Dubawi's Old Persian Wins The King Edward

Granted a soft first black-type success when bettering two over-matched rivals in Newmarket's Listed Fairway S. last time, Old Persian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) had anything but an easy time in the G2 King Edward VII S. but he was man enough to hold off some tough rivals and give Godolphin further Royal Ascot glory. Ridden from his high draw by William Buick to gain a position in a close-up second, the 9-2 shot earned the lead before the quarter pole and stayed on tenaciously to beat Rostropovich (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) by 1 3/4 lengths, with another Ballydoyle representative in Giuseppe Garibaldi (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) a neck back in third. “Charlie [Appleby] has always said that Old Persian wants a mile and a half and this was his first time over the trip–we hoped he would improve for it and he did,” commented William Buick, riding his 23rd Royal winner. “I wanted to make sure that stamina came into play, I wanted to be in a position that I could do something about it in the straight. As you could see, his last furlong was his strongest so it is a very, very pleasing performance. He is a lovely horse for the future.”

Like so many winners here this week, Old Persian had earlier been successful on an artificial surface as he broke his maiden at Chelmsford in September before winning another novice stakes giving the now famous Gronkowski (Lonhro {Aus}) six pounds and a 4 1/2-length beating at Newmarket in early October. Disappointing when seventh in the Listed Silver Tankard S. at a mile at Pontefract later that month, the bay returned to win what is traditionally a strong 10-furlong 3-year-old handicap back at Newmarket Apr. 18 before running second to stablemate Key Victory (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in the Listed Newmarket S. May 5. Buoyed by his Fairway win in the interim, he was always travelling within himself applying the pressure to the leader Raa Atoll (GB) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) throughout the early stages of this biggest test. Sent upsides to do battle turning into the straight, he gained the upper hand soon after and gradually worked his way into the clear as the Ballydoyle pair Rostropovich and Giuseppe Garibaldi stayed on without threatening.

For Appleby, the result was further affirmation of his belief in his current team of horses. “We had a great team of two-year-olds last year and I felt they all wintered well and came into the spring in great nick,” he said. “This horse has done nothing but progress through the spring and we felt this was the right race for him and that stepping up in trip would suit. I was so pleased half a mile out with the way Old Persian was travelling and once this horse hit the front I was confident he would see it out well given the pace they had gone. He had shown a turn of foot over a mile and a quarter so I knew what he could do. He's a typical son of Dubawi–he's improved from two to three and I'm sure he will progress from three to four. We wanted to mind him because we liked him and felt he had the scope to become a good horse. I'm happy to stay at a mile and a half given the pace he has shown at shorter trips. I've put him in the [G1] Grand Prix de Paris [at ParisLongchamp July 14] and that is one for option.”

Aidan O'Brien was pleased with the efforts of his trio, with the well-backed 5-2 favourite and TDN Rising Star Delano Roosevelt (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) coming off worst in fifth. “They all had chances and they all ran very well,” he commented. “Rostropovich ran a very good race as we were a bit disappointed with him in France. This is his first run over a mile and a half, so you would have to be very happy with that. Giuseppe Garibaldi is still improving and Ryan's horse [Delano Roosevelt] will improve with time. Ryan said he ran well and he was happy with him.”

Old Persian, whose sire's stock go particularly well at this meeting, is the first live foal out of Indian Petal (GB) (Singspiel {Ire}), a full-sister to Silkwood (GB) who captured the G2 Ribblesdale S. in style here back in 2007 and also to the dam of the operation's G2 Anatolia Trophy scorer Leshlaa (Street Cry {Ire}). Indian Petal, whose 2-year-old filly Chapelli (GB) by Dubawi's son Poet's Voice (GB) is now two-for-two for Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum and Mark Johnston, is also a half to the G2 Cherry Hinton S. winner Silent Honor (Ire) (Sunday Silence) and the listed-paced Shrill (GB) (Shamardal). The third dam is the Listed Prix Amandine winner Massaraat (Nureyev), who is a full-sister to the great Miesque (Nureyev) who features so prominently in the pedigree of the day's G1 Coronation S. heroine Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). Therefore connected to Kingmambo, East of the Moon (Private Account), Karakontie (Jpn) (Bernstein), Rumplestiltskin (Ire) (Danehill) and Tapestry (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Indian Petal also has a yearling filly by Pivotal (GB) and a foal full-brother to Old Persian.

Friday, Royal Ascot, Britain
KING EDWARD VII S.-G2, £225,000, Ascot, 6-22, 3yo, c/g, 11f 211yT, 2:29.95, g/f.
1–OLD PERSIAN (GB), 126, c, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Indian Petal (GB), by Singspiel (Ire)
2nd Dam: Wood Vine, by Woodman
3rd Dam: Massaraat, by Nureyev
1ST GROUP WIN. O/B-Godolphin (GB); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £127,598. Lifetime Record: 8-5-1-1, $248,960. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Rostropovich (Ire), 126, c, 3, Frankel (GB)–Tyranny (GB), by Machiavellian. (1,100,000gns Ylg '16 TATOCT). O-Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Markus Jooste; B-Epona Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £48,375.[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]3–Giuseppe Garibaldi (Ire), 126, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Queenscliff (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier & Michael Tabor; B-Longfield Stud (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. £24,210.
Margins: 1 3/4, NK, 3/4. Odds: 4.50, 7.00, 7.50.
Also Ran: Raa Atoll (GB), Delano Roosevelt (Ire), Wells Farhh Go (Ire), Elector (GB), Alternative Fact (GB), Highbrow (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.