TDN RISING STARS

October 1, 2022 - Newmarket, Race 4, Msw, GBP £10,000, 8.0F, .0000

Imperial Emperor (Ire), C, 2, 2020 by Dubawi (Ire)

1st Dam: Zhukova (Ire) (GISW-US, MGSW-Ire, $499,594), by Fastnet Rock (Aus)
2nd Dam: Nightime (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
3rd Dam: Caumshinaun (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire)

Owner: Godolphin
Breeder: Godolphin (Ire)
Trainer: Charlie Appleby

In amongst the group-race action on Saturday, Godolphin unveiled the deeply-promising Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to become Charlie Appleby's latest TDN Rising Star on debut at Newmarket. Sent off the 13-8 favourite for the Prestige Vehicles British EBF Maiden S. over a mile, the son of the GI Man o' War S. heroine Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) travelled strongly behind the early leaders for William Buick after a tardy break and moved forward with ease to take control passing three out. Sent clear running down into the dip, the relative of Dubawi's Ghaiyyath (Ire) powered out of it to score by 3 1/2 lengths from the William Haggas-trained Attaj (Ire) (Caravaggio), with a neck back to the third A Dublin Lad (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), the John and Thady Gosden-trained half-brother to the G2 Hungerford S. winner Sacred (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}). "He has been doing the right things at home and has put in some nice work," Appleby said. "He saw the mile out well, but we will probably put him away for the winter now. I just think after we have given him all that time to come to hand, there is no point going again. He is one we would try to pop out early in the spring in another novice event, then hopefully look at a Derby trial after that." Buick added, "He showed a good bit of pace there and I really liked the way he travelled down into the dip." Zhukova, a high-class performer for Dermot Weld who also captured the G3 Kilternan S. and G3 Blue Wind S. but who was soft-ground-dependent, produced as her first foal this stable's 3-year-old Dubawi colt First Ruler (GB) who has already shown form in competitive handicaps to suggest he can win a group race in the near future. The second dam is the Welds' G1 Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Nightime (Ire), one of Galileo's early stars who provided these connections with their best Dubawi to date in Ghaiyyath who also broke his maiden here before dazzling in the G1 Juddmonte International, G1 Eclipse, G1 Coronation Cup and G1 Grosser Preis von Baden. Zhukova is also kin to the Listed Salsabil S.-placed Sleeping Beauty (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who produced the GIII With Anticipation S. runner-up Irish Territory (Ire) (Declaration of War), while another half-sibling La Chapelle (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) is responsible for the recent Listed Curragh S. scorer Mauiewowie (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}). Also connected to the G2 American Jockey Club Cup and G2 Meguro Kinen winner King of Koji (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and the G3 Prix Cleopatre scorer Harajuku (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) who has placed in the GIII Orchid S., GIII The Very One S. and the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational, Zhukova has a yearling colt by Shamardal and a filly foal by Lope De Vega (Ire). 4th-Newmarket, ?10,000, Mdn, 10-1, 2yo, 8fT, 1:38.92, g/s. IMPERIAL EMPEROR (IRE), c, 2, by Dubawi (Ire) 1st Dam: Zhukova (Ire) (GISW-US, MGSW-Ire, $499,594), by Fastnet Rock (Aus) 2nd Dam: Nightime (Ire), by Galileo (Ire) 3rd Dam: Caumshinaun (Ire), by Indian Ridge (Ire) Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $6,031. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.