Classic Hopefuls Star for Godolphin on Super Saturday

at 3:52 pm | Back to: Europe, Shared News Europe

Updated: March 1, 2025 at 4:16 pm

Ruling Court | Dubai Racing Club

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If last week's Saudi Cup card in Riyadh was dominated by Japanese-trained runners, then Super Saturday at Meydan was the day that Charlie Appleby and Godolphin served notice to the world that this is a team which will take some stopping in the weeks and months to come.

At a meeting which is ostensibly made up of trials for Dubai World Cup night in five weeks' time, it was two winners with Classic pretensions back in Europe who arguably created the biggest impression, certainly so in the case of Ruling Court, the six-length winner of the Listed Jumeirah 2,000 Guineas sponsored by Emirates Holidays which concluded the card.

Last seen finishing third in the G3 Acomb Stakes at York in August–a race won by 2,000 Guineas and Derby favourite The Lion In Winter (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire})–Ruling Court had arrived on the Knavesmire with such a reputation that a mere podium finish was considered a disappointing return. After this performance, it's easy to see why.

This was much more like it from the colt who had fetched €2,300,000 from Godolphin when offered at last year's Arqana May Breeze-up Sale, before earning 'TDN Rising Star' status when making a successful debut, by five and a half lengths, at Sandown a couple of months later.

The sweat dripping off the son of Justify as he entered the Meydan stalls might have given his supporters cause for concern, but the race itself proved little more than a procession after he was switched off heels on the home turn to guarantee a clear run. Held together entering the final two furlongs, he needed just a shake of the reins to eat up the ground on the long-time leader, Nedawy (Instagrand), before striding clear in the final furlong to win by six lengths in imperious fashion.

It was a performance which earned Ruling Court quotes of 10-1 (12-1 best price) with most bookmakers for the 2,000 Guineas, though Appleby–who also has a pair of 8-1 shots for that Classic in Shadow Of Light (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and Opera Ballo (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire})–was in no rush to commit to a run at Newmarket in the aftermath of this success.

“In some ways was quite pleased that he got beaten [in the Acomb] because that meant we didn't force him to do more than he was ready for,” Appleby summed up. “I'm very lucky in that I can put these horses away and allow them to develop.

“I think he'll continue to develop and we will go back to Europe with a sharper model. I never want to get too excited in the immediate aftermath, but we anticipated him being a 10-furlong horse so, whether we go to the Dante or take in the Guineas en route, we'll have to see.”

 

 

'TDN Rising Star' Breezes to Victory

Ruling Court was the last of four winners on Super Saturday for Appleby and jockey William Buick, with the day beginning in the best possible fashion when Mountain Breeze (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), another 'TDN Rising Star', continued the Godolphin dominance of the Listed Jumeirah 1,000 Guineas sponsored by Emirates Skywards.

Last year Buick and Appleby struck with their subsequent GI Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes heroine Cinderella's Dream (GB) (Shamardal), after Saeed bin Suroor had taken out of the inaugural running of the race with Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) in 2023. Mawj, of course, went on to win the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on her next start back in Britain.

The Rowley Mile could well be the next destination for Mountain Breeze after she made it two from two at Meydan, having won the newly-named Mawj Stakes in impressive fashion on her previous start. Whilst unable to match Mawj's eight-and-a-half-length winning margin in this contest, she was ultimately an authoritative winner in beating Spanish hope Octans (Spa) (The Grey Gatsby {Ire}) by three and three-quarter lengths, with Buick having to resort to no more than hands-and-heels riding.

“I think we were expecting that,” said the winning rider. “The important thing was for her to do it nice and smooth and not to have to be asked. Hopefully, this will set her up for a nice campaign back home.”

Mountain Breeze showed a high level of form in six starts as a juvenile, notably filling the runner-up spot in the G2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket, but this was her first black-type win and another feather in the cap for her dam, Lava Flow (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}). All six of her runners have won at least one race and they now include three black-type winners, with the others including the European champion two-year-old and sire Pinatubo (Ire).

 

 

Godolphin Pride in Popular Servant

Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) might not be the best horse Buick has ever ridden, nor the best horse Appleby has ever trained, but neither could hide their love for the gelding who brought up his eleventh career victory when landing the G2 Singspiel Stakes sponsored by Emirates Airline.

Three years on from his first international success in the Jumeirah Derby, the six-year-old returned to Meydan on Super Saturday as a winner in five different countries, with wins in the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes and GI Arlington Million Stakes in the US, the G1 Grosser Dallmayr-Preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in Germany, and the GI Canadian International Stakes, also featuring on his illustrious CV.

There had been signs that his enthusiasm for the job might be on the wane when he finished down the field on his last couple of starts, but the addition of cheekpieces here seemed to work the oracle as he ran out a determined winner, always doing enough through the final furlong to hold off the challenge of the strong-travelling Holloway Boy (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) by over a length.

“He's ultra-consistent and so uncomplicated–I love him,” Buick told Racing TV. “He always turns up and the team have done a great job to get him back here. He's been in quite a lot of countries this winter, so to come off the plane and run like that is very good.”

Nations Pride spent much of 2024 in the US where he was joined in a select satellite squad by Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who showed his rivals a clean pair of heels when making every yard of the running to win the other major turf prize on the card, the G2 Dubai City Of Gold sponsored by Emirates Airline.

Two lengths clear of Passion And Glory (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) at the line, Silver Knott could now join stable-mate Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the field for the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic on World Cup night. Though yet to win at the top level, he completed a hat-trick of Grade II wins on American soil last year.

“Last season when he was in the States, we learnt he was very effective from the front,” Buick added of his third winner on the card. “I was delighted with that and hopefully he can improve from it. He deserves to take his chance in the Sheema Classic, but Rebel's Romance is the heavyweight champion and a legend.”

Appleby, who was winning the race for the seventh time in eight years, also saddled one-time Derby favourite Arabian Crown (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) to finish a staying-on fourth on his first start for 309 days.

 

 

World Cup Night Next for West Acre

Another Godolphin runner had his World Cup night claims enhanced on Saturday without having to leave the comfort of his stable. Symbol Of Honour (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) is the gelding in question, the only horse to have beaten the thriving West Acre (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) in the Middle East this winter when just a head separated them back in mid-January.

A rematch could now be on the cards in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint, after West Acre gained his second big-race success since being beaten by Symbol Of Honour in Saturday's G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint sponsored by Emirates Skycargo. Whilst the performance wasn't as explosive as that he produced when lowering the course record in the G2 Blue Point Sprint later in January, he showed other admirable qualities in digging deep to peg back the front-running Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}), before passing the post three quarters of a length to the good.

Owner Michael Blencowe expressed reservations about West Acre's suitability for the six-furlong trip of the Al Quoz Sprint when he spoke to TDN last month, but winning jockey Callum Shepherd was looking forward to the challenge after his willing partner had shown a different side to himself in making it four wins from six career starts on Saturday.

“It was certainly harder work [than the last race],” said Shepherd. “Ponntos got into his normal groove and was slightly away from us which maybe suited him but not us. It would have been nice to have direct aim at him.

“He [West Acre] got away well and got into a nice position. He dug deep, was gritty, and galloped out well after the line. I fancy he could be even better over the six furlongs of the Al Quoz Sprint.”

 

 

Seemar Dominates the Dirt Action

There was a surprise winner of the G3 Burj Naahar sponsored by Emirates Airline in French challenger Fort Payne (Fr) (Rio De La Plata), but the other contests staged on the dirt track largely went to script, much to the delight of trainer Bhupaat Seemar.

Not content with winning G3 Mahab Al Shimaal sponsored by emirates.com with Tuz (Oxbow), Seemar went on to saddle a one-two in the G2 Al Maktoum Classic sponsored by Emirates Airline courtesy of Imperial Emperor (Ire) and Artorius (Arrogate).

Imperial Emperor, a two-time winner for Appleby and Godolphin, before selling for AED300,000 at least year's Emirates Racing Authority (ERA) Racing in Dubai Sale, is now owned by British-based syndicate Deva Racing, whose manager Ryan Tongue was in shock after watching the gelding romp to an eight-and-a-half-length success.

“Wow, what a horse!” Tongue said of the son of Dubawi (Ire), who is out of the GI Man o' War Stakes heroine Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), a half-sister to Ghaiyyath (Ire).

“He didn't owe us anything before tonight. We just wanted him to come home safe. This a dream come true–I can't believe we're in the Dubai World Cup!”

Imperial Emperor looks set to feature in a very strong hand for Seemar in next month's Dubai World Cup, alongside defending champion Laurel River (Into Mischief) and G1 Al Maktoum Challenge winner Walk Of Stars (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), while 2024 winner Tuz looks set for another date in the Dubai Golden Shaheen, after making history with his Super Saturday strike.

“He's a streetfighter, he just keeps coming back–he's like Muhammad Ali!” said the trainer. “He's made history by becoming the first horse to win all the big dirt sprints.

“There will be some good sprinters here for the Dubai Golden Shaheen, but we have home turf.”

 

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