World News – GB – One Ruler shines in Vertem Futurity in Doncaster

Races

Watch Saturday’s meeting in Doncaster, featuring the final Group 1 of the British Flat season – the Vertem Futurity Trophy, live from 1215h on Sky Sports Racing

Charlie Appleby’s top two horses both retired to stud this month – but he may be on the verge of unearthing a new stable star if One Ruler can continue his ascent in the Vertem Futurity Trophy in Doncaster (255h)

After bidding farewell to several Group 1 winners Pinatubo and Ghaiyyath in recent weeks, Appleby has a vacancy for a new flag bearer

So far, One Ruler looks to do the trick, based on his smooth win in the Autumn Stakes last time around – which came with a cut in the ground in Newmarket

« He is from a French family, and usually they run on the slower side of the property, so the terrain doesn’t worry me

« Getting the trip last time and seeing this improvement was essential for me. He will go as a serious player

« I think 10 (furlongs) will be his maximum (next year) On the mare’s side (Fintry) she was smoother, and he’s showing a lot of natural pace, but he saw that mile well

« I don’t see him being a mile-and-a-half horse right now, at this point, but we’ll let him overwinter first

« He did what he did at Newmarket and he got beaten on the flat track at Doncaster, but I think it was a bit of inexperience – and tactically we had a race different from what we had done in his previous departures « 

Aidan O’Brien needs one more win in the race to tie the late Sir Henry Cecil on 10 wins

O’Brien’s two most recent winners, Saxon Warrior and Magna Grecia, have both landed the 2,000 Guineas – and a big entry to the five-day stage, this year he’s relying solely on the Dewhurst Wembley finalist

« Obviously he had a great race in the Dewhurst (won by a stablemate St Mark’s Basilica) and before that the National Stakes so he’s fit in Group 1, » said O’Brien

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« He seems to be in good shape since He took another step forward for the first time, but we don’t think that will be a problem

« I hope the soil isn’t so soft – the better, the more he likes it »

Andrew Balding is another coach with a good record in the race, having hit with Elm Park and then Guinean hero Kameko 12 months ago, when the race had to be run in Newcastle due to congestion at Doncaster

This year Balding saddles King Vega, a young girl after two starts but who showed a good level of skill in second place in the Solario Stakes last time around

« I am really happy with the horse and we are all looking forward to seeing it, » Kingsclere coach told Sky Sports Racing

« I think she’s probably the top rated girl in the country, but I’m sure there are a lot of unbeaten horses just waiting to come out

« He’s a horse we’ve always rated very high. He ran a very decent race in the Solario, and the extra furlong will definitely be to his advantage

« It’s gonna be slow Lope De Vegas tends to do well with digs in the ground

« He has been working the grass here for the past three weeks. He seems to enjoy a little ease, and I don’t think the soil conditions will be too much of a concern to him »

Assessing the quality of the opposition, Balding added: « The Dewhurst was a real Group 1 test, as it should be Wembley narrowly missed and he is a horse that has improved with the Aidan race has a fantastic race record It’s really the one to beat « 

John Gosden will look to Megallan for a change of fortune, after several stable stars disappointed on Champions Day

The Kingman colt, out of a Golden Horn half-sister, was fourth behind One Ruler last time around

« He was forced to back up and had to go around them, but he had a really good run. It will be interesting to see how sweet he is up there However, he’s in good shape to get in »

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Vertem Futurity Trophy, Horse Racing, Timeform, Aidan O’Brien, Charlie Appleby