By Sean Cronin
With match fitness an advantage leading into Saturday's Listed Fitzdares Lingfield Derby Trial S., it was Godolphin nominee and G1 Betfred Derby entry Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}–Anna Salai, by Dubawi {Ire}) who stepped forward for a career high in the 12-furlong test.
He set the seal on a Lingfield Trials double for the Godolphin-Appleby-Buick triumvirate with a 1 1/4-length success from impressive Newmarket winner Waipiro (Ire) (Australia {GB}), with The King's Listed Newmarket S. runner-up Circle Of Fire (GB) (Almanzor {Fr}) trailing home 4 1/4 lengths adrift in third.
The even-money favourite slipped from an early third passing the judge first time to race fifth along the backstraight. Seizing an opening and quickening smartly to gain a narrow advantage rounding the home turn, he was tackled by Waipiro at the top of the straight and stayed on powerfully under a late drive to defeat that rival in ultimately snug fashion.
Prior to winning on seasonal return at Newbury last month, Military Order backed up an Oct. 1 debut fourth at HQ with a breakthrough score back there later that month in the second of two juvenile outings.
It was a first success in the contest for Charlie Appleby, who said, “I was delighted with that, he learnt plenty today and it was a great ride by William [Buick]. We were going in there today with confidence based on what he had achieved to date. It was a mile-and-a-half and he saw it out well. He has a pedigree and a profile that is coming along very nicely into, hopefully, a Derby horse. I know he has now gone joint-favourite [in betting lists for the Derby] and deservedly so. We will obviously now be keeping an eye on what happens next week in the [G2] Dante [at York], but I was very pleased with him. I'm just delighted to see Military Order confirm he is the horse we feel he hopefully is going forward.”
Buick added, “He did everything I asked him, he's come through that really well and will have learnt plenty. Today was a different test to Newbury, but when I asked him to quicken into a gap running downhill he didn't hesitate. He was totally relaxed and beautifully balanced.”
Military Order, the fifth of six live foals, is one of two scorers produced by GSW G1 Irish 1000 Guineas runner-up Anna Salai (Dubawi {Ire}), the other being G1 Derby and G1 King George hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Adayar ran second in the 2021 renewal of this contest on the turf. The April-foaled homebred bay is also half to an unnamed 2-year-old filly by Exceed And Excel (Aus). Anna Salai is kin to three stakes performers and to the dams of G1 Prix Lean-Luc Lagardere-winning sire National Defense (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) and stakes-winning G1 Woolavington 2000 third Dubai Gina (Aus) (Dubai Destination).
Saturday, Lingfield, Britain
FITZDARES LINGFIELD DERBY TRIAL S.-Listed, £60,000, Lingfield, 5-13, 3yo, c/g, 12f (AWT), 2:27.74, st.
1–MILITARY ORDER (IRE), 128, c, 3, by Frankel (GB)
1st Dam: Anna Salai (GSW-Fr, G1SP-Ire, SP-Eng, $158,818), by Dubawi (Ire)
2nd Dam: Anna Palariva (Ire), by Caerleon
3rd Dam: Anna Of Saxony (GB), by Ela-Mana-Mou (Ire)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £34,488. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $85,466. *Full to Adayar (Ire), MG1SW-Eng, $2,381,321.
2–Waipiro (Ire), 128, c, 3, Australia (GB)–London Plane (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-P K Siu; B-Shane Molan (IRE); T-Ed Walker. £13,086.
3–Circle Of Fire (GB), 128, c, 3, Almanzor (Fr)–Fiery Sunset (GB), by Galileo (Ire). O-HM The King & HM The Queen; B-The Queen (GB); T-Sir Michael Stoute. £6,546.
Margins: 1 1/4, 4 1/4, 2. Odds: 1.00, 10.00, 2.75.
Also Ran: Laafi (Fr), Think First (Ire), Ndaawi (GB), Regal Empire (Ire), Inquiring Minds (GB).
He looks very good! Military Order finds plenty and sees off Waipiro in the Fitzdares @LingfieldPark Derby Trial for Buick, Appleby and @godolphin! pic.twitter.com/ppVdwtOJAG
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 13, 2023
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