Bahrain Trophy Stakes |
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| Group 3, Newmarket 13:50 £200,000 guaranteed, 3yo only, 1m 5f, Class 1  |
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1 Ancient Wisdom 6/4F
2 Royal Supremacy 9/2
3 Portland 11/2
4 ran NR: Kinesiology Distances: 1¾l, 1¼l, 2¼l
Time: 2m 49.90s (slow by 7.30s
NO ONE GOT BY!
— Newmarket Racecourse (@NewmarketRace) July 11, 2024
Ancient Wisdom, 8th in the Betfred Derby sparkles under a brilliant ride in the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy for @godolphin 💙 pic.twitter.com/DmHVIgcQBM
Ancient Wisdom made a strong comeback after his Derby disappointment, securing a front-running victory.
As a Group One-winning two-year-old in last season’s Futurity Trophy, Charlie Appleby’s charge had high expectations. Although he finished second in the Dante at York during his reappearance, his performance at Epsom’s premier Classic was less impressive, resulting in an eighth-place finish.
In the Bahrain Trophy, Ancient Wisdom stepped up in trip but faced a lower grade. The Dubawi colt, ridden by William Buick, started as the 6-4 favorite. Buick sent him straight to the lead, and with over two furlongs to run, they committed for home. Despite a brief threat from Royal Supremacy under Oisin Murphy, Ancient Wisdom held on along the rail to win by a length and three-quarters.
Unfortunately, Space Legend, previously the runner-up to Calandagan in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, failed to make an impact this time, finishing last of the four runners.
“He was the Group One winner in the race and we were always confident about the ground and the trip,” said Appleby.
“William went out there and gave him a positive ride which was always our gameplan and it is great to get this horse’s head back in front.
“He ran a creditable race in the Dante, but we always felt Dante to Epsom might be just short enough. Since then he has done well and had a nice preparation and we were quietly confident coming into today.”He ran well in the Dante but he wasn’t hardened for the Dante in the respects to fitness, therefore going Dante-Derby was always on the edge. We were a bit unfortunate in the spring and our Derby team was dwindling by the week and he had to take up the baton.
“He’s a straightforward horse and they always just like to go out and gallop. Will has give him a great ride. You see when he switched his leads, he did it so effortlessly and once I saw that, I knew he would let himself down because he was enjoying himself.
“The others had to quicken and then stay, we we’re already in the right gear and they had to try and get us.”
Quinnbet cut the winner’s odds for the St Leger at Doncaster to 10-1 from 20-1.
Appleby added: “It was always our plan to come here with the ground it was looking to be and then head to the Great Voltigeur and then the St Leger, it’s a well-trodden route.
“He is very much an autumn campaign horse though, so at no point would we jeopardise that on anything quicker than good ground. If it was quick ground at York, I definitely wouldn’t head to the Voltigeur.
“I was impressed and I still think this horse isn’t there yet, he’s coming and he’s not 100 per cent. I was very impressed knowing there is improvement under the bonnet still.
“If Doncaster is as it is normally at that time of year, I would like to think he would have a live chance.”
Bahrain Trophy (Group 3)
£200,000 guaranteed, 3yo only, 1m 5f, Class 1
4 ran
Going: Good to Soft
POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (5) Ancient Wisdom 3 9-3 Charlie Appleby William Buick 6/4F
4 (1) 1¾ Royal Supremacy 3 9-3 Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy 9/2
3 (4) 1¼ Portland 3 9-3 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 11/2
5 (3) 2¼ Space Legend 3 9-3 William Haggas James Doyle 2/1
NR 2 (2) Kinesiology 3 9-3 Mrs John Harrington NON RUNNER
