‘Whoever Wins Is A Leading Derby Player’ – Appleby Has Say On Dante

   With the Derby picture unclear, it is probably welcome that Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. has no stand-out among its dozen participants. George Strawbridge's TDN Rising Star Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) bids to continue the momentum of the Gosdens and Frankie following the Musidora and step forward from his seasonal debut much as his stablemate Soul Sister (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) did on Wednesday. On the face of it, a workmanlike defeat of inferior rivals in Epsom's 10-furlong Listed Blue Riband Trial would not be enough to ensure favouritism in a race like this but last year's G1 Futurity Trophy runner-up has a lot of upside.

Dual Honours?

Godolphin already have a tailor-made Derby prospect in Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), but Charlie Appleby would relish another and TDN Rising Star Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) has the right material based on his emphatic Listed Stonehenge S. success in August. Perhaps compromised by easier ground and tactics afterwards, the relative of Lammtarra still managed to add Newmarket's G3 Zetland S. to his tally and his trainer is bullish. “We know that he gets this trip, having won the Zetland on his final 2-year-old start, and feel that he has the scope to improve again as we step him up over further,” he said. “It looks a competitive renewal of the Dante and whoever wins will be a leading player for the Derby.”

 All Aboard

Sir Michael Stoute carried this off 12 months ago and looks to the Niarchos homebred Passenger (Ulysses {Ire}) to jump into the Derby reckoning following his smooth debut win in Newmarket's Wood Ditton last month. Supplemented following his withdrawal from Chester's Listed Dee S. last week, the homebred brings a potential x factor into play. “Passenger was a non-runner at Chester because of soft ground, but should have the perfect ground for him in the Dante,” racing manager Alan Cooper said. “It's a stepping stone and we'll see how he takes it, and Sir Michael will then make a plan afterwards. The hope is he is confirms the potential of the Wood Ditton and we can take it from there.”

Underestimated?

Like Passenger, Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez's White Birch (GB) is a son of Ulysses going places and despite his form being there in the book is almost double the price with most bookmakers. His success in Leopardstown's G3 Ballysax S. was no fluke and the colt he beat there, Up And Under (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), upheld the form next time when second to what should in all likelihood be the Derby favourite in Sprewell (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in the G3 Derby Trial. “We couldn't be happier with him and we're looking forward to it,” commented George Murphy, assistant to father John. “This is a bigger test again and it will be good to see what White Birch can now do. It looks a very hot race on paper and everyone is going there thinking they have the winner.”

Free Pass

York also stages the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' S., with another  Strawbridge-Gosdens-Frankie collaboration with the 2021 G2 Park Hill S. and G2 Lancashire Oaks winner Free Wind (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). This extended 10-furlong trip is probably shy of her best and the ground may be too lively, so she has very little to lose as her stable look for clues as to her program. “She has shown good form over a mile and a half to a mile and six, but York is a nice, galloping track and we feel it is a good place to start her off,” Thady Gosden said. “She has enough speed to win over 10 furlongs. She has always had plenty of ability and this will tell us more where she goes afterwards.”

Group 1 Winners Return

Runner-up in this last year, Aristia (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) went on to win Deauville's G1 Prix Jean Romanet when last seen in August and is penalised as a result. Her course form, which includes a defeat of Alpine Star (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) in the 2021 Listed Lyric Fillies' S. over this course and distance, entitles her to respect despite the extra three pounds which also applies to last year's G1 Preis der Diane heroine Toskana Belle (Fr) (Shamalgan {Fr}). Now racing in the Teruya Yoshida silks with Roger Varian, the GIII Jockey Club Oaks Invitational runner-up is an unknown quantity in this sphere. “She's a nice filly and has been working well,” her trainer said. “She has some strong 3-year-old form from Germany and America last year, and we're looking forward to getting her started. I think 10 furlongs on a track like York is a nice starting point for her and will give us a good direction moving forwards.”

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Appleby’s Flying Honours Pleases In Newmarket Gallop

Godolphin's Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) worked a mile under William Buick at Newmarket's Rowley Mile on Friday. The work was preparation for a start in the G1 Betfred Derby at Epsom Downs in June.

The 3-year-old colt worked in company with GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and Natural World (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) prior to Friday's card. The G2 Dante S. at York on May 18 is next on the G3 Zetland S. hero's agenda.

Appleby said, “I'm delighted with that piece of work. At the end of the day, he has worked with no mug there in Yibir.

“We were intending to go to Sandown last week with Flying Honours, but that got rained off, and the plan now is that if he comes out of this piece of work well is to head to York for the Dante.

“He has got a lovely profile stepping up to this middle-distance category this year. The Dante is the race that if you go and win afterwards you will probably be second favourite for the Derby. At the end of the day it is one of the best trials.

“This horse will get a mile and a half no problem at all. He is a neat horse and he has got enough racing experience under him now to head to a track like Epsom.

“Until you have been around there you can never hand on heart say you handle it but I believe he has got enough race experience to go there and handle it fine.”

Another of Appleby's Epsom Classic contenders, Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), will target the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial S. at Lingfield on May 13. This is the same route as his Derby-winning brother Adayar (Ire) took prior to winning the Blue Riband.

Appleby said, “I was very pleased with what I saw from Military Order at Newbury. People will say it was a slow time but they weren't going to be setting records in those conditions.

“I just loved his demeanour and the way that he galloped out. He has come out of it very well and he is bred to win a Derby.

“He will now head to Lingfield and follow the trodden route of his brother Adayar, who won this race in 2021, and then we will work it out from there.”

Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) has been re-routed to either the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot or the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh. The son of GI Man o'War S. heroine Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) took his only start at Newmarket in October.

“I've just taken my time with Imperial Emperor,” Appleby continued. “He is very closely related to Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and in his 3-year-old career he met with a setback.

“It is always on my mind that he is a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half Dubawi and you just can't push them. People will say that I did it with Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) but that was different as he was a miler.

“Wholeheartedly, I would probably say I won't be getting there with him. I would rather bring him along and we might end up going to Royal Ascot or the Irish Derby with him.

“He is a horse that I have high regards for but one that we will look after along the way.”

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Derby Attracts 20 Second Entries Led By White Birch

Fresh off of his victory in the G3 Ballysax S. on Sunday, White Birch (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}) leads 19 other colts as second entries for the G1 Derby at Epsom on Saturday, June 3. Owned by Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez and trained by John Murphy, the colt scored a half-length upset in the Ballysax at 22-1.

Several Derby second entries were also made by Charlie Appleby on behalf of Godolphin. Leading the sextet is GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf second Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), while listed winner Naval Power (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), Military Order (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), and Ancient Rules (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) are also nominated.

There is also an American-trained entrant to the Blue Riband, whose connections also paid the £9,000 second entry fee–Ken McPeek entered two-for-two Mendelssohn's March (Mendelssohn). Already a winner on turf and dirt after victories at Fair Grounds and Oaklawn Park, he will race in the colours of Harold Lerner, LLC, AWC Stables, Nehoc Stables, and Team Stallion Racing Stable.

Ahmad Al Shaikh's Group 1-winning Dubai Mile (Ire), by 2018 Derby third Roaring Lion, has been entered by Charlie Johnston, who also declared Group 3-placed Dear My Friend (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) for Middleham Park Racing and Michael Lai.

Dubai Mile, who prevailed in the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud over 10 furlongs in heavy going in October, will contest either the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas at Newmarket on May 6 or the G2 Dante S. at York later in the month.

“Any 2-year-old that can win at Group 1 level leaves you dreaming over the winter about what they could achieve during their 3-year-old campaign,” said Johnston. “He's obviously going to be a flagship horse for us this year and one we're going to have realistic Classic ambitions with, so we're very much looking forward to him.

“You need these horses to compete at the highest level to put you in people's eyes and minds going forward and he's a big flagship horse that we need and want a big year from–hopefully he can deliver.”

“The Guineas is still on the table and Ahmad is quite keen for him to go there,” continued Johnston.

“For all the Dante is a significant race and the preeminent Derby trial, this horse has already won a Group 1 so his CV would be enhanced more by a placed effort in the Guineas than winning the Dante.

“He was only just touched off in the Royal Lodge over the Guineas course and distance and although I'm pretty certain he's going to come into his own over middle-distances this year, I wouldn't rule out his prep race being in the Guineas.

“They are the best two Derby trials and it will be one of the two races for him. Being a vanquished horse in the Guineas can often be the best Derby trial you can run.”

With these late additions, the total number of nominated horses for the Epsom showpiece has grown to 103. Entries were also released for the G1 Oaks (65 entries) and G1 Coronation Cup (19 entries), both held the day prior to the Derby, on June 2.

Of the latter entries, at least three are Classic winners in the form of Godolphin's Frankel (GB) pair of Adayar (Ire) and Hurricane Lane (Ire), and Juddmonte's Westover (GB).

Godolphin's 'TDN Rising Star' and G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. winner Mawj (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Meditate (Ire) (No Nay Never), and G2 May Hill S. victress Polly Pott (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) are some of the notable entries for the Oaks.

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Appleby Outlines Targets For Stable Stars In The New Year

Charlie Appleby, fresh off two consecutive UK trainers' titles,  will have a host of stars to go to war with in 2023, among them Godolphin's undefeated G2 Gimcrack S. hero Noble Style (GB) (Kingman {GB}). The son of listed winner and Group 3-placed Eartha Kitt (GB) (Pivotal {GB}), named a 'TDN Rising Star' off his winning debut at Ascot in May, is earmarked for the G3 Greenham S. in April, before a possible bid for G1 2000 Guineas glory in May.

He said, “Noble Style has not been seen since winning the Gimcrack impressively. He had the colic setback but he is fine and is back in work. He will probably start off in the Greenham down at Newbury as he has got a lot of natural speed which we have seen.

“Staying is the question mark. On pedigree, there is strong enough evidence that he should stay the mile but at the end of the day he has got to prove on track he can get the extra two furlongs. As we stand at the moment he is a serious Guineas contender.”

Another horse with Classic aims is Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), the winner of the GI Summer S. overseas at Woodbine in Canada last September.

“A horse that we have not seen since he won emphatically in Canada is Mysterious Night,” he added. “I think he is a horse that deserves to put in those trials in the spring to see where we are. The way he has developed and the scope he has puts him in the picture.

“You also have to put Silver Knott (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in there. He only went down by a short head in the [GI] Breeders' Cup Juvenile [Turf] which is a race we have used with horses that have tasted Classic success, i.e. Modern Games. He is definitely in the Guineas mix.”

Appleby is also blessed with a bevy of potential G1 Derby horses, among them listed winner Local Dynasty (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and G3 Zetland S. hero Flying Honours (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).

“As for the Derby you have Local Dynasty, who won the Silver Tankard at Pontefract and Flying Honours who won the Zetland S. at Newmarket, which can be good 2-year-old races which are good pointers for the Derby.

“There is also Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who won smartly in his maiden at Newmarket and Castle Way (GB) (Almanzor {Fr}) who won the valuable nursery at Newmarket over a mile and a quarter quite impressively. These are all horses that will be in the Derby trials in the spring.”

Quadruple top-level victor Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) stays in training, as does G1 Irish 2000 Guineas victor Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}).

He said, “Native Trail looks great and we have him staying in training as does Modern Games in that mile camp and in the sprinting division you have got little Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

“Stepping up to the mile and a quarter you have Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who we missed for much of this season, then over a mile and a half you have the likes of Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and New London (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). There should be some good war horses there.

“As you know it can be a long winter but they are all doing well. It won't be long until the middle of January then we will be back on the treadmill as they say.”

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