Native Trail retained his unbeaten record in the Group One Darley Dewhurst Stakes, completing trebles for Charlie Appleby, William Buick and Godolphin.
It had already been a good day at Newmarket for Appleby and Godolphin courtesy of Goldspur and Coroebus but victory for Native Trail was the icing on the cake.
Already a Group One winner in the National Stakes at the Curragh, it wasn't all plain sailing for the son of Oasis Dream who never appeared to be on the bridle for Buick and was trapped on the rail behind early pacesetters Dubawi Legend and Straight Answer.
The latter, who had been supplemented for the race, weakened fairly tamely allowing Buick to switch his mount to the outside of Dubawi Legend having initially looked for a gap against the rail.
Once in the clear, the 5/6 favourite picked up strongly to beat Dubawi Legend by two lengths with the patiently ridden Bayside Boy coming from last to finish half a length further back in third.
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"He's a gorgeous horse, tonnes of ability," Buick told ITV Racing.
"A messy race. I expected it to be a messy race. It was a race tactically that was hard to get a handle on.
"I expected it to be a tactical race and it was and we ended up coming over to this rail and went slow and this horse, wherever I asked him to go he went and he hit the rising ground really well.
"He's deservedly champion two-year-old.
"(He could be) Absolutely anything. You want to see how he comes out of these races, he's a real man you know. He's a big horse already. He does it all. He minds himself at home and brings it on in the afternoon."
Appleby is now leading the way in the trainers' championship and told Oli Bell: "Walking round the paddock I was getting more confidence because I thought he was the standout.
"It's a big team effort. We've got a fantastic horse on our hands for next year's Guineas and we're in a very fortunate position to be in going into the winter with two fantastic colts.
"His work at home prior to the National Stakes, you wouldn't be getting too excited but he's that sort of horse, he warms into a race and does it all the right way round and that's what we saw again today.
“There’s a lot more to come, you’d like to say, but he (Native Trail) is unbeaten with two Group Ones. I’m not going to get too carried away.
“He’s a big boy, 540 kilos, and came in at that weight from the breeze-ups. Full credit to the team who purchased him, and Norman Williamson who consigned him. Since then, Norman has taken a keen interest.
“Norman said after the National Stakes he still didn’t know what he was doing – and he was correct, because his work at home wasn’t too exciting, but he warms into a race and does it the right way round.
“I was confident once William gave him the office he would pick up well.”
🤔 Are you with Native Trail or Coroebus for the Guineas? Our man @BenLinfoot was more taken by the latter...
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) October 9, 2021
🗣️ "Both look very talented colts and both have Classic aspirations next year. But I prefer Coroebus for the Guineas and see him as the best long-term prospect"
He added: “I don’t know if he’ll have a trial. We’ll try and split them up, but we’ll look forward to the spring.
“I’ve never put him anywhere near Coroebus at home – they are different types. Coroebus travels very well and has a smart turn of foot, whereas this horse does things in a different manner."
Both colts are among the leading ante-post players for next season's Classics and Sky Bet's Michael Shinners said: "Native Trail is 7/2 unchanged for the 2000 Guineas after a very professional performance.
"Charlie Appleby holds an incredibly strong hand with Coroebus now 5/1 from 10/1 after his victory earlier in the card."
Appleby has been in a similar position with Pinatubo, who rounded off an unbeaten two year old campaign with victory in the 2019 Dewhurst, however the Classic-winning handler feels he is dealing with two different types.
He said: “He has more scope than Pinatubo who was a set two year old. I’ve always felt this horse was a man against the boys.
“He has got a bit more stature to himself. They are two different animals and pedigrees.
“This one going into the winter you would say has got a slightly better profile than Pinatubo but that is up for discussion and debate.”
Equally as delighted with the victory was Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning rider Williamson who described Native Trail as a “superstar” after selling him to Godolphin at this year’s Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale in April
Williamson added: “I bought him this time last year as a yearling and brought him back here for the breeze-up sale.
“He is obviously a superstar. I’m convinced, and Charlie knows better than anyone, that the further this horse goes the better he will get.
“He looked beat in The Dip and came home better than anything and he did that in the Curragh the last day. He looked beat then flew home.
“He races behind the bridle and is a bit lazy but he has always been like that.”
Timeform's David Cleary Verdict:
A perfect afternoon for Godolphin on the Dubai-sponsored card at Newmarket, all three two-year-old Pattern events going to Charlie Appleby-trained juveniles. Native Trail in the Dewhurst was the obvious headliner, but Coroebus in winning the Autumn Stakes also staked his claim to be considered a serious contender for the Guineas next spring.
To start with Native Trail, who had already shown form good enough to win an average Dewhurst in landing the National Stakes at the Curragh last time. In beating Dubawi Legend two lengths in the Dewhurst, Native Trail probably didn't have to better that effort, though he confirmed his position as the leading two year old, the form well up to standard.
Dubawi Legend had the run of the race, in front next to the rail, but showed his running when a short price for the Acomb last time to be all wrong; however, Native Trail picked him off pretty easily and essentially won with a bit in hand. None of the others trying to get on terms managed to get to the pacemaker.
A strapping sort – two sizes bigger than Pinatubo, the stable's previous Dewhurst winner – Native Trail has exactly the right credentials to make a top three year old. He's not particularly stoutly bred, but an extra furlong in the Guineas ought to be well within his compass.
The intriguing question on the afternoon is whether Coroebus would have won the Dewhurst, had he contested that rather than the Autumn Stakes. The form of the Autumn Stakes isn't so good as that for the Dewhurst, fairly obviously, but he ran to a level on a par with Dubawi Legend. What's more, the manner in which Coroebus quickened from the rear was really taking, given a much more measured ride than when beaten in the Royal Lodge, which suggests, indeed he could have won the main race. Coroebus is a big, powerfully-built colt as well, one with a superb pedigree, and the Guineas ought to be ideal for him.
