Appleby Happy With Derby Winners

Godolphin's pair of 2021 Derby winners-G1 Cazoo Derby winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby victor Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) are both progressing well since their Classic scores according to trainer Charlie Appleby. The former, who was second in the G3 bet365 Classic Trial on Apr. 23 and the May 8 Listed Novibet Derby Trial S., turned in a solid piece of work on Saturday. The bay is pointing toward the July 24 G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth QIPCO S. at Ascot.

Appleby said, “Touch wood, all is well–they're [both] in great form. Adayar worked on Saturday and is building up towards the King George. He's done very well for his break–he put a nice bit of condition on, so it's time to start taking a bit back off again. I couldn't be any happier with him.”

A winner of his first three starts, including the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. at York on May 13, Hurricane Lane was third to Adayar in the blue riband on June 5, before securing his own Derby win at The Curragh on June 26. Although he too holds an entry for the King George, the Sept. 11 G1 St Leger at Doncaster is likely instead.

“Hurricane Lane has come out of the Irish Derby very well. It looked a tough, hard race–and I thought he'd sleep for a few days afterwards, but he's come out of the race bouncing. We'll potentially go straight to the St Leger with him.”

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King George Next For Wonderful Tonight

Christopher Wright's Group 1 winner Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}), who won the G2 Hardwicke S. last out at Royal Ascot, is targeting the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot on July 24. Scratched out of this past Saturday's G1 Coral-Eclipse, she defeated Sunday's G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud hero Broome (Ire) (Australia {GB}) in the Hardwicke. In 2020, the filly scored in the G1 Prix de Royallieu at ParisLongchamp on Arc Day, and doubled down at that level in the QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. at Ascot on QIPCO British Champions Day on Oct. 17.

Trainer David Menuisier said, “The King George is the plan as long as we have the weather on our side. That is what we'll be aiming to do. She's great, she's in really good form. I couldn't be more pleased with her.”

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Enable Exits Eclipse Defeat Well

John Gosden is looking forward to the rest of the campaign with Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) despite the mare suffering the third defeat of her career on her seasonal bow in Sunday’s Coral-Eclipse at Sandown. A third G1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe win remains her ultimate target in the autumn and she satisfied her trainer when second to Charlie Appleby’s Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) over a trip short of her optimum. However, Gosden believes Enable could face a tricky task at ParisLongchamp in October should G1 QIPCO 1000 Guineas and G1 Investec Oaks winner Love (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) be in opposition, with the 6-year-old having to concede 7lb to her younger rival.

“She took it well, she had a good blow after the race,” said Gosden. “It’s always a worry when you haven’t run since October and she was coming back as a 6-year-old mare, but I thought her demeanour was wonderful. If you are a stock man and work with animals, you get used to them and I could feel and see that her metabolism had changed as she’s got older. She’s finding it hard to get tight, the race will have helped, but you can’t keep trying to do it at home.”

Looking towards the rest of the season, Gosden told At The Races, “The [July 25G1 ] King George would be the plan. We were lucky the Eclipse was only one day late because of everything, so we’ll look towards the King George, then York [Aug. 20 G1 Yorkshire Oaks] and Paris. I don’t want to over-race her.

“A third Arc would be an extraordinary achievement. This year you’ve got to look at the 3-year-olds. For me there was one outstanding 3-year-old performance in Europe and that was by a certain filly in the Oaks [Love].

“You start taking on a filly like that giving them weight, you’ve got a whole new problem on your hands. I think the Oaks winner would have won the Derby–the only thing that would get in her way was if it turned soft or heavy. She’s the standout 3-year-old.”

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to Enable’s owner-breeder Khalid Abdullah, also expressed his satisfaction with the mare’s performance.

He said, “The expectation on her is enormous–we understand that. We’re really pleased with her and she’s come out of the race well. I think we made it pretty clear she would improve for the run. You’re rather damned if you do and damned if you don’t, as if she’d won easily everyone would have said we’d put people away and then if she’s beaten, people say we’re starting to make excuses already.

“I’m sure if Prince Khalid is happy that [King George] is where she’ll be going next, all being well.”

Gosden enjoyed Classic success at the weekend as Mishriff  (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) put up an excellent display to claim the G1 Prix du Jockey Club.

“He was impressive and quickened up very nicely,” said Gosden. “I think we’ll look to keep him against 3-year-olds as 10 furlongs looks his trip for now and there appears to be some decent older ones around, as we saw at Sandown yesterday. The [Aug. 15] Prix Guillaume d’Ornano which is a Group 2 for which Group 1 winners don’t carry a penalty looks suitable.”

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