CHARLIE Appleby has confirmed Ruling Court will target classic glory this season – although whether that will include the 2000 Guineas has yet to be decided.

The Justify colt – who cost €2.3million at the Arqana breeze-up sales – returned to action with a very impressive display under William Buick at Meydan on Saturday, his first start since finishing third to The Lion In Winter and Wimbledon Hawkeye at York in August.

Ruling Court holds a Derby engagement and is expected to get further than a mile being out of a High Chaparral mare.

“I think Ruling Court will continue to develop and we will go back to Europe with a sharper model,” Appleby said.

“I never want to get too excited in the immediate aftermath, but we anticipated him being a 10-furlong horse, so whether we go to the Dante or take in the Guineas beforehand, we’ll see.”

However, the filly Mountain Breeze is more likely to be aimed for the French Guineas.

She was also in winning action on the Super Saturday card, scoring by the best part of four lengths.

Appleby told the Godolphin website: “I think we will look towards the French 1000 Guineas for Mountain Breeze.

“She won her first two starts on the Rowley Mile, but hated the dip on both occasions, and I don’t see her running in the Guineas there.”

Four-timer

The Buick/Appleby four-timer was made up of Nations Pride faring better than his stable companion First Conquest and favourite in the Group 2 Singspiel Stakes, winning by a length and a quarter over the nine furlongs and the five-year-old Silver Knott, making all and justifying odds-on favouritism by two lengths in the Group 2 Dubai City Of Gold.

The rest of the card saw a double for Tadhg O’Shea and trainer Bhupat Seemar, with favourite Imperial Emperor in the 10-furlong Group 2 Al Maktoum Classic on dirt and odds-on Tuz in the Group 3 Mahab Al Shimaal over six on the dirt.

There was a shock in the Group 3 Burj Naahar with Dylan Browne McMonagle partnering the Nicolas Caullery-trained Fort Payne to a 33/1 success from two other outsiders.

The Group 3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint brought British-trained success for Callum Shepherd and trainer George Scott when the odds-on favourite West Acre got going late to overhaul Ponntos who had looked the winner, the Mehmas three-year-old winning by three-quarters of a length.