Saturday’s Observations: TDN Rising Stars Back in Action at HQ

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Saturday's Insights features a pair of TDN Rising Stars in Ancient Wisdom and Imperial Emperor (Ire) in a couple of different Novice races at Newmarket.

13.32 Newmarket, Nov, £8,000, 2yo, 7fT
Godolphin's €2-million Arqana August acquisition ANCIENT WISDOM (FR) (Dubawi {Ire}), a son of G3 Prix Minerve victrix Golden Valentine (Fr) (Dalakhani {Ire}), makes a swift return to action having garnered a 'TDN Rising Star' badge when streaking to an impressive five-length success over seven furlongs at Haydock earlier this month. The Charlie Appleby trainee returns over the same trip here and is opposed by five in a contest the stable has annexed twice in the last three years.

14.42 Newmarket, Nov, £10,000, 3yo, 8fT
Charlie Appleby representative IMPERIAL EMPEROR (IRE) (Dubawi {Ire}), a son of GI Man O' War S. heroine Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), is another Godolphin 'TDN Rising Star' tasked with HQ duty in his second start. The February-foaled homebred earned his moniker over this distance at the town's Rowley Mile venue in October and is the only prior winner in a field of six. His rivals include the George Boughey trainee Moonspirit (GB) (Kingman {GB}), who is an unraced half-brother to Godolphin's three-time Group 3 winner Local Time (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

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Appleby’s Flying Honours Pleases In Newmarket Gallop

Godolphin's Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) worked a mile under William Buick at Newmarket's Rowley Mile on Friday. The work was preparation for a start in the G1 Betfred Derby at Epsom Downs in June.

The 3-year-old colt worked in company with GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Natural World (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) prior to Friday's card. The G2 Dante S. at York on May 18 is next on the G3 Zetland S. hero's agenda.

Appleby said, “I'm delighted with that piece of work. At the end of the day, he has worked with no mug there in Yibir.

“We were intending to go to Sandown last week with Flying Honours, but that got rained off, and the plan now is that if he comes out of this piece of work well is to head to York for the Dante.

“He has got a lovely profile stepping up to this middle-distance category this year. The Dante is the race that if you go and win afterwards you will probably be second favourite for the Derby. At the end of the day it is one of the best trials.

“This horse will get a mile and a half no problem at all. He is a neat horse and he has got enough racing experience under him now to head to a track like Epsom.

“Until you have been around there you can never hand on heart say you handle it but I believe he has got enough race experience to go there and handle it fine.”

Another of Appleby's Epsom Classic contenders, Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), will target the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial S. at Lingfield on May 13. This is the same route as his Derby-winning brother Adayar (Ire) took prior to winning the Blue Riband.

Appleby said, “I was very pleased with what I saw from Military Order at Newbury. People will say it was a slow time but they weren't going to be setting records in those conditions.

“I just loved his demeanour and the way that he galloped out. He has come out of it very well and he is bred to win a Derby.

“He will now head to Lingfield and follow the trodden route of his brother Adayar, who won this race in 2021, and then we will work it out from there.”

Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) has been re-routed to either the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot or the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh. The son of GI Man o'War S. heroine Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) took his only start at Newmarket in October.

“I've just taken my time with Imperial Emperor,” Appleby continued. “He is very closely related to Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and in his 3-year-old career he met with a setback.

“It is always on my mind that he is a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half Dubawi and you just can't push them. People will say that I did it with Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) but that was different as he was a miler.

“Wholeheartedly, I would probably say I won't be getting there with him. I would rather bring him along and we might end up going to Royal Ascot or the Irish Derby with him.

“He is a horse that I have high regards for but one that we will look after along the way.”

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Derby Attracts 20 Second Entries Led By White Birch

Fresh off of his victory in the G3 Ballysax S. on Sunday, White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) leads 19 other colts as second entries for the G1 Derby at Epsom on Saturday, June 3. Owned by Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez and trained by John Murphy, the colt scored a half-length upset in the Ballysax at 22-1.

Several Derby second entries were also made by Charlie Appleby on behalf of Godolphin. Leading the sextet is GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf second Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), while listed winner Naval Power (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), and Ancient Rules (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) are also nominated.

There is also an American-trained entrant to the Blue Riband, whose connections also paid the £9,000 second entry fee–Ken McPeek entered two-for-two Mendelssohn's March (Mendelssohn). Already a winner on turf and dirt after victories at Fair Grounds and Oaklawn Park, he will race in the colours of Harold Lerner, LLC, AWC Stables, Nehoc Stables, and Team Stallion Racing Stable.

Ahmad Al Shaikh's Group 1-winning Dubai Mile (Ire), by 2018 Derby third Roaring Lion, has been entered by Charlie Johnston, who also declared Group 3-placed Dear My Friend (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) for Middleham Park Racing and Michael Lai.

Dubai Mile, who prevailed in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud over 10 furlongs in heavy going in October, will contest either the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 6 or the G2 Dante S. at York later in the month.

“Any 2-year-old that can win at Group 1 level leaves you dreaming over the winter about what they could achieve during their 3-year-old campaign,” said Johnston. “He's obviously going to be a flagship horse for us this year and one we're going to have realistic Classic ambitions with, so we're very much looking forward to him.

“You need these horses to compete at the highest level to put you in people's eyes and minds going forward and he's a big flagship horse that we need and want a big year from–hopefully he can deliver.”

“The Guineas is still on the table and Ahmad is quite keen for him to go there,” continued Johnston.

“For all the Dante is a significant race and the preeminent Derby trial, this horse has already won a Group 1 so his CV would be enhanced more by a placed effort in the Guineas than winning the Dante.

“He was only just touched off in the Royal Lodge over the Guineas course and distance and although I'm pretty certain he's going to come into his own over middle-distances this year, I wouldn't rule out his prep race being in the Guineas.

“They are the best two Derby trials and it will be one of the two races for him. Being a vanquished horse in the Guineas can often be the best Derby trial you can run.”

With these late additions, the total number of nominated horses for the Epsom showpiece has grown to 103. Entries were also released for the G1 Oaks (65 entries) and G1 Coronation Cup (19 entries), both held the day prior to the Derby, on June 2.

Of the latter entries, at least three are Classic winners in the form of Godolphin's Frankel (GB) pair of Adayar (Ire) and Hurricane Lane (Ire), and Juddmonte's Westover (GB).

Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' and G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. winner Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never), and G2 May Hill S. victress Polly Pott (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) are some of the notable entries for the Oaks.

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Dubawi’s Imperial Emperor A New Rising Star At Newmarket

In amongst the group-race action on Saturday, Godolphin unveiled the deeply-promising Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to become Charlie Appleby's latest TDN Rising Star on debut at Newmarket. Sent off the 13-8 favourite for the Prestige Vehicles British EBF Maiden S. over a mile, the son of the GI Man o' War S. heroine Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) travelled strongly for William Buick behind the early leaders and moved forward with ease to take control passing three out. Sent clear running down into the dip, the relative of Dubawi's Ghaiyyath (Ire) powered out of it to score by 3 1/2 lengths from the William Haggas-trained Attaj (Ire) (Caravaggio), with a neck back to the third A Dublin Lad (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), the John and Thady Gosden-trained half-brother to the G2 Hungerford S. winner Sacred (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}).

 

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