Arabian Crown might not show much at home on the gallops but demonstrated once again that he saves his best for the racetrack when advertising his Classic credentials with a decisive success in the Ghaiyyath Zetland Stakes at Newmarket today, Dubai Future Champions Day.
Having seen Ancient Wisdom enhance his Betfred Derby profile earlier on the card in the Autumn Stakes, Godolphin handler Charlie Appleby saw the son of Dubawi throw his hat into the ring for the Epsom Downs Classic when turning the Group Three contest into a procession.
Sent straight into the lead by champion jockey William Buick victory for the 10-11 Favourite never looked in doubt with the pair travelling supremely well into the business part of the mile-and-a-quarter contest.
As each of his three rivals began to feel the pressure Arabian Crown continued to bound on the further the race went before defeating Gasper De Lemos by five and a half lengths to see his priced more than halved for the Betfred Derby by William Hill, who trimmed him into 12-1 from 25-1.
Appleby said: "It was a big weekend for us in respects that the three horses we were confident about was the filly (Dance Sequence) yesterday and the two today and they have all gone and won impressively. We have got some nice horses going into the winter.
"This horse as it stands, on what he has achieved, and on his pedigree has more of a Derby profile. We will be going down more of the Derby route, and he could be a Dante horse or one we look at one of the other Derby trials.
"He is a very hard horse to assess this fellow as he is not a work horse and we have always said that. James (Doyle) rode him in work last week and he was out at the back of the gallop, whereas Ancient Wisdom does travel, and he has a bit more natural pace.
"To be fair Ryan (Moore) his horse came (Gasper De Lemos) and the pair of them were going at it early, but this horse picked up, but he didn't just do that he quickened. This horse has won a Listed race and won a Group Three so on paper he is a better horse. I will put him away now for the year.
"One of our two previous Derby winners was a decent two-year-old winning the Solario Stakes in Masar, and this fellow has a slightly different profile.
"He has a pedigree that suggests stepping up to the mile and a half as a three-year-old will suit him. He is an exciting horse there is no doubt about it."
Later on the card, Highland Avenue took time out of his day job to secure a deserved first Group race success when completing a 20-1 treble for trainer Charlie Appleby and jockey William Buick at Newmarket today 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 William Buick.
Once in command Highland Avenue swiftly put matters to bed before striding on to secure victory by four lengths to complete a hat-trick of winners for Appleby on the day along with providing champion jockey Buick with his third winner on the card.
Appleby said: "Fair play to him he as he led all those good horses like Adayar and Hurricane Lane earlier in the year, and he came up here and led Adayar in a gallop before he won, so coming back to this track on this ground we were confident he would run a big race and he deserved to win one himself.
"He came up here and won the Feilden as a three-year-old. He is bred to be a good horse. He has not been a frustrating horse, but after the Feilden we sort of lost our way slightly. This year he has been a hell of a lead horse for us, and that is predominately what his job has been for the season.
"We came to this time of year and we felt the race was there to suit him in respects to the trip and ground how it was turning out to be so we thought he would be a player today.
"It is great for him to win a race like that as he ran a solid race in the Diomed to be fair and the last run at Newbury we decided to change our tactics and hold him up thinking he might enjoy it a bit more running at horses, but it didn't work.
"Needless to say, we came back to being a bit more positive today and it has worked.
"William has said he has still got plenty of life about him as he dragged him to the two (furlong pole) and he never felt like he was going to get beaten.
"He will probably just stay around here, and we will see him in the spring back on the Limekilns!"
