Distant Storm impresses in the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket

Appleby colt shortens for 2000 Guineas

Distant Storm stamped his authority on his six rivals with a commanding performance in the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes, the feature race on the opening day of Newmarket’s three-day Cambridgeshire meeting.

The Charlie Appleby-trained colt failed to settle when third behind Gewan in the Acomb Stakes at York when last seen but produced a much more polished display here which saw him shorten to a general 14/1 chance for next May's Classic.

William Buick was able to settle his mount – who was sent off the 6/5 favourite - towards the rear of the field with Northern Champion, as the winner’s stablemate Catullus helped set the pace with Commander’s Intent.

Catullus struck for home three furlongs out but he was always being tracked by Distant Storm on the far side and it was the Night of Thunder colt who quickly settled the race in a manner of strides inside the final furlong, eventually coming four and three quarter lengths clear of Commander’s Intent (12/1) who narrowly took second place from the running-on Archer Royal. Catullus was fourth.

Following the race, Distant Storm was trimmed into 14/1 for next year’s Betfred 2000 Guineas by Paddy Power, who also cut him into 6/1 for the Darley Dewhurst Stakes back at the track next month which Appleby hinted was his next likely target.

Appleby said: “He was a nice breeze-up horse from Deauville as we know. We went to Newmarket and we expected to run well, and he went and won, and the race worked out very well.

“We went to the Acomb, and it is not the first time I’ve got one beat in the Acomb, but on that day we saw something that was my mistake.

“William was keen to get a pitch on him and to do that he asked him from the gates. I’d only ever seen him once at home be keen and that was when he was on the lead.

“We were adamant today that win, lose, or draw we would just drop him in and let the race develop in front of him and in doing so we have seen the acceleration we have seen today.

“The question is do we run him in a Dewhurst. We will see how he comes out of this, but my original impression is to look at the Dewhurst.”

And equally impressed with the display was Classic winning rider Buick, who believes the victory was an important one for the 1.9 million euros breeze-up buy.

Buick said: “That was much better. Plan A today was to get him relaxed and make sure he did it the right way around, which he did.

“At York he was out of character. He just raced too keenly in the Acomb and he didn’t get home. Today, it was much more like him and he is back on track. He is a nice horse and he will just keep on progressing.

“It was a good performance and he has got gears. He is a horse we have always held in high regard. That wasn’t a surprise, but equally it was important for us to get him to do everything right today.

“I’m sure the Dewhurst will be discussed between Charlie, Sheikh Mohammed and the team and that is obviously now under consideration.”

Timeform reaction

by David Cleary

Distant Storm came good at the second time of asking in pattern company, producing a most taking performance in landing the Tattersalls Stakes, his effort sufficiently impressive to see him promoted towards the head of the ante-post Guineas market. On initial assessment, he looks to have run to a level better than any winner of the race since his stable won it with the subsequent Poulains winner Modern Games in 2021.

Distant Storm had been a short-priced favourite for the Acomb Stakes at York last month, but failed to settle there and could manage only third. With a much smaller crowd and a quieter atmosphere compared to York, Distant Storm was nicely relaxed in the paddock and going to the start. He was also given a much more patient ride, switched off at the back of the field and picking up well when produced by Buick.

Distant Storm won't have any problem staying a mile, though a return to Newmarket for the Dewhurst seems the most likely option if he's to run again this autumn. He's improved physically since his debut in a maiden on the July course 11 weeks ago – that race working out supremely well – and it will be interesting to see how he develops over the winter.

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