Ruler Of The World

1st-Jun-2013

I think that Dawn Approach is a fair bit shorter than he should be, and that there is therefore plenty of value to be had among his opponents at current prices.

Jim Bolger’s horse is obviously a top class colt, but he is a top class miler. His trainer didn’t even have him entered in the Derby – he never viewed him as a 12-furlong horse last season – before Sheikh Mohammed bought 51% of him. He was actually supplemented to the race just last month.

Dawn Approach won the first juvenile race of the turf season in Ireland in March 2012. He also won the Coventry Stakes, which is a race that spawns sprinters and milers, but not usually middle distance horses. He is by Derby winner New Approach, but his dam is all speed, and she is by Phone Trick, an influence for speed and precocity.

You can make a case for his stamina on breeding, he has Pleasant Colony and Alydar and Sea-Bird in his pedigree. You can also point to the fact that he is so relaxed in his races that he gives himself every chance of seeing out a trip, and that he hit the line strongly in the Guineas. But the Derby is another 50% further than the Guineas, and the fact that his extremely astute trainer didn’t view him as a Derby horse last year is highly significant.

If he stays the trip, he will probably win, and there is a chance that he will stay, but it is more likely that he won’t, and at his price, he is a horse to take on in the Derby in my book …

… Magician will have a big chance if he lines up in the race. He showed an impressive turn of foot and ran all the way to the line in the Dee Stakes at Chester over 10 furlongs, and he shaped like a classy individual when he won the Irish Guineas on Saturday. However, there is still a stamina worry about him, and it is a big ask, to go and win the Derby just seven days after winning an Irish Guineas. He is weak on Betfair this morning, and I am leaving him alone at no better than 5/1.

Of the other Aidan O’Brien horses, while Battle Of Marengo and Mars both have chances, I think that Ruler Of The World is the one who is most over-priced at 12/1. The Galileo colt didn’t run as a juvenile, he obviously needed a little more time than most to come to himself. But he was better than workmanlike in winning his maiden over 10 furlongs at The Curragh in April on his racecourse debut, and he was impressive in landing the Chester Vase.

There was a lot to like about that performance. He handled the turns well, even though he was being ridden around the home turn, and he cleared away impressively, getting stronger as the race progressed and clocking a time that was only marginally comparatively slower than the time that the five-year-old Danadana clocked in winning the Group 3 Huxley Stakes a half an hour earlier.

He could be a St Leger horse, he may just lack the pace for the Derby, but he may have enough, especially if the ground comes up on the easy side. It is currently good, good to soft in places, and there is more rain forecast for today, with dry conditions due to come in on Friday and Saturday, so the Derby may be run on good or fast ground. But if it does happen to rain again, it could get testing, and that would be ideal for Ruler Of The World.

He is immaculately-bred, by Galileo out of the Kingmambo mare Love Me True, which makes him a half-bother to multiple Group 1 winner Duke Of Marmalade who himself progressed with age. The Chester Vase was just Ruler Of The World’s second run ever, and he should progress from it. He has a big chance.

RULER OF THE WORLD WON (ADV 12/1, SP 7/1)

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