Emotionless showed his class once again as he powered to a comfortable win in the Group Two At The Races Champagne Stakes over seven furlongs at Doncaster on Saturday.
The Charlie Appleby-trained two-year-old, stepping up in class following an easy win in a Newmarket maiden on his August 7 debut, broke well and was soon covered up behind the leaders, racing a bit keenly.
He moved powerfully into the race and cruised up on the bridle to join the leader Ibn Malik a furlong and a half from home.
William Buick asked Emotionless to extend inside the final furlong and he immediately opened up daylight over his rivals before winning by three-and-a-half lengths.
A delighted Appleby said: “Emotionless has an immense amount of talent and the fact that he is still able to show it while he’s still learning is very good.
“He’s shown today that he can act on easier ground, which is a bit of a relief as these are the conditions he’ll get heading into the autumn.
“He is in the Dewhurst (Group One, 7f, Newmarket) and the Racing Post Trophy (Group One, 1m, Doncaster) back here, but he has so much pace that we will stick to the seven-furlong route at Newmarket. He travels extremely well and there is no need to stretch him to a mile just yet – we can leave that to next year.
“He is a very exciting horse, with the natural ability to show what he can do even when he’s still growing up. I am delighted for all the team and delighted for the boss.”
Meanwhile, Bondi Beach finished second to Simple Verse in the St Leger, only for the favourite to be awarded the closing classic of the season after a stewards inquiry.
Looks a nice horse in the making, Emotionless winning the Grp 2 Champagne Stakes at Doncaster #stleger pic.twitter.com/m6fDpPwPsy
— SHARON CHAPMAN (@FastTrackPhotog) September 12, 2015
Simple Verse beat Aidan O’Brien’s runner by a head in a pulsating finish but the filly was deemed guilty of interference, with the placings of the first two home reversed after a tense post-race hearing.
The revised result was greeted by boos from some in the crowd, with Simple Verse’s jockey Andrea Atzeni visibly upset at the verdict and trainer Ralph Beckett dismayed.
“Both horses leaned on each other, can you really say it was her fault?” Beckett said.
“I don’t think I can answer that question, can anyone else? One thing is certain – we will appeal.”
For O’Brien this was a fifth win in the oldest classic.
