By Tom Frary
Newmarket bore witness to a new TDN Rising Star on Sunday as Godolphin's Ancient Truth (Ire), (Dubawi {Ire}–Beyond Reason {Ire}, by Australia {GB}) got his career off to the perfect start in the opening six-furlong novice on the card. A full-brother to last year's TDN Rising Star Great Truth (Ire) and second foal out of the G2 Prix du Calvados winner Beyond Reason (Ire) (Australia {GB}), the Charlie Appleby-trained 5-2 favourite broke smartly to track the early pace in second before taking command two out.
Pushed out by William Buick to assert his superiority from there, the homebred had a comfortable 1 1/2-length margin to spare over the Hannon trainee Principality (Ire) (Calyx {GB}), with the Ralph Beckett-trained fellow newcomer Bold Impact (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) 1 3/4 lengths further away in third. “He did everything right and you couldn't ask for better on a debut,” the winning rider said. “He has a lovely pedigree. He was alone for a long way in front, so I just let him drift a bit late.”
Appleby's assistant trainer Alex Merriam added, “We were pretty confident at home with him, but Charlie never pushes them so you are never quite sure what you have got until you get to the track and a few of ours have improved for their first run this year. He did drift a little bit, but that was nothing too sinister. He was in front for quite a long time, as nothing really carried him into the race so he had to do what he had to do.”
“He doesn't qualify for the [Listed] Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, so Charlie said we will look at giving him one more run then look at the [G2] Superlative with him. It is a race Charlie has used for nice horses and we will go there and work away from there. Will said he would get seven furlongs, so it is probably the ideal race for him.”
Pedigree Notes
The winner is a landmark 40th TDN Rising Star for Dubawi, whose others in the category include Too Darn Hot (GB), In Italian (GB), Space Blues (Ire), Zarak (Fr) and the yard's current luminary Notable Speech (GB). Beyond Reason, who also took the G3 Prix Six Perfections as a juvenile, is the leading performer out of the GIII Gallorette H. winner No Explaining (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) from the family of the GII American H. winner and GI Eddie Read H. runner-up Bayamo (Ire) and the champion Key To The Mint. Beyond Reason also has a yearling colt by Lope De Vega (Ire).
Impressive 👀
Dubawi colt Ancient Truth follows in the footsteps of his brother Great Truth by making a winning debut for the Charlie Appleby team.
A trip to Royal Ascot probably awaits the winner.@godolphin | @NewmarketRace pic.twitter.com/IjFtQ2OOLQ
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 19, 2024
1st-Newmarket, £21,000, Novice, 5-19, 2yo, 6fT, 1:12.40, g/f.
ANCIENT TRUTH (IRE), c, 2, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Beyond Reason (Ire) (MGSW-Fr, GSP-UAE, $257,805), by Australia (GB)
2nd Dam: No Explaining (Ire), by Azamour (Ire)
3rd Dam: Claustra (Fr), by Green Desert
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $13,750. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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