made his racecourse debut at Doncaster earlier this month: "I think he was too keen in the race. He is a horse that needs to settle. His options are open and we will talk to Sheikh Mohammed. There are options in the French and English Guineas, and even the Irish Guineas."

Angus Gold, racing manager to Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, said of the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Zainhom: "He wants easier ground and further. Jim (Crowley) and Sir Michael were happy enough. He is a great big, heavy horse that wants ease in the ground.

"I don't think he has ever had the speed to be a real genuine miler, as I am sure he wants further. We are certainly not thinking of the Guineas on that. We will let the dust settle then talk to Sir Michael. Wherever he goes he will want a bit of juice in the ground."