Desert Flower retained her unbeaten record in Sunday's 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and, in the process, completed an historic weekend for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin racing and breeding operation.

This latest classic success came 24 hours after Ruling Court had won the 2000 Guineas for Godolphin, while at Churchill Downs this weekend the same colours were carried to success by Good Cheer and Sovereignty in the Kentucky Oaks and Derby respectively.

It almost goes without saying that no owner has ever achieved this feat before in the history of the sport.

Even though Desert Flower won all four of her starts last season, including the Group 1 Fillies' Mile by over five lengths, she was not Europe's champion two-year-old filly. That honour went to Lake Victoria, who won Group/Grade 1 races over three different distances.

A match between the pair in the 1000 Guineas was keenly anticipated and punters were in no doubt that Desert Flower was the one to be on. She went off the even-money favourite, while Lake Victoria was next best at 9/4.

William Buick had Desert Flower in front almost all the way and she found plenty when challenged in the closing stages by 28/1 shot Flight, trained by Ollie Sangster. There was a length between them at the line, with 33/1 chance Simmering - also trained by Sangster - another length back in third.

Lake Victoria finished sixth, a neck ahead of the Ger Lyons-trained Red Letter in seventh.

The winner is expected to step up to a mile and a half for the Oaks at Epsom next.

Desert Flower, a daughter of Night Of Thunder out of a Hard Spun mare, was bred by Godolphin, as was Good Cheer (by Medaglia D'Oro) and Sovereignty (by Into Mischief). Ruling Court (by Justify) was bred in Kentucky by Nursery Place and partners, and bought by Norman Williamson as a yearling for $150,000. He sold the colt to Godolphin at the 2024 Arqana Breeze Up Sale for a record $2.3 million.

Appleby said: "It's been amazing. It took long enough to win a Guineas with the colts and the fillies have been hard to come by.

"With the fillies, it's not a page I often look at in the conditions book as we haven't had many fillies. So, when people ask me is she the best filly we've had, she is by far, yes.

"I see no reason why she can't potentially stretch up to the mile and a half. She does all her best work in the last furlong and she settles well. So, it's just a nice conversation to have.

"The filly herself is the one who deserves the plaudits today. She's an unbeaten filly and we came here with a lot of confidence as everyone knows and she's gone and delivered - it's her day."

Asked what it means to Sheikh Mohammed to win an extraordinary quadruple over the weekend, Appleby added: "The Kentucky Derby has been on the 'bucket list' for more than 30 plus years. He's had plenty of goes at it, so to do that is an amazing feat but to do what has been done this weekend is why he's so passionate about it.

"Thankfully every year he's looking for yearlings and looking for two-year-olds. It's amazing. We're having all this success with three-year-olds now but he's only looking for two-year-olds because he knows they're the future!

"It's been a great weekend for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and Team Godolphin. What's happened this weekend has just been remarkable, in America with the (Kentucky) Derby and the Oaks and the two Guineas here, I don't think it's ever been done before and it'll probably be a long time before it's done again.

"Most importantly I'm just delighted for the whole team. Everyone's put so much into it - this filly's wintered here in Newmarket and full credit to everyone. She's a homebred as well so it's great for the farm.

"Fillies have been a little light on the ground for me, I'm more known for the colts, but she's always looked pretty special so we were confident coming into today. At one point, if you were watching it, you'd think we had a battle on our hands but I just knew that as soon as she hits that rising ground she will find another gear. It's what she does at home - she trains on a hill every day, so hills don't worry her.

"I wasn't surprised or too worried watching the race. We saw it in the Fillies' Mile and in the May Hill (at Doncaster in September last year), she just goes through those gears and at one point she just looks a little bit sticky and with 'the dip' here, as we know, especially with this quicker ground today.

"I said to Will if you can get her into her rhythm because if you're sat there comfortably at the top of the 'the dip' and then all of a sudden you're putting them on their head to go into 'the dip' that's when they just start to stumble a little bit or to find their feet. But it was a great ride from William all weekend.

"I did speak to the team in America this morning and said 'thanks ever so much lads, you've put the pressure on now!', but we don't mind that. Pressure's good.

"We'll make a plan now, whether it's Ascot or whether we decide whether she's capable of stepping up a bit further, we'll have those healthy discussions."