Unbeaten Ancient Truth now 16/1 for Betfred 2000 Guineas

Ancient Truth enhanced his growing reputation by providing trainer Charlie Appleby with a fifth victory in the bet365 Superlative Stakes at Newmarket.

Since breaking his duck with Boynton in 2016, the Moulton Paddocks handler has saddled a trio of subsequent Group One winners to land this Group Two prize in Quorto (2018), Master Of The Seas (2020) and Native Trail (2021).

A son of Dubawi, who also won the Superlative in 2004, Ancient Truth had looked a smart prospect in winning his first two starts on the two different Newmarket tracks and was a 4-6 favourite to complete his hat-trick in the hands of William Buick.

After initially being settled in fifth of the six runners, the youngster made his move racing inside the final couple of furlongs and was soon in front without being asked for maximum effort.

Buick resorted to his whip to make sure of victory late on, with Seagulls Eleven running a fine race to emerge best of the rest, but Ancient Truth was well on top as he passed the post with a length and a half in hand.

Appleby and Buick were completing a treble on the card following the triumphs of Desert Flower and First Conquest earlier in the afternoon.

Coral cut Ancient Truth’s odds for next year’s 2000 Guineas to 16-1 from 25-1.

“I’m delighted and he is still learning plenty. I could not see much natural pace in the race and I told William to ride him like a good horse. William has made the right decision and tried to get some cover. Full credit to the horse. He appreciated the ground and is definitely going the right way.

“Shane Fetherstonhaugh has ridden plenty of our better horses and I always respect what he says. He came in and said he wasn’t happy with him before his first two starts and the horse still went and won. This morning he said he was delighted with him which made me nervous!

“I think the mile will be his maximum and I think we will work back from the Guineas now.

“He is up there with our best two-year-olds and I’d have been disappointed if we’d got beat today.” 

"It's a race where you find out a bit and it always produces a good horse," said Buick.

"It was a very pleasing performance and I think he did everything that you could ask for.

"He's pretty sharp and this year I don't think he'll go beyond seven furlongs and into next year there will be plenty of options for a mile."