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| Staff Writer |
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Ruling Court stormed to victory in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, giving trainer Charlie Appleby his third win in four years in the opening Classic of the season. The son of Justify, who cost US$2.48million at the breeze-up sales last year, was ridden confidently by William Buick to hold off favourite Field Of Gold by half a length.
Buick, who had to make the tough call to get off champion 2YO Shadow Of Light, saw his decision vindicated as Ruling Court showed an impressive turn of foot entering the dip, before keeping on strongly to repel the late challenge from the John and Thady Gosden-trained Field Of Gold.
Appleby said: "John Gosden's horse looked great, I thought, and the way he won the Craven he was the horse we all had to beat, and it's been hard for William – it was a tough call to get off a champion 2YO, but we all got our heads together and hopefully got the right people on the right horses."
"Everyone had their chance in the dip to come and have a crack at it and obviously William got a nice clear run. I was delighted also with Shadow Of Light and I thought at one stage it would be a good match race going on here."
The Appleby-Buick partnership completed a remarkable Classic double 24 hours later when Desert Flower stormed to glory in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, making all the running to win by a length from Ollie Sangster's pair Flight and Simmering.
"I'm a very happy man," Buick said after claiming his first 1000 Guineas triumph. "This means the world. What a weekend for Godolphin, his highness Sheikh Mohammed and Dubai. It's unbelievable."
The jockey paid tribute to the unbeaten filly: "She's incredible. We looked at the race beforehand and we thought we'd have to make our own running and she showed what a versatile filly she is. She's very uncomplicated and she keeps galloping. She's all class."
This completed a significant achievement for the Appleby-Buick partnership, becoming the first trainer and jockey team to win both Guineas races in the same season since Aidan O'Brien and Kieren Fallon struck with Virginia Waters and Foostepsinthesands in 2005.
While Appleby and Buick were dominating proceedings at Newmarket, Oaks with Good Cheer at Churchill Godolphin was also making history across the Atlantic. The royal blue silks were carried to victory in both the Gr.1 Kentucky Derby with Sovereignty and the Gr.1 Kentucky Downs.
This remarkable feat made Godolphin the first owner/breeder since Calumet Farm in 1952 to complete the Oaks/Derby double, capping an extraordinary weekend for Sheikh Mohammed's operation on both sides of the Atlantic.
Appleby said: "I'm delighted for his highness Sheikh Mohammed, to have a weekend like this is very special for everybody. It's a huge team effort."
With Ruling Court having claimed the first leg of the Triple Crown, attention now turns to whether the colt could emulate Nijinsky, the last horse to complete the prestigious treble in 1970 by winning the 2000 Guineas, Derby and St Leger.
A £2million bonus has been offered to any horse capable of achieving this rare feat, which has enticed connections to consider the challenge.
"Throughout the winter, we'd always viewed him as more of a Derby horse than a Guineas horse, but then over the last couple of weeks it was a race that we felt instead of being hopeful, that he'd run well in," Appleby explained.
"Obviously there's a huge bonus for the Triple Crown this year and we'll just take each race as it comes. We've got the Derby next and all being well, he'll be there. The bonus is a great incentive, it's great for the sport, it's put it back on the table."
"We see things like this in all other sports, so why not racing, so thanks to Fred for putting it there for everyone to have a crack at. We'll let everything calm down for a week but I can't see any reason why we wouldn't be going to Epsom, that was always the plan."
Buick has no doubts about Ruling Court's suitability for Epsom: "We had a very high opinion of this horse last year and he came into the winter and was always going to run in Dubai in the Jumeirah Guineas and he put up an amazing performance. He lengthened all the way to the line, he looks like a horse who could get further in time, he's got a huge engine and that was only his fourth run. It's unbelievable."
"I think it would be hard not to think about the Derby strongly – that's what everyone wants. If you think a horse is going to stay, the Guineas is always a good marker and a good trial. Before Masar won the Derby he was third in the Guineas. This horse has won the Guineas and is going to get further. You'd feel a mile and a quarter is within his grasp and the last furlong and a half at Epsom is when you'll find out."
With Shadow Of Light's future plans still under consideration, Appleby added: "With Shadow Of Light, Mickael just said he wished he had a lead for longer and he didn't expect to have the acceleration he did, had he been able to take a lead for longer, he thought he stayed no problem. He is a quick horse but the decision is St James's Palace or Commonwealth, which would be the easier option, but I see no reason to turn away from the mile."