Ancient Truth and Desert Flower set for Dewhurst and Fillies' Mile
By Graham Clark
14:04 · SUN October 06, 2024
Charlie Appleby insists there will be "no excuses" if Ancient Truth surrenders his unbeaten record in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday.
The son of Dubawi will bid to follow in the hoofprints of Pinatubo (2019) and Native Trail (2021) and give the Godolphin handler a third success in the Group One prize.
However, among those standing in his way in the seven furlong contest will be the Aidan O'Brien-trained The Lion In The, who is the current ante-post favourite for both next year's Betfred 2000 Guineas and Betfred Derby.
Ancient Truth has not been sighted since running out the winner of the Group Two bet365 Superlative Stakes on the July Course after Appleby decided against giving his promising star an outing in last month’s Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes.
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But despite Ancient Truth having a three month absence to overcome, Appleby believes his rising star has benefited from the break and has plenty in his favour with the form of his last race looking particularly strong.
Appleby said: “Ancient Truth has done nothing wrong to date and the form of his Superlative Stakes win has been boosted of late with the third that day, Wimbledon Hawkeye, coming out and winning the Royal Lodge.
“I was going to look at going down the National Stakes route with him, but I just felt he wasn’t a horse that was as robust as some of those who could have done a National Stakes and a Dewhurst Stakes.
“If I was going to pick a race to aim for it was always going to be here and the one which is on our doorstep.
"Physically he has done very well since winning the Superlative Stakes and he looks great.
“I’m pleased with him and we will give it a good go. I will have no excuses coming up here next weekend with him.”
A first Fillies' Mile for the trainer?
Twenty four hours before Ancient Truth graces the Rowley Mile stablemate Desert Flower will put her unbeaten record on the line when attempting to give Appleby a breakthrough success in the Group One bet365 Fillies’ Mile.
And Appleby believes that the Night Of Thunder filly is the one they all have to beat following her success in last month’s Group Two Betfred May Hill Stakes at Doncaster.
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Appleby added: “Desert Flower worked very well yesterday morning and I’m very pleased with her. She is improving all the time and she is going to be a filly for next year, but she goes to the Fillies’ Mile as a worthy favourite.
“Some people were probably expecting it to be a more emphatic win in the May Hill, but she is just learning on the job and she was still pricking her ears in that.
“Travelling up there was a new experience for her and she gained a lot from that run. I feel she will put that to good use when she steps up into Group One company on Friday.
“I’ve not won a Fillies’ Mile and her victory in the May Hill was the first time that I’d won that. We’ve probably not had a real decent filly since the likes of Wild Illusion and Wuheida. It is nice having a filly like her for sure.
“Hopefully she turns up there in good order and as it stands is probably the one to beat.”
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