Noble Truth repels all challengers to land back-to-back Jersey wins for Appleby

Noble Truth: winner of the Jersey Stakes

Edward Whitaker

Saturday: Jersey Stakes, Royal Ascot

Charlie Appleby gave Australia a taste of their own medicine in the Platinum Jubilee with a memorable one-two, and the Godolphin trainer will bid to do the same later this year in Sydney after nominating the Golden Eagle as a likely target for Jersey Stakes winner Noble Truth.

The classy three-year-old arrived fresh from a gelding operation and proved gritty from the front to secure back-to-back wins in the race for Appleby, following in the footsteps of subsequent Champions Sprint winner Creative Force.

Appleby believes Noble Truth is an ideal first candidate to tackle Australia’s third richest race worth Au$10 million (£5.67 million/€6.61 million) for the yard at Rosehill on October 29.

Of the three British and Irish-trained runners to contest the 7½f event, the Richard Hannon-trained Beat Le Bon fared best when sixth in the inaugural running in 2019.

The trainer said: “I’ve been trying to find a horse for the Golden Eagle in Australia and he might just be ticking a few boxes for that. We might try and build him up nicely to there, he’s versatile regarding ground and seven furlongs is the perfect trip for him.

Noble Truth streaks to victory in the Jersey Stakes

Alan Crowhurst

“We felt gelding him was the right thing to do. He was in a better rhythm out there today and I didn’t expect him to find as much as he did. He’s going the right way again and William [Buick] gave him a great ride.”

Noble Truth was smartly away and travelled nicely – without being too keen as had been the case previously – through the race. Frankie Dettori’s mount Samburu looked a threat on his inner and headed the winner two furlongs out, but his run flattened out and Noble Truth found for pressure, holding the staying-on Find by a length with Dubai Poet a neck back in third.

Buick, celebrating a fourth winner of the week and second Jersey success after Ribchester in 2016, said: “Noble Truth was much more professional after being gelded. He has so much energy and he managed to channel it in the right direction. He has lots of speed and today I was able to ride him a little bit, whereas in the past I’ve been a passenger on him.

“I wanted to go right on the stands’ rail but he was looking at the crowd and shying away from it a little. Frankie [Dettori] came upsides and headed me but that really helped my lad get motivated.

“He was very tenacious and we’ve always thought a lot of him; he certainly has ability.”

Find was the lowest-rated horse in the 15-runner field but belied his 40-1 odds to post a career-best effort.

His jockey David Egan said: “It was a brave shout by the team to run him in this, but it was a great performance. He does a lot on the bridle but actually found for me today and galloped all the way to the line.”

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FIRST PUBLISHED 3:25PM, JUN 18 2022