Tag: Charlie Appleby

Derby Winner Adayar to Miss Eclipse with Appleby Looking at King George Instead

Last year's Derby winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) will will miss the Coral-Eclipse S. at Sandown, according to his trainer Charlie Appleby, who has nominated the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot next month as the most likely destination for the 4-year-old's return. 

Adayar has not run this season and had already been ruled out of the Coronation Cup at Epsom after suffering a minor setback. 

However, Appleby has reported Adayar to be back in full work and, while he won't be ready in time for the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot or the Eclipse, the trainer is optimistic that he will make the King George VI.

Appleby said, “We have decided to bypass the Eclipse at Sandown and head straight to the King George VI at Ascot with Adayar.

“He is back in full work and doing well, but we want to allow him plenty of time to build back up to race fitness.”

 

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A Modern Phenomenon At Chantilly

While only Sea the Stars (Ire) has been able to win a 2000 Guineas and Derby in the same year since Nashwan did it in 1989, there have been four colts able to carry their superior miling speed over the 10 1/2-furlong trip of the new “French Derby” at Chantilly and complete the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains-G1 Prix du Jockey Club double. While the purists rave on without end about the fact that the initiative to shave the distance from a mile and a half means that the Qatar-sponsored Classic is “no longer a Derby”, France has itself a unique brace of contests which appeals as diverse and individualistic. Few would argue that Shamardal would have stayed 12 furlongs well enough to win the old version and nor would his son Lope de Vega (Ire), or Brametot (Ire) (Rajsaman {Fr}) or St Mark's Basilica (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}). So the dramatic move to break tradition in 2005 has undeniably achieved what it set out to do and the latest to attempt the double on Sunday is Godolphin's Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

 

Rain, Rain, Stay Away

Charlie Appleby's season goes from strength-to-strength and Modern Games has already played a key role with his May 15 Poulains victory providing the middle part of an unprecedented European 2000 Guineas treble for Godolphin. Strong at the mile at ParisLongshamp, as he had been at Del Mar, he is bred to get this trip but if the ground turns testing it may stretch the elastic too far. “Modern Games heads back to France in great order. He is the horse in the field with the Classic credentials behind him and we are looking forward to seeing him over this distance, which we feel is within his compass,” his trainer said. “We are slightly on weather watch with the rain, but hopefully they don't get too much. It would obviously be a negative if it became soft, because he prefers a quicker surface and it would start to bring stamina into play.”

 

The Rising Star Contingent

Heading the opposition to Modern Games are the TDN Rising Stars Onesto (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Lassaut (Fr) (Almanzor {Fr}), with the former sporting Jean-Pierre-Joseph Dubois's silks and the latter representing Riviera Equine SARL and Haras d'Etreham. Onesto emerged as a force to be reckoned with when dominating the G2 Prix Greffulhe at Saint-Cloud May 8 and while he has a horror draw, he is one who can be switched off and produced late. Lassaut, who beat the Poulains third Tribalist (GB) (Farhh {GB}) over a mile here Mar. 9 before taking a conditions event at ParisLongchamp Apr. 21, was an eye-catching fifth behind Modern Games in the Classic and is bred to come into his own over this longer trip.

 

Three More For Rouget

Alongside Lassaut, Jean-Claude Rouget also saddles a pair of Al Shaqab colourbearers in the Apr. 17 G3 Prix de Fontainebleau winner Welwal (GB) (Shalaa {Ire}) and May 3 Listed Prix de Suresnes winner Al Hakeem (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), who suffered reverse fortunes when the draw was redone on Thursday. Welwal, who was sixth in the Poulains, lacks the obvious stamina leaning in his pedigree that Al Hakeem enjoys so a revised low draw will have helped his cause. Rouget's other major player is The Aga Khan's impressive May 10 G3 Prix de Guiche scorer Vadeni (Fr) (Churchill {Ire}), who has the advantage of stall two but needs a strong pace to run at.

 

The Supporting Cast

Sunday's undercard boasts the signature G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly, where Sheikh Abdulla bin Khalifa Al Thani's progressive May 12 G3 Prix d'Hedouville scorer Mutabahi (Fr) (French Fifteen {Fr}) meets last year's G1 Prix Ganay hero Mare Australis (Ire) (Australia {GB}); the G2 Prix de Sandringham with Lael Stable's G1 Criterium International third Purplepay (Fr) (Zarak {Fr}) taking centre stage; the G3 Prix de Royaumont playing host to Ecurie Ama Zingteam's May 15 Listed Prix de la Seine winner Hidden Dimples (Ire) (Frankel {GB}); the G2 Prix du Gros-Chene featuring the unexposed Joseph O'Brien-trained Listed Sole Power Sprint S.-winning 3-year-old filly Brostaigh (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}); and the Listed Prix la Fleche for the juveniles in which Vicious Harry (Fr) looks to provide Harry Angel (Ire) with a first black-type winner.

Click here for the group fields.

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‘There’s Only One Derby’ – Appleby Leaning Towards Supplementing Nations Pride

Charlie Appleby has hinted at supplementing Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) for the Cazoo Derby on Saturday week and suggested that the decision hinges on how the colt performs in a key piece of work on Wednesday morning.

Nations Pride has won his last four starts and, while he did not take part in the gallops morning at Epsom on Monday, he dominated conversation with Appleby revealing that he was leaning towards stumping up the £75,000 supplementation fee to run in the Derby. 

A general 10-1 chance for Derby glory, Nations Pride was a seven-length winner of the Newmarket S. last month, and could bid to give Appleby a third success in the Epsom Classic following the heroics of Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) in 2018 and Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) last year.

Appleby, who became the only trainer in history to win the English, French and Irish 2,000 Guineas with three different colts after Native Trail stormed home at the Curragh on Saturday, said: “Nations Pride was very impressive at Newmarket and he's in the French Derby, where we have Modern Games in as well.

“He'll work on Wednesday then we'll make a decision as to whether we supplement him for Epsom on Monday. We're hoping we will be-there's only one Derby and you only want to go there if you think you can try and win it. He has a great profile for the race and ticks the most boxes out of our three possible runners.”

Appleby's two Derby entries Walk Of Stars (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Nahanni (GB) (Frankel {GB}) were joined by Coronation Cup contender Manobo (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the exercise morning at Epsom on Monday. 

Speaking about his team, he said, “Walk Of Stars has all the ability in the world and we've always felt he has the engine to do something exciting.

“He would be put down as disappointing at Lingfield but he's still very much a work in progress and we brought him here today to get some more experience under his belt before the big day. He finds everything very easy and handles these undulating tracks well.

“As an individual, he's very much like Adayar–he's a big, scopey horse and surprisingly handles these tracks well. He's agile and switches his leads smoothly.”

He added, “Nahanni has had cheekpieces and blinkers on in the past and he's a different animal when he turns up at the track because at home he'd have a job to warm himself up in a gallop. Adam [Kirby] was very pleased with him there and he has track experience.”

 

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TDN Snippets: Week of May 16 – 22

It was certainly a busy week of action on both sides of the Atlantic. Here's a sample of what went on, and what should be on your radar.

Headline Maker…
With Early Voting's Classic win at Pimlico Saturday, the colt became Gun Runner's fifth Grade I winner. It's a remarkable stat for any stallion, especially one so early in his stud career. It looks likely the Three Chimneys stallion will vie with the mighty Into Mischief for the honor of being America's most expensive sire over the next few years.

Ferguson/Natalma Making Waves…
Natalma has been appearing on buyers' sheets here and in the U.K. since 2021 with the investment portfolio, spearheaded by John Ferguson, having purchased 21 fillies and mares at public auction for an aggregate of $4.6 million during that time. Three of these purchases were at Tattersalls July, three at Fasig-Tipton November, 11 at Keeneland November and four at Tattersalls December. Natalma are also active in the private market. Ferguson is currently at Magic Millions selling three mares, via the Arrowfield consignment, all in foal to Frankel. Watch this space…

Wellman The Explorer…
Following the theme of international expansion, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Aron Wellman recently plucked a filly out of Europe, with the guidance of Mike Levy/Jamie Lloyd, and she's now Royal Ascot-bound. Manhattan Jungle (Bungle Inthejungle), trained by the talented Amy Murphy, won a listed race at Vichy (video), France Friday and looks to have a bright future.

Wellman summed it up nicely, “The world is getting so small, particularly in our industry, and it's wonderful to have an Irish-bred filly, who is three-for-three in France and now destined for Royal Ascot in England and will be supported by a strong contingent of American owners. Very cool stuff!”

First (U.S.) Starter, First Winner…
Social media was buzzing Sunday after Tahoma became Justify's first winner, from his first American runner. Craig Bernick's Aspen Grove had run a promising fifth at the Curragh earlier in the day, in what appeared to be a strong maiden.

Tahoma, a $160,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase by Dennis O'Neill, is a half-brother to graded stakes winner Legends of War (Scat Daddy). Legends of War, who won the 2019 GIII Franklin-Simpson S. at Kentucky Downs for brother Doug, was actually named a TDN Rising Star May 23, 2018 at Yarmouth under the tutelage of John Gosden. Legends of War is now back in England standing at March Hare Stud for £4,000.

Appleby Can Do No Wrong…
Native Trail (Oasis Dream)'s win in the G1 Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas gave Charlie Appleby/Godolphin its third 2000 Guineas win of the year. What's even more staggering is that they did it with three different horses; Coroebus (English 1000 Guineas), Modern Games (Poule d'Essai des Poulains aka French 2000 Guineas) and now Native Trail. Aidan O'Brien won the three races back in 2002 but with two different horses; Rock Of Gibraltar (England & Ireland) and Landseer (France).

The team at Dalham Hall/Kildangan Stud in Europe better start building new stallion boxes to accommodate the array of stallion prospects Appleby is churning out.

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