Charlie Appleby© Photo Healy Racing
Leading Qipco 2000 Guineas contender One Ruler pleased Charlie Appleby in a racecourse workout on Wednesday.
Partnered by Kieren Fallon, the Vertem Futurity Trophy runner-up enjoyed a seven-furlong exercise on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket alongside stablemate Well Of Wisdom
Appleby said: “I was very pleased with that. He has been to Chelmsford and it was very kind of Newmarket to let us do this. He wasn’t going to go for a trial as he has got enough experience already on his CV and he has justified himself to turn up straight to a Guineas.
“We were very pleased with what we saw at Chelmsford, but after discussing with Kieren Fallon, who has ridden him a lot at home, we just felt that we would like to get him on the turf and get a nice spin into him around the time of the Guineas trials.
“We have now got a nice piece into him and that puts us where we need to be. He hasn’t missed a beat all winter and we will now just go through his normal routine until the Guineas. Kieren explained that he handles that dip flawlessly and he already has the experience of being a course and distance winner, so he ticks a lot of boxes.
“We can all bring a horse like this up here to beat an 80-rated horse — Well Of Wisdom is rated 106 and is no mug, but he found that quite straightforward. We were not here to see him gallop away by 20 lengths — it was just nice to give him a day out.”
He added: “On the back of winning the Autumn Stakes people start talking about the Derby, but the first thing we are looking at is the Guineas and that’s the target.
“I don’t think he is a stayer as he has got stronger over the winter. I’m very pleased with the way he has done physically. He was a little bit slow coming to hand, but I think we have had a hard winter.
“I couldn’t be happier with what I’ve seen over the last six weeks or so. He has stepped up his work and he has answered every question that we have put to him so far.”
