Charlie Appleby | Horse Racing Free Tips

Buick Opts For Master of the Seas in Guineas

Jockey William Buick has decided to ride G3 Craven S. hero Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas on May 1, Godolphin announced. Godolphin's retained jockey opted for the G2 Superlative S. hero, instead of One Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who will be the mount of James Doyle. The latter has not raced since running second in the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy S. in October.

“Five days out from the Guineas, I couldn't be happier with them,” said trainer Charlie Appleby, who also has stakes-winner and three-time Group 3-placed Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) entered in the first Classic of the UK season, on the Godolphin website. “One Ruler has been progressing nicely at home, while Master Of The Seas has gone to the races and put the score on the board.

“It wasn't an easy call for William, who rode Master Of The Seas in the Craven and then sat on One Ruler in a routine gallop at Moulton Paddocks last week.

“William asked some serious questions of Master Of The Seas in his race, and he was pleased with the response. I believed that's what clinched it in the end. Of course, the final call comes at declaration time on Thursday.”

One Ruler will be making his 3-year-old bow in the Guineas and won the G3 Autumn S. over the Rowley Mile last October.

“Things have also gone well with One Ruler,” Appleby added. “He is well in himself, and his work has been pleasing.

“Kieren Fallon, who has been riding him all winter, took him for a routine gallop at Moulton Paddocks on Saturday, and he was pleased. Kieren won the Guineas five times, so it's great to have a rider with that experience on the team.”

Other Godolphin Classic aspirants have had their next starts mapped out as well. Craven second and 'TDN Rising Star' La Barossa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) is being aimed at the G1 French 2000 Guineas on May 16.

“He has done well since the Craven, and it is best to put a line though his previous run in France in the G1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud [when fifth, beaten six and a quarter lengths]. He did not like the heavy ground.”

Unbeaten Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who has won a novice at Newmarket last October and a 10-furlong Newbury contest on Apr. 16, will target the G2 Dante S. at York on May 13. G3 Sandown Classic Trial second and third Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), will head to the Lingfield Derby Trial or Dante and the Chester Vase, respectively.

“We are very encouraged by the signs so far and excited with what we have,” Appleby said of his 3-year-old Classic prospects. “We are always looking for the next 3-year-old champion, and we are very happy the way this group are developing.

“The Dante is usually a very good trial for the Derby, and Hurricane Lane is worthy of having a crack at it. On all evidence so far, Adayar is going to appreciate stepping up in trip, which could be in the Lingfield Derby Trial. But he doesn't want the ground too quick, so he has the Dante at York as alternative.

“I was very pleased with Yabir's seasonal debut. He is only going to get better when he gets to a mile and a half, which he will get in the Chester Vase, his next race.

“I also plan to send Wirko (Ger) (Kingman {GB}) [Epsom's Listed Blue Riband Trial winner] to Chester for the Dee S. It will be more good experience for him. The Epsom race was a 'Win and You're In' for the Derby–we already know he can handle the track.”

The post Buick Opts For Master of the Seas in Guineas appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Dubawi’s Master of the Seas Takes the Craven

Godolphin ruled the roost in Thursday's G3 Craven S. at Newmarket, with the Charlie Appleby duo Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and La Barrosa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) coming home clear of their fellow 2000 Guineas hopefuls in the order the betting had suggested. Unsurprisingly, given his higher level of form at two, Master of the Seas had shaded it in the market as the 11-4 favourite with a first-time hood applied to temper the over-enthusiasm he had displayed when fourth in the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. at The Curragh in September. With the headgear proving efficacious as the impressive G2 Superlative S. winner found just enough equilibrium in mid-division against the rail, William Buick's biggest problem became the lack of racing room before halfway and he needed to wait for those outside him to feel the pinch heading downhill. As La Barrosa went past the eventual third Mystery Smiles (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) approaching the furlong pole, Master of the Seas was surging on his other side and after gaining a slim advantage over his stablemate shortly after gradually extended it to 3/4 of a length at the line. Mystery Smiles was left three lengths behind by the telling burst of the front two. “That would have done the horse the world of good–he's relaxed and done everything right and quickened off a slow pace,” Buick said. “It turned out to be a messy race and the two class horses came to the fore. I think he's a Guineas horse–only the good ones quicken into the dip and pick up again up the rising ground.”

Master of the Seas, who had a fitness edge on all bar one of his rivals having finished runner-up to Wednesday's Listed European Free runner-up Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Feb. 25 Listed Meydan Classic, is heading to the May 1 Classic alongside the stable's G3 Autumn S. winner and G1 Futurity Trophy runner-up One Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). “It wasn't quite how we planned it,” Appleby said. “The plan was for La Barrosa to pop out and set a nice gallop and maybe come up the middle to give everyone racing room, but it didn't materialise. He ended up just over-racing, but he was a bit fresh as well. William had to ask him a few questions there, he had to go through the gears going into the dip which is hard for horses but he's very well-balanced. He picked up well and went through the line strong. The hood helped Master of the Seas settle and we'll probably keep it on for the Guineas. I've been very pleased with One Ruler's prep as well, so it's a nice position to be in to have two or three nice chances for the Guineas.”

Godolphin have benefitted greatly from the feedback from the listed-winning dam Firth of Lorne (Ire) (Danehill), who was runner-up in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches and third in the G3 Prix de la Grotte, GII San Gorgonio H. and GIII Cardinal H. Her third foal Etive (Elusive Quality) was also a listed scorer in Germany, while next up was Falls of Lora (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}) who took the G3 UAE Oaks and Listed Distaff S. and was third in the G2 Cape Verdi. She is in turn the dam of Cascadian (GB) (New Approach {Ire}), who finished runner-up in the G1 Prix Jean Prat for the Andre Fabre stable and who was successful in Saturday's G1 Doncaster Mile under James Cummings.

Before Master of the Seas, Firth of Lorne's highest-achieving progeny was Latharnach (Iffraaj {GB}), who was runner-up in the G1 St James's Palace S. for this stable and third in the G3 Thoroughbred S., while she also threw the listed-placed Tipstaff (GB) by Falls of Lora's sire Street Cry. Like the G3 Prix de Seine-et-Oise third Shmoose (Ire) (Caerleon), she is a daughter of the G3 Cherry Hinton S. scorer and G1 1000 Guineas runner-up Kerrera (Ire) (Diesis {GB}) who is also the second dam of the G2 Premio Parioli (Italian 2000 Guineas) and G2 Mehl-Mulhens-Rennen (German 2000 Guineas) winner Dupont (GB) (Zafonic) and his full-brother and fellow sire Pacino (GB) who also took that German Classic and was runner-up in the G1 Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum Challenge Round 1. Also connected to the G2 Gimcrack S.-winning sire Rock City (Ire), Firth of Lorne's 2-year-old is a daughter of Ribchester (Ire) while she also has a yearling filly by Dark Angel (Ire).

Thursday, Newmarket, Britain
BET365 CRAVEN S.-G3, £45,000, Newmarket, 4-15, 3yo, c/g, 8fT, 1:38.79, g/f.
1–MASTER OF THE SEAS (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Firth of Lorne (Ire) (MGSP-US, SW & G1SP-Fr, $163,189), by Danehill
2nd Dam: Kerrera (Ire), by Diesis (GB)
3rd Dam: Rimosa's Pet (GB), by Petingo (GB)
O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £25,520. Lifetime Record: SP-UAE, 5-3-1-0, $98,936. *1/2 to Falls of Lora (Ire) (Street Cry {Ire}), GSW-UAE & SW-Eng, $246,417; Latharnach (Iffraaj {GB}), SW & G1SP-Eng, $217,472; Etive (Elusive Quality), SW-Ger & MSP-Fr, $126,693; and Tipstaff (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}), SP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–La Barrosa (Ire), 126, c, 3, Lope de Vega (Ire)–Bikini Babe (Ire), by Montjeu (Ire). (750,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT). O-Godolphin; B-Knocktoran Stud (IRE); T-Charlie Appleby. £9,675.
3–Mystery Smiles (Ire), 126, c, 3, Mehmas (Ire)–Alexander Alliance (Ire), by Danetime (Ire). (€12,000 Wlg '18 GOFNOV; €19,000 RNA Ylg '19 GOFSPT; £165,000 2yo '20 GOFARQ). O-King Power Racing Co Ltd; B-Ballycrighaun Stud (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. £4,842.
Margins: 3/4, 3, 1 3/4. Odds: 2.75, 4.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Devilwala (Ire), The Rosstafarian (Ire), Sandhurst (Ire), Royal Air Force (Ire), Imperial Sands (Ire), Akmaam (Fr), Khartoum. Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

The post Dubawi’s Master of the Seas Takes the Craven appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

All Eyes on Craven Bounty

Thursday at Newmarket means the G3 bet365 Craven S. and all the rush of excitement that accompanies it, with the Suffolk faithful hoping they see the subsequent G1 2000 Guineas hero moving through the gears. At this stage, with form from 2020 to guide, Charlie Appleby's Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) appears the most obvious one to emerge with a target on the main prize given how impressive he was in the G2 Superlative S. at the July meeting here. There was much to take from his fourth, when probably launched too soon, in a hot renewal of the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. at The Curragh in September and he has enjoyed a warm-up for this when second to Wednesday's Listed European Free runner-up Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Feb. 25 Listed Meydan Classic.

“He is a horse that we went to Dubai with knowing that our aim was to be here for the Craven,” Appleby said. “It is a long season and whatever he was going to do out there, we were hopeful that we would see plenty of improvement which we have. He has come out of the race well and has done well. He shipped back into England a week ago and we are looking forward to the Craven. He has got some great form. He won his maiden here then he won the Superlative on the July Course and he wasn't disgraced in the National S., where I feel he didn't show his true running as he was very keen early on. This was always going to be our plan. The mile suits him and he was doing his best work towards the end at Meydan–he kept on nicely towards the line.”

Appleby also supplies 'TDN Rising Star' La Barrosa (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who captured the G3 Tattersalls S. over seven furlongs here in September before dead-heating for fifth in the G1 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud the following month.

“One box he does tick is that he is already a course winner and the mile will suit him,” he said. “I think you can put a line through that last run of his in France, as it was in very soft ground at the backend of the year. His preparation has gone faultlessly. He looks great. They are two horses that both bring group-race form into it and on 2-year-old form they are the two picks. It got a bit tight on the rail in the group three here, La Barrosa showed a bit of class and acceleration to get his head in front.”

Ballydoyle's 3-year-old class have hardly been pulling up trees so far here this week and it is hard to know what to expect from the unexposed duo of Khartoum (Pioneerof the Nile) and Sandhurst (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), with Aidan O'Brien using the Ryan Moore and Frankie Dettori link-up which worked so well last term. Moore is on the $1-million Keeneland September graduate Khartoum, who broke his maiden over seven furlongs on soft ground at The Curragh in October, but he admitted to being in the dark about his prospects. “I would have happily ridden either, but I get on Khartoum,” he said. “Both clearly have a lot to find with horses who have done well in Group 1 company, but that is what these trials are all about.”

Amo Racing Limited and Arjun Waney's Devilwala (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) was 100-1 when fourth in the G1 Dewhurst S. over seven here in October and lost all chance when blowing the start in eighth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf. Trainer Ralph Beckett said, “Devilwala is not a flashy work horse, but he is fit and ready to go. Although this is a drop in grade, he will still need to be on top of his game in what looks a competitive race. We know he handles the track as he was fourth in the Dewhurst and though conditions are different he has won on quick ground and I'm confident he will get the mile.”

Ryan Moore was impressed by Edward Ware's Royal Air Force (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) when he partnered him to score by seven lengths on his sole start in a seven-furlong novice contest at Yarmouth in June. Ed Crisford is aware of the magnitude of this test on his belated return and said, “I think it is a very ambitious task, as it looks a hard race but he has been doing well and he deserves to be there. He was impressive at Yarmouth and though it was only a small-field novice, he did it nicely and Ryan liked him that day. He has been off for a long time, as he had a little setback and we were going to run at the end of the year but we decided not to. He appears to have strengthened up as a 3-year-old and hopefully he will improve again.”

The Craven is preceded by the long-established Wood Ditton Maiden S. for unraced 3-year-olds and the G3 Abernant S. for the older sprinters, with last year's winner Oxted (GB) (Mayson {GB}) back for more Newmarket glory having also landed the G1 July Cup. Last seen finishing seventh in the Feb. 20 Riyadh Dirt Sprint, the lightly-raced 5-year-old will be more at home back on grass. “In these sprints, I don't think ratings matter and although he is top on ratings and the best horse in the race you still need a bit of luck and everything to go right,” trainer Roger Teal said. “He took the trip to Saudi Arabia fine and we just paid the price for trying to chase the pace on the dirt. The weather has been different to out there and it has been brutal, but he seems in good shape.”

In the Bet365 British EBF Confined Novice S. over 10 furlongs, Ed Dunlop reintroduces Anamoine's John Leeper (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), the son of Snow Fairy (Ire) (Intikhab) who shaped with such promise when fourth on his sole start at Doncaster in September. Second on that occasion was Cordouan (Fr) (Shalaa {Ire}), who was an impressive winner this week, and Crossford (Ire) (Dawn Approach {Ire}) who had that rival in second when scoring at Newcastle in October. Ryan Moore rides John Leeper–before partnering the Charlie Hills-trained Crossford in the closing mile handicap–and he said, “He is a horse I want to see do well, as a son of Snow Fairy. The step up to a mile and a quarter must surely be a positive for him and, while he meets some good horses, he at least gets seven pounds from the three winners.”

Click here for the group fields.

The post All Eyes on Craven Bounty appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

One Ruler Pleases Appleby In Racecourse Gallop

Godolphin's One Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was seen in action on the Rowley Mile on Wednesday, not in a formal Classic trial but in a racecourse gallop with stable-mate Well Of Wisdom (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).

The winner of the G3 Emirates Autumn S. and runner-up to Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) in the G1 Vertem Futurity, One Ruler was ridden by former champion jockey Kieren Fallon. He is generally around 10/1 for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas on May 1 and also holds entries for the Cazoo Derby and Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

One Ruler's trainer Charlie Appleby said after the workout, in which he breezed clear of the 106-rated Well Of Wisdom with two furlongs left to run, “I was very pleased with that. He has been to Chelmsford and it was very kind of Newmarket to let us do this. He wasn't going to go for a trial as he has got enough experience already on his CV and he has justified himself to turn up straight to a Guineas.”

He continued, “We have now got a nice piece into him and that puts us where we need to be. He hasn't missed a beat all winter and we will now just go through his normal routine until the Guineas. Kieren explained that he handles that dip flawlessly and he already has the experience of being a course and distance winner, so he ticks a lot of boxes.”

One Ruler is out of the Shamardal mare Fintry (Ire), who beat dual Classic heroine Avenir Certain (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) to win the G3 Prix Bertrand du Breuil over a mile the season after winning the G2 Prix de Sandringham. Appleby said that he feels that her son, too, may be suited to shorter distances than the Derby.

He added, “On the back of winning the Autumn Stakes people start talking about the Derby but the first thing we are looking at is the Guineas and that's the target.

“I don't think he is a stayer as he has got stronger over the winter. I'm very pleased with the way he has done physically. He was a little bit slow coming to hand but I think we have had a hard winter. I couldn't be happier with what I've seen over the last six weeks or so. He has stepped up his work and he has answered every question that we have put to him so far.”

The post One Ruler Pleases Appleby In Racecourse Gallop appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post