3 minute read

Charlie Appleby’s Arabian Crown recorded the second victory of his career when a smooth winner of the Listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury on Wednesday.

Arabian Crown made some eye-catching late headway when second to the exciting Starlore on debut at Sandown and confirmed that initial promise by getting off the mark in comfortable style at the same venue second-time-out.

The well-bred son of Dubawi seemingly relished the step up to a mile when running out a ready winner of the Listed Stonehenge Stakes this afternoon.

Richard Hannon's Son ensured there would be no hiding place for the juveniles as Pat Dobbs set solid fractions out in front, but William Buick always looked to have the front-runner covered and Arabian Crown loomed upsides with two furlongs to run.

Arabian Crown struck the entering the final two furlongs and stretched clear to score by a decisive two-and-a-quarter lengths from the well-backed market leader Arabic Legend, who played up entering the gates and hung left-handed under Oisin Murphy in the closing stages.

Speaking with Racing TV's Tom Stanley, William Buick said: "I think this [one mile] is a nice trip for him now as a two-year-old but I'm sure next year he will get further."

It was a third-straight success in the Listed contest for trainer Charlie Appleby and as was the case with last year's winner Flying Honours, a tilt at the Royal Lodge could be on the cards.

"Absolutely!": Buick added when asked to give his thoughts on a run in the Royal Lodge.

"You would hope that the progress and improvement that he's made from his two runs in novices give him every reason to improve again."

Paddy Power cut the winner from 33/1 to 20/1 for 2000 Guineas success at Newmarket next year.