Godolphin warm-up for Arc weekend with a sweet double in France

Dubai: Godolphin handler Charlie Appleby saddled a notable one-two in the Group 3 Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud, France, on Friday with King’s Command and Royal Crusade.

Dubawi gelding King’s Command made all under Mickael Barzalona and found an extra gear approaching the final quarter-mile to quicken and pull clear for a three-and-a-half length victory on very soft ground.

The runner-up was ridden by William Buick who has a major assignment on Sunday at Longchamp, also in France, when he partners recent German scorer Ghaiyyath in the prestigious Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

The Appleby-trained Dubawi colt is the highest-rated four-year-old in the world following a pulverising 14-length victory in the Group 1 Grosser Preis von Baden at Baden-Baden, Germany, on September 1.