Dewhurst Stakes: City Of Troy trounces Newmarket rivals in Group One and goes 6/4 favourite for 2000 Guineas
City Of Troy (8/15 favourite) beat Alyanaabi and Eben Shaddad to win the Group One Native Trail's Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket; winner made 11/10 for 2000 Guineas and 5/2 for Derby at Epsom next year; Aidan O'Brien: "We've never, ever had a horse like that"
Saturday 14 October 2023 16:49, UK
City Of Troy is as short as even-money to win next year's 2000 Guineas after making it a perfect three from three with victory in the Group One Native Trail's Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.
Trainer Aidan O'Brien expressed some doubts about the soft ground in the lead-up to the race but the decision to run the colt, who was last seen winning the Superlative Stakes by six-and-a-half lengths, proved the right call.
Under Ryan Moore, the unbeaten juvenile set the early pace as the 8/15 favourite and the triumph looked inevitable when he surged clear of his seven rivals two furlongs from home.
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He crossed the line three and a half lengths ahead of Alyanaabi, with Eben Shaddad in third.
Sky Bet were offering 11/10 for the 2000 Guineas and 5/2 for the Derby at Epsom next season.
O'Brien hailed City Of Troy as the best two-year-old he has trained following that sensational display.
He said: "He would have absolutely hated that ground and the stride on him is incredible, but he just never gets tired. We had nowhere else to run him and thank goodness we ran him.
"I wasn't [tense] as I said to everyone he could get beat. He was entitled to get beat, but he just never gets tired. I've never seen a horse that doesn't get tired. He goes again, going to the line again. It is obviously part of his make-up.
"Everything we've asked him to do he finds it very easy and we've never got to the bottom of him which is very unusual. Ryan rode him with extreme confidence. He said after the first race that is definitely not his ground as he is a beautiful mover.
"You need tractor tyres to go on that today, and he hasn't got tractor tyres, but what he has is a jet engine and that jet engine just pushes his action through it.
"He is an incredible horse really. There is no doubt he is the best two-year-old I've trained.
"He is by Justify and it is a Justify trait in that they just keep going. His dad did it over in Belmont and he looked like a big sprinter, so it is obviously coming from Justify, and he is out of a great Galileo mare as well. I'm so delighted for the lads really. I'd imagine that is what they will do [go Guineas then Derby]. He is something to really look forward to."
Ancient Wisdom awesome in Autumn Stakes
Ancient Wisdom made light work of the Emirates Autumn Stakes for William Buick and Charlie Appleby.
The bay was the 2/1 joint favourite for the one-mile Group Three and was ridden patiently on soft ground that he seemed to relish.
Coming out of the dip on the Rowley Mile he began to gather pace and was easily able to pull away from his rivals to secure a three-and-three-quarter-length victory over Chief Little Rock.
Ancient Wisdom had been off the track since finishing third to subsequent Group One scorer Rosallion in July and Appleby, who was winning the race for the fourth successive year, was delighted to see the Dubawi colt leave that run well behind him.
Appleby looks to have another Classic contender on his hands after Arabian Crown strolled home in the Ghaiyyath Zetland Stakes.
The son of Dubawi had won two of his three previous starts, recently graduating to Listed glory at Salisbury and he was sent off the 10/11 favourite to make the leap to Group Three glory.
Arabian Crown raced keenly enough in company with Gasper De Lemos in the early stages of the 10-furlong heat, but the market leader was clearly well in control from some way out, with each of his three rivals all under pressure.
Buick merely had to keep his mount up to his work to come home five and a half lengths clear, with Paddy Power making him a 12/1 chance for the Derby from 33s.
Highland Avenue completed a treble for the Appleby team, securing a deserved first Group success in the Earthlight Darley Stakes.
Without a victory to his name since landing the 2021 bet365 Feilden Stakes over today's course and distance, the admirable Dubawi gelding, who has been used as a lead horse at home this year, finally enjoyed a moment of his own centre stage with taking success in the 10-furlong Group Three prize.
Appearing to appreciate racing more prominently than on his previous start in a Listed event at Newbury the 11/4 favourite made a beeline towards the stands' side rail when asked for his effort by Buick.
Once in command Highland Avenue swiftly put matters to bed before striding on to secure victory by four lengths
The Shunter strikes in Cesarewitch
The Shunter repelled all challengers to fulfil a long-term plan in the Club Godolphin Cesarewitch.
Trained by Emmet Mullins, the 10-year-old is more famed for his exploits over obstacles, having won at the Cheltenham Festival and been placed at Grade One level in novice chase company.
Back on the level though, The Shunter teamed up with James Doyle in the two-and-a-quarter-mile contest which offered over £103,000 to the winner.
Doyle rode The Shunter (14/1) with restraint in the early exchanges, making stealthy headway before pushing to the front two furlongs out.
Top weight Tashkhan had been prominent throughout but he was eager for a battle, pushing The Shunter all the way through the closing stages while Pied Piper, another National Hunt runner moving back to the Flat, made a late grab for glory inside the distance.
However, The Shunter dug deep to prevail by three-quarters of length from Pied Piper, with Tashkhan (25/1) a further head back in third and 100/1 shot Bashful Boy grabbing fourth.
