WATCH THIS ONE RULE THE ROOST
TRUST in ONE RULER (Doncaster, 2.55) to dictate terms and land today’s Vertem Futurity Trophy Stakes.
After sweeping the board with last year’s leading two-year-old Pinatubo, Godolphin are yet to discover a readymade replacement. But both the selection and La Barrosa, who runs in today’s Group One Saint-Cloud Criterium, will be hoping to establish themselves at the top of this season’s juvenile pecking order with victories.
The case for One Ruler is strong given that he overcame what appeared a difficult track position to l and Newmarket’s Autumn Stakes with a degree of ease and class.
Admittedly, the base level of that form and a cosy two-length defeat of Van Gogh in Group Three company is a little way short of that produced by chief market rival Wembley in the Dewhurst Stakes and further improvement will be required.
However, Charlie Appleby’s Dubawi colt stepped forward markedly last time for the first try at a mile on soft ground and he is returning to the scene of his rather unfortunate run in the Flying Scotsman Stakes when beaten by New Mandate.
That event has already produced a host of winners as well as highly creditable efforts from those down the field like Thank You Next (fifth) who was narrowly touched off in a Newmarket Group Three on her next start.
Hopefully, previous track experience will count for something this afternoon and Godolphin can claim their first win in this afternoon’s historic race since Ibn Khaldun in 2007.
Cheltenham stage the second day of their opening fixture and FLINCK (Cheltenham, nap, 3.15) looks an interesting contender in the Pertemps Handicap
Hurdle. The six-year-old is yet to tackle the undulations of Prestbury Park, but he coped well enough with Chepstow on his reappearance when third to Tea Clipper in a hot handicap.
I get the impression there will be more to come now that he tackles a stiffer test of stamina.