By Tom Frary
Third in a strong renewal of the seven-furlong Listed Flying Scotsman S. at Doncaster Sept. 11, Godolphin's One Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) showed improvement for the step up to a mile to stamp his class on Saturday's G3 Emirates Autumn S. at Newmarket. Settled in mid-division early racing wide, the 5-1 shot loomed on the outer under William Buick and after taking the lead at the two-furlong pole readily asserted to score by 1 3/4 lengths from Van Gogh (American Pharoah), with another Appleby representative Dhahabi (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) 1 1/2 lengths behind in third. “I think it was a very nice performance on very soft ground and stepping him up in trip has helped,” Buick said. “He probably handled the ground, but will be better on a better surface for sure. The Flying Scotsman at Doncaster was a funny race–I ended up too far back and set him a bit of a task, but today was far more straightforward for him. He showed today that he has improved.”
Brushed aside on debut by the subsequent G3 Solario S. winner Etonian (Ire) (Olympic Glory {Ire}) over seven at Sandown July 23, One Ruler returned to the same course and distance a month later to beat Maximal (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) and Latest Generation (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in a maiden that has proven a rich source of subsequent winners. Taking part in another competitive event in the Flying Scotsman, the bay was hampered late on there when third behind the eventual G2 Royal Lodge S. winner New Mandate (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) but gave the impression he needed another furlong and easier surface. Appleby said, “William feels that the horse has enough pace to be a Guineas contender. His dam Fintry was a group 2 winner over a mile and he is a son of Dubawi who will get stronger over the winter, which could build on his speed. I think he is a horse who we would have to consider strongly for the 2000 Guineas.”
Of the third, who is a half-brother to Golden Horn (GB), he added, “Dhahabi is going to be a mile-and-a-half horse and shaped well over today's trip. It was his third run and he is still learning on the job–he was slow from the gates before travelling into the race well and galloping out strongly. Stepping up in trip is only going to suit and hopefully we will see more improvement as we go further with him.”
As Appleby stated, One Ruler is out of the classy Andre Fabre trainee Fintry (Ire) (Shamardal), who captured the G2 Prix de Sandringham, G3 Atalanta S. and G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil in which she defeated Avenir Certain (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}). Also third in the G1 Sun Chariot S., she was the best of a trio of stakes performers out of the G3 Prix Vanteaux winner and GI Garden City Breeders' Cup-placed Campsie Fells (UAE) (Indian Ridge {Ire}). Fintry, whose colt foal is by Fastnet Rock (Aus), shares her G3 Rockfel S.-placed second dam Queen's View (Fr) (Lomond) with the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere third Indian Jade (GB) (Sleeping Indian {GB}).
Saturday, Newmarket, Britain
EMIRATES AUTUMN S.-G3, £47,000, Newmarket, 10-10, 2yo, 8fT, 1:39.71, sf.
1–ONE RULER (IRE), 127, c, 2, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Fintry (Ire) (MGSW-Fr, GSW & G1SP-Eng, $327,127), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Campsie Fells (UAE), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
3rd Dam: Queen's View (Fr), by Lomond
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN; 1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £26,654. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-1, $44,360. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Van Gogh, 127, c, 2, American Pharoah–Imagine (Ire), by Sadler's Wells. O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Diane Nagle; B-Barronstown Stud (KY); T-Aidan O'Brien. £10,105.
3–Dhahabi (Ire), 127, c, 2, Frankel%20(GB)#tot">Frankel (GB)–Fleche d'Or (GB), by Dubai Destination. (3,100,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Fleche d'Or Partnership (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £5,057.
Margins: 1 3/4, 1HF, HD. Odds: 5.00, 4.50, 9.00.
Also Ran: Megallan (GB), Akmaam (Fr), William Bligh (GB), Latest Generation (GB), Maximal (GB), Albadri (Ire), Qaader (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
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