“It's great going abroad winning these races and it puts us on the international map,” said Appleby. “Huge credit to the team in the yard who work hard all year.”

With Rossa Ryan aboard from a wide post, Annaf found cover early and didn't waste an inch as he edged over to the rail. Staying under the radar, he angled steadily up throughout the running and landed in an advantageous spot, finally slipping through the slimmest of seams to thread the needle on the inside and burst clear late. With a move not for the faint of heart, Annaf finished three-quarters of a length the best with a final time of time of 1:17.88 for the 1351 metres, or approximately 6 3/4 furlongs. The Japanese mare La La Christine closed from the clouds with a spectacular turn of foot, but ran out of ground and secured second as Bahrain's Byline found his best stride late to follow in her wake.

“With Annaf I have always tended to ride for luck. It seems to work for him,” said Ryan. “He lets hard-hitters do the work for him and picks up the pieces.

“The owner and trainer don't put any pressure on me and I know he has pace to get me out of trouble. I didn't have a lot of room but he stuck his head out for me. It's brilliant because I picked this lad up as a spare one day in Lingfield, I had to drop him out and bide my time and the relationship formed from there.”

Ryan rode Annaf for the first time in January, 2023 in a Lingfield handicap and the two embarked on a three-race win skein. They went their separate way for a few months and reunited for a third in the G1 King's Stand S. last June at Royal Ascot. A fourth in a Group 3 at Sandown ensued and the two separated once again before finally reuniting in September. They notched two nose wins, including in the Oct. 7 G3 John Guest Racing Bengough S. at Ascot, and were last seen finishing second on the all-weather at Lingfield Feb. 4.

“Rossa gave him a great ride,” said Appleby. “All down to Rossa, not my training. He keeps improving and keeps surprising us. God knows where we go next. He has got an invite to Japan, so possibly we'll go there next. We always thought he was good horse who'd get better with age and he might not be finished yet. The sky is the limit.”

Pedigree Notes

Haras Du Petit Tellier's Muhaarar (GB), new to the operation for 2024 after standing at Haras des Faune, is the sire of Annaf and 23 other black-type winners. The son of Oasis Dream (GB), himself a multiple Group 1 winner and crack English sprinter, famously sired the exacta in the 2021 G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. Also among his dozen group winners is last year's G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains winner Marhaba Ya Sanafi (Ire). In addition, his Byline (GB) was third in the 1351 Turf Sprint, giving Muhaarar a one-three finish in Saturday's race.

Damsire Storm Cat, leading broodmare sire in the U.S. three times, has 308 stakes winners out of his daughters, including a long list of champions. Interestingly, two of Muhaarar's 12 group winners are out of Storm Cat-line mares, including Paris Peacock (Ire), a group winner in Ireland in 2022 and graded stakes-placed in the U.S. last year.

Annaf is a fourth-generation Shadwell-bred. His dam, one of the top fillies in Ireland in her day, also produced English stakes winner Mushir (GB), who is by Muhaarar's sire, Oasis Dream. Her last reported foal is the sophomore colt Mitwaa (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a winner in Qatar. Shadwell also bred and raced Muhaarar. Fosnic Racing picked up Annaf as an unraced 2-year-old for 16,000gns at the 2021 Tattersalls Autumn Horses-in-Training Sale.

Saturday, King Abdulaziz (Riyadh), Saudi Arabia
SAUDI NATIONAL BANK 1351 TURF SPRINT-G2, $2,000,000, King Abdulaziz, 2-24, NH4yo/up, SH3yo/up, 1351mT, 1:17.88, gd.
1–ANNAF (IRE), 125, h, 5, by Muhaarar (GB)
                1st Dam: Shimah (Hwt. 2yo Filly-Ire, SW & G1SP-Ire,
                                $161,479), by Storm Cat
                2nd Dam: Sayedat Alhadh, by Mr. Prospector
                3rd Dam: Muhbubh, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
(16,000gns HRA '21 TATOCT). O-Fosnic Racing; B-Shadwell
Estate Company, Ltd. (Ire); T-Michael Appleby; J-Rossa Ryan;
$1,200,000. Lifetime Record: GSW & G1SP-Eng, 26-8-3-3,
$1,590,994. *1/2 to Mushir (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), SW-Eng
& SP-UAE, $171,335. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–La La Christine (Jpn), 121, m, 6, Mikki Isle (Jpn)–Super
Madame (Jpn), by Tanino Gimlet (Jpn). (¥18,900,000 Ylg '19
JBBAAUG). O-Fujii Kosan Co., Ltd.; B-; T-T. Saito; J-C. Demuro;
$400,000.
3–Byline (GB), 125, g, 7, Muhaarar (GB)–Lauren Louise (GB), by
Tagula (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (140,000gns Ylg '18
TATOCT; 110,000gns HRA '20 TATOCT). O-Al Adiyat Racing; B- (GB); T-A. Smith; J-G. Mosse; $200,000.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, HF.
Also Ran: Win Greatest (Jpn), Matilda Picotte (Ire), Aguri (Jpn), King Gold (Fr), Raaed (Ire), Jumby (Ire), Bathrat Leon (Jpn), Dr Zempf (GB), Art Power (Ire), Mysterious Night (Ire), Cold Front (GB). Click for the JCSA chart and video.

ANNAF for !!

A dream run up the rails under @Rossaryan15 in the G2 @snbalahli 1351 Turf Sprint.

Huge congrats, @MickApplebyUK #TheSaudiCup pic.twitter.com/gFVWvpW8R9

— The Saudi Cup (@thesaudicup) February 24, 2024

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The GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint favourite has shot straight to the top of the class among an exciting batch of first-crop runners for the top sprinter Blue Point (Ire). The son appeared to be made very much in his father's mould as he sped along the turf under Marquand as the sun was coming up, and the jockey was ebullient in his praise of the youngster on his return to the quarantine barn.

Marquand said, “It's my first time here and I've just been trying to take it all in. It's one of the most picturesque tracks in the world. I've always loved Goodwood, but this is a bit different. It's great to be here, especially with a horse like him. He looks in great shape and feels in great shape. He'll have to be fast but he is fast.”

Big Evs is also the first Breeders' Cup starter for his trainer Michael Appleby, who has prepared the colt beautifully for his debut season, in which he broke his maiden when winning the Listed Windsor Castle S. at Royal Ascot after finishing runner-up on debut at Redcar at the end of May. From Ascot he landed the G3 Molecomb S. at Glorious Goodwood before one disappointing run when down the field against his elders in the G1 Nunthorpe S. However, he bounced back three weeks later to post a decisive victory in the G2 Flying Childers S.

Appleby is set to appear at Santa Anita on Thursday morning, and Marquand's post-breeze report will surely have been music to his ears while he was en route to America.

The jockey added, “You almost want to try to pick a hole in a horse when you ride them, but to be honest you can't really. He looks to have taken the travel well and he's taken it all in his stride. He has a good draw and he'll have to be very good to win, but he is very good. That's the reality. 

“Obviously we've a couple of days to go but he's absolutely where you'd want him to be.”

The post Big Up for Big Evs appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The Michael Appleby trainee, who had earlier left his stamp on Royal Ascot's Listed Windsor Castle and Glorious Goodwood's G3 Molecomb, hit the ground running as the traps opened and held an immediate advantage before turning the screw with a 10.72 second furlong. Clear of threats on the front end throughout, the 9-4 favourite was asked to stretch by Tom Marquand with a quarter-mile remaining and enjoyed splendid isolation in the closing stages, hitting the line with a 2 3/4-length buffer back to Flora Of Bermuda (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Rosario (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}), who became upset in the stalls beforehand, was best of the rest and finished 1 3/4 lengths adrift in third.

“After he jumped out of the stalls there wasn't really a doubt,” said Appleby after claiming a career high of his own. “You've got to be up the front on this [soft] ground and once he got three or four lengths on them they weren't going to catch him. It is not the ideal ground for him, but he's got the job done well and he's won a Molecomb and a Flying Childers on soft ground now. We just had to put a line through the Nunthorpe. I think he had an exceptionally hard race at Goodwood and that just took its toll.”    Looking forward to loftier targets, the trainer added, “I think it will be the Breeders' Cup next for the [GI] Juvenile Turf Sprint and he'll go straight there. It's five furlongs at Santa Anita which should be ideal and, if he can get the rail, he could be difficult to peg back. He's been an amazing horse, the owners have turned down some big bids and there'll be more now, but luckily he's not for sale.”

Pedigree Notes

Big Evs, the sixth of eight foals, is one of four scorers thrown by a daughter of G1 Cheveley Park S.-winning European champion Queen's Logic (Ire) (Grand Lodge), herself a half-sister to MG1SW sire Dylan Thomas (Ire) (Danehill) and G1 1000 Guineas heroine Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). Queen's Logic's leading performer is G2 Lowther S., G2 Diadem S. and G3 Princess Margaret S. victrix Lady Of The Desert (Rahy), who also hit the board in the G1 Cheveley Park S., G1 Haydock Sprint Cup and G1 Prix de l'Abbaye. Lady Of The Desert, in turn, is the dam of G2 Lowther S. winner Queen Kindly (GB) (Frankel {GB}), herself the dam of Lowther runner-up and G3 Firth Of Clyde S. third Queen Me (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). The March-foaled bay, whose family also features G1 Derby hero Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), is kin to a yearling filly by Ribchester (Ire) and a weanling colt by Earthlight (Ire).

Big Evs is BACK! @MickApplebyUK's juvenile rocket is brilliant in the Group 2 Flying Childers! @TomMarquand pic.twitter.com/eM3f9WxPcs

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 15, 2023

Friday, Doncaster, Britain
CARLSBERG DANISH PILSNER FLYING CHILDERS S.-G2, £115,000, Doncaster, 9-15, 2yo, 5f 3yT, :59.89, sf.
1–BIG EVS (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Blue Point (Ire)
1st Dam: Hana Lina (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: Queen's Logic (Ire), by Grand Lodge
3rd Dam: Lagrion, by Diesis (GB)
(50,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-RP Racing Ltd; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Michael Appleby; J-Tom Marquand. £65,217. Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, $228,283. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Flora Of Bermuda (Ire), 126, f, 2, Dark Angel (Ire)–Dubai Power (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€65,000 Wlg '21 GOFNO1; €52,500 Ylg '22 ARAUG; £340,000 2yo '23 GOUKB). O-Bermuda Racing Ltd; B-Francisco Bernal (IRE); T-Andrew Balding. £24,725.
3–Rosario (Ire), 129, g, 2, Harry Angel (Ire)–City Glam (Arg), by Grand Reward. 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (€36,000 Ylg '22 GOFFEB; 20,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Mrs Sue Teal; B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Roger Teal. £12,374.
Margins: 2 3/4, 1 3/4, 1. Odds: 2.25, 5.00, 33.00.
Also Ran: Malc (GB), Kylian (Ire), Graceful Thunder (GB), Fool's Gold (Ire), Francis Meynell (Ire). Scratched: Inquisitively (GB), Toca Madera (Ire), Valiant Force, Zoulu Chief (GB).

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The Michael Appleby representative was the sharpest of eight into stride and seized an immediate lead racing underneath the stands' side rail. Comfortable on the front end until nudged along passing the quarter-mile marker, the 9-4 joint-favourite was strongly pressed by 'TDN Rising Star' Purosangue (GB) (Aclaim {Ire}) inside the final furlong and refused to buckle under a late drive to hold that rival by a neck in game fashion. Fellow joint-favourite Kylian (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) ran on well from off the pace to finish 1 1/4 lengths back in third.

“I don't think he really liked the [heavy] ground, but he has toughed it out and done that very well,” said Appleby. “He is as tough as anything and very quick, but that ground just blunted his speed. I think the [G1] Nunthorpe is a realistic target, but a 2-year-old has not won the Nunthorpe since Kingsgate Native [in 2007]. It is a possibility and we will speak even more when we have all calmed down a bit. As soon as we got Big Evs and started working him, we knew he was special and he would be the best we have had so far. Hopefully, he'll give us a first Group 1.”

Winning rider Jason Hart added, “I'd say he has won despite the ground. He's all 2-year-old and, with his good draw, it was the right thing to run him. He travelled grand, but at halfway he started hanging and I had to get him rolling forward to get him to negotiate that. We got racing sooner than I wanted, but I had to do that to keep him straight and he has proved he can dig deep. He is not very big, but he has plenty of speed and a real will to win. I am delighted for Mick [Appleby] and all the team.”

Reflecting on the performance of Purosangue, Andrew Balding commented, “We are just thrilled the horse is back on form. He created a very good impression first time out and we just thought he did things the wrong way round at Newmarket [in the G2 July S.]. That was much more like it and he was beaten by a very good horse. He won on pretty good ground at Haydock, so I think he's quite versatile. He looks like he is made for the [Listed] Roses S. at York.”

Pedigree Notes

Big Evs, the sixth of eight foals, is one of four scorers thrown by a daughter of G1 Cheveley Park S.-winning European champion Queen's Logic (Ire) (Grand Lodge), herself a half-sister to MG1SW sire Dylan Thomas (Ire) (Danehill) and G1 1000 Guineas heroine Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). Queen's Logic's leading performer is G2 Lowther S., G2 Diadem S. and G3 Princess Margaret S. victrix Lady Of The Desert (Rahy), who also hit the board in the G1 Cheveley Park S., G1 Haydock Sprint Cup and G1 Prix de l'Abbaye. Lady Of The Desert, in turn, is the dam of G2 Lowther S. winner Queen Kindly (GB) (Frankel {GB}), herself the dam of Lowther runner-up and G3 Firth Of Clyde S. third Queen Me (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). The March-foaled bay, whose family also features G1 Derby hero Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), is kin to a yearling filly by Ribchester (Ire) and a weanling colt by Earthlight (Ire).

Wednesday, Goodwood, Britain
JAEGER-LECOULTRE MOLECOMB S.-G3, £100,000, Goodwood, 8-2, 2yo, 5fT, 1:01.27, hy.
1–BIG EVS (IRE), 129, c, 2, by Blue Point (Ire)
1st Dam: Hana Lina (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: Queen's Logic (Ire), by Grand Lodge
3rd Dam: Lagrion, by Diesis (GB)
1ST GROUP WIN. (50,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-RP Racing Ltd; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Michael Appleby; J-Jason Hart. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 3-2-1-0, $147,349. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Purosangue (GB), 129, c, 2, Aclaim (Ire)–Avon Breeze (GB), by Avonbridge (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. (£35,000 Ylg '22 GOFFUK; £125,000 2yo '23 GOUKB). O-Opulence Thoroughbreds & Teme Valley; B-Hellwood Stud Farm & R C Dollar (GB); T-Andrew Balding. £21,500.
3–Kylian (Ire), 129, c, 2, Invincible Spirit (Ire)–Hikmaa (Ire), by Roderic O'Connor (Ire). 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Sheikh Hamed Dalmook Al Maktoum; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Karl Burke. £10,760.
Margins: NK, 1 1/4, 3. Odds: 2.25, 5.50, 2.25.
Also Ran: Baheer (Ire), Markakol (GB), Shagraan (Ire), Hackman (Ire), Barnwell Boy (GB).

The Royal Ascot winner follows up at @Goodwood_Races!

Big Evs (Blue Point) shows tenacity as well as no little class to land the Molecomb Stakes, a first winner at the Qatar Goodwood Festival for @MickApplebyUK @jasonhart13 pic.twitter.com/sSqfepOdHp

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 2, 2023

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Out of Hana Lina (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), a daughter of the champion Queen's Logic (Ire) (Grand Lodge) who took the Queen Mary here when it was a group 3 in 2001, Big Evs was not surprising his trainer, who had been third in Tuesday's G1 King's Stand S. “Big Evs worked with Annaf earlier in the week and I thought this has got to have a great chance at Royal Ascot, because Annaf is a machine,” he said. “We really fancied him at Redcar, but the draw did us.”

Big performance from BIG EVS in the Windsor Castle Stakes! A comfortable victory on his second start – well done to @MickApplebyUK @JasonHart13 and RP Racing pic.twitter.com/suNU0iuYSJ

— Ascot Racecourse (@Ascot) June 21, 2023

“It's a great team effort and thanks to [owner] Paul [Teasdale] for sending him to me,” Appleby added. He's got so much speed–I've never had a horse as quick as him. I'm not sure what we'll do next. There are some big targets to come for him now, so we'll see where we go with him.”

Hart added, “Mick was quietly confident and said this horse had done an excellent bit of work. He has taken a big step forward from his Redcar run and put up a good performance. I was massively hopeful we could reverse the placings with Hala Emaraaty, because there is a massive track bias at Redcar at the moment and I was drawn on the stands' side. If you don't get on the far side, you've not really got much chance and I had to use a lot of horse to get a good position. That told in the final 100 yards, but the horse has come on a lot for that run.”

Paul Teasdale revealed the meaning behind the winner's title. “I named Big Evs after someone very special, a man who I knew for 40 years, but he died in November. He was Paul Evans–we called him Evs and he was a big guy. We went racing together for 25 years and so to win this means so much.”

Pedigree Notes
The dam, who also has a yearling filly by Ribchester (Ire), is carrying on a rich Ascot tradition via her son with the aforementioned Queen's Logic who went on to win the G1 Cheveley Park S. and G2 Lowther S. also responsible for the high-class sprinter Lady Of The Desert (Rahy) who took the G2 Diadem S. and G3 Princess Margaret S. at this venue. She went on to produce Queen Kindly (GB) (Frankel {GB}), another Lowther winner who was third in the G3 Albany S. The family also features the champion Dylan Thomas (Ire), whose several top-level victories included the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth S. and G1 Prince of Wales's S., as well as the fellow Classic-winning luminaries Homecoming Queen (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) and Serpentine (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).

Wednesday, Royal Ascot, Britain
WINDSOR CASTLE S.-Listed, £100,000, Ascot, 6-21, 2yo, 5fT, :59.91, g/f.
1–BIG EVS (IRE), 131, c, 2, by Blue Point (Ire)
1st Dam: Hana Lina (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB)
2nd Dam: Queen's Logic (Ire), by Grand Lodge
3rd Dam: Lagrion, by Diesis (GB)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. (50,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-RP Racing Ltd; B-Rabbah Bloodstock Ltd (IRE); T-Michael Appleby; J-Jason Hart. £56,710. Lifetime Record: 2-1-1-0, $74,891.
2–Johannes Brahms (GB), 131, c, 2, Siyouni (Fr)–Illaunmore, by Shamardal. 1ST BLACK TYPE. (200,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Tabor, Smith, Magnier, Westerberg & Brant; B-Chasemore Farm (GB); T-Aidan O'Brien. £21,500.
3–Inquisitively (GB), 131, c, 2, Ten Sovereigns (Ire)–Ballyalla (GB), by Mind Games (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE. (45,000gns Wlg '21 TADEWE; 40,000gns Ylg '22 TATOCT). O-Justin Casse & Partners; B-Glebe Farm Stud (GB); T-Ollie Sangster. £10,760.
Margins: 3, 3/4, NK. Odds: 20.00, 3.33, 18.00.
Also Ran: Up The Manor (GB), Alabama (Ire), Myconian (Ire), Hala Emaraaty (Ire), Ganesha (GB), Mayo Neighs (Ire), Supersonic Man (GB), Barnwell Boy (GB), Muqtahem (Ire), World of Darcy (Ire), Lieutenant Rascal (Ire), Action Point (Ire), Scoops Ahoy (Ire), Fusterlandia (Ire), Sergeant Wilko (Ire), Bombay Bazaar (GB), Sir Bolton (Ire), Hackman (Ire), Magnificent Match (Fr), Maximum Impact (GB). Scratched: Fandom (GB), Seven Questions (Ire), Two Tribes (GB).

The post First Black Type Winner For Blue Point As Big Evs Wins The Windsor Castle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Twenty-three runners have emerged from Moulton Paddocks in the last fortnight, and 13 of them have returned home as winners, most importantly Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), the champion 2-year-old in Europe last year whose triumph return in the G3 Craven S. got the season off on a proper footing.

Of that baker's dozen, four were by the trainer's reliable old friend Dubawi (Ire), whose name must feature more than any other on doorcards around Moulton Paddocks. Appleby does seemingly have a new best friend, though, in Frankel (GB). The Juddmonte star played a hugely important role in helping the trainer to his first championship, just as he sealed his own first sires' championship with Godolphin's Derby-winning duo of Adayar (Ire) and Hurricane Lane (Ire) in the vanguard. 

Frankel's offspring are appearing increasingly frequently in the royal blue silks, with his daughter Wild Beauty having won the G3 Fred Darling S. at Newbury, where the colt Natural World–bred on the same Frankel-Dubawi cross as Adayar–impressed on debut. In Tuesday's Cazoo Blue Riband Trial at Epsom, Appleby will saddle another son of Frankel, Nahanni (GB), the easy winner of a 1m4f novice contest at Leicester earlier this month.

As we await the return of Adayar in the Coronation Cup and Hurricane Lane in the Hardwicke S. at Royal Ascot, in the wings Appleby has another 10 Frankel juveniles listed in training, including Adayar's full-brother named Military Order (Ire).

Those few people on course in the early morning last Wednesday witnessed the racecourse gallop of Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who swerved the Greenham S., with his trainer's reasoning being that he wanted to remain at Newmarket with the colt who has won on each of the town's two courses but has never run elsewhere. The guessing game now begins as to whether Coroebus might be able to overhaul his stable-mate Native Trail in the QIPCO 2000 Guineas after the latter became the third Craven S. winner for Appleby in the last four runnings of the race, following Masar (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) and Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}).

Breezing Into Contention

One young racegoer who was perhaps as thrilled as Charlie Appleby to see Native Trail return in such fine style was Josh Williamson, the son of Norman and Janet Williamson who sold the unbeaten colt through their Oak Tree Farm draft at the 2021 Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up Sale a year to the day before his victory in the Craven itself.

The 15-year-old schoolboy certainly has the pedigree to be a decent rider, and indeed he was entrusted to be aboard Native Trail for much of his work leading up to the sale. It was touching to see Josh's input into the horse's early career acknowledged by Appleby as he strode into the winner's enclosure and immediately went over to shake his hand and congratulate him. 

We're betwixt breeze-up sales at the moment, with the Craven completed last week, and the horses for the Goffs UK Sale on Thursday set to breeze at Doncaster on Tuesday. That sector of the market could hardly have had a better advertisement than the results on course over the last week. 

Not only did Native Trail fly the flag, but so too did Highclere Racing's G3 Nell Gwyn S. winner Cachet (Ire) (Aclaim {Ire}), as well as the G3 Greenham S. winner Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}), who was bred, like the runner-up Lusail (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), by the seemingly unstoppable force that is Tally-Ho Stud. These followed the previous week's G3 Prix Imprudence victory of Malavath (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), another Tally-Ho-bred breezer who appears to be on course for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. 

Yet another Tally-Ho star graduate kept the ball rolling over the weekend when the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) returned for her 4-year-old debut at Keeneland with a classy win in the Listed Giant's Causeway S. Once again, trainer Wesley Ward looks to have been dealt a strong hand for his annual Royal Ascot challenge, with Campanelle being pointed towards the G1 Platinum Jubilee S. and the free-running speedball Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) heading to the G1 King's Stand S.–and that's before we consider Ward's juvenile contenders. 

Trainers In Form

It should be noted that there are currently two Applebys in the top four in the British trainers' ranks, the other being Michael Appleby, no relation to Charlie and narrowly ahead of him following another excellent winter campaign which saw him crowned champion all-weather trainer for the fourth year in a row. Based in Leicestershire, Michael Appleby's stable may not feature as many bluebloods as some of his rivals in the table, but over the last decade it has become an operation which should be taken very seriously indeed, with Michael surpassing the 100-winner mark for the first time in 2021. Expect more of the same this time around. 

Another trainer to have enjoyed a good week was Roger Varian, whose statuesque  Eydon (GB) was a rare winner for the veteran Olden Times (GB) in the Listed Feilden S. at Newmarket.  Having broken his maiden in some style on his third start, Eydon, whose name is taken from Eydon Hall Farm where he was born and raised, has the Classics on his agenda.

“I did worry when we named him that it could be a disaster,” said Prince Faisal's racing and bloodstock manager Ted Voute with a grin after the colt romped to a comfortable victory at Newmarket. 

Olden Times, now 24 and the winner of the G1 Prix Jean Prat for the owner/breeder, has had several homes during his stud career but has been at Throckmorton Court Stud for the last five years, where he is essentially used as a private stallion by the prince. 

Voute added, “We bred a mare to him the other day. We're sending him two mares this year and hoping for fillies.”

Varian was also represented at the Craven meeting by the Godolphin-bred maiden winner Ameynah (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who holds a 1000 Guineas entry, while last season's G2 Champagne S. winner Bayside Boy (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) will head straight to either Newmarket or ParisLongchamp for a Classic attempt without taking in a trial.

Ameynah wasn't the smartest daughter of Exceed And Excel on the Rowley Mile last week, however, as the Chris Wall-trained Double Or Bubble (Ire) took the G3 Abernant S. for owner/breeder Salah Fustok of Deerfield Farm. Lightly-raced for a 5-year-old, Double Or Bubble has done little wrong during her 11 starts, only ever finishing out of the first two twice, and winning five times, including last year's Listed Flying Fillies' S at Pontefract. 

Wall, one of the most under-rated trainers in Newmarket who also trained this mare's full-sister, the G3 Chartwell Fillies' S. winner Mix And Mingle (Ire), outlined that after an “old school” winter being turned out back at Deerfield, Double Or Bubble has both strengthened and quickened. He is considering the G1 Platinum Jubilee S. for the mare's next start.

My Oh My

My Titania (Ire) already owns a footnote in history as the first stakes winner for her illustrious sire Sea The Stars (Ire) back in 2013, and as a broodmare she has had a fruitful week thanks to her first three foals, all of whom are trained by William Haggas for the Tsui family.

The first off the production line, 5-year-old My Oberon (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), won the All-Weather Mile Championships at Newcastle on Good Friday having finished a respectable sixth in a competitive running of the G1 Dubai Turf on March 26. The mare's 3-year-old, My Prospero (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), was a winner at the second time of asking in a Newbury maiden on Saturday and could head next for the Listed Heron S. at Sandown in May.

Meanwhile, 4-year-old My Astra (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) picked up another slice of black type when third in the Listed Snowdrop Fillies' S. at Kempton. A lateish starter during July of last year, she won her first two races before finishing runner-up in the Listed Prix Solitude. There's surely more to come from this lightly-raced filly, who holds a G2 Dahlia S. entry on Guineas weekend.

Hit And Mist For Kildaragh 

Also featuring prominently among the results of the last seven days is the Kavanagh family's Kildaragh Stud, most notably as the breeder of the winner of the Listed Snowdrop Fillies' S., Roman Mist (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). The 4-year-old provided her young trainer Tom Ward with his first stakes victory when winning in the colours of Hot To Trot Racing. 

Last Thursday, a brace of Kildaragh Stud graduates, both 3-year-olds by Churchill (Ire), returned to winner's enclosures of Newmarket and Ripon respectively. Tuscan (Ire), who struck last year at Thirsk for John and Jess Dance, took the British EBF Conditions S. for Charlie Hills, and this was followed less than an hour later by victory for the Richard-Fahey-trained Blenheim Boy (Ire) in the Cock o' the North H.

Meanwhile Roderick Kavanagh, son of Kildaragh owners Peter and Antoinette, had a successful week with his Glending Stables draft at the Craven Breeze-up Sale, selling all four horses for an average of 87,500gns.

Horton Won't Hear A Who

The well-liked James Horton left his position as Sir Michael Stoute's long-term assistant last year to start training in his own right for John and Jess Dance at Manor House Farm in Middleham, the birthplace of the Derby winner Dante. And on Monday, Horton ensured that his name will soon be widely known by announcing his presence on British racing's stage with his first three winners all on the same afternoon at Redcar. 

The first came in the opening race, a novice event won by Phantom Flight (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}), who had finished runner-up on debut on March 25 as the trainer's first runner. Horton was back for more in the fourth and fifth races on the card, winning with Il Bandito (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) and Asjad (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}). He also came close to securing a four-timer when Ghost Rider (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) finished second by half a length at Wolverhampton. 

On a day to remember for the trainer and owners, John Dance also announced on Twitter on Monday that his superstar mare Laurens (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) produced her second foal, a filly by Kingman (GB), overnight. 

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Probert said, “It was always a goal for me to have a championship since winning back in 2008 when I was champion apprentice. It's a massive achievement and I have plenty of people to thank for that, and hopefully it rolls into a good grass season.”

Appleby, who collected his fifth consecutive trainers' title and sixth overall with 52 winners, said “We have a great team at home–good, dedicated staff, who have been with me a long time. They all work hard and it's well-deserved. I have to thank all the team.”

The All-Weather Winning-Most Horse was Intervention (Ire) (Swiss Spirit {GB}), from Appleby's yard, with five wins. The race for All-Weather Champion Apprentice was very tight, with Rooke prevailing by one winner at 18 over Oliver Stammers and Rhys Clutterbuck. Godolphin was crowned the All-Weather Champion Owner for the eighth year in a row with 43 wins.

Hugh Anderson, Godolphin Managing Director (UK and Dubai), said, “2021 was a banner year for Godolphin, and it is tremendous to begin 2022 with an eighth consecutive Owners' Championship on the all-weather. The all-weather season provides horses with a great introduction to racing over the winter, enabling them to go on to bigger and better things later in the year.

“Our thanks go to the whole team at Godolphin–the trainers, jockeys, and everyone who works in the racing yards. We now look forward to an exciting season on the turf.”

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“He's been a legend, an absolute star, he's a nice character and I've been privileged to train him,” Appleby said. “We've had some great times with him. We've had him for the last few years of his career and he always gives his all, he's a favourite in the yard with the staff.

“He's broken track records as a 12-year-old, you won't see many horses doing that, I think he's the oldest horse in England to win a class two. We've not been hard on him at all, we didn't do too much with him because we kept him for the track.”

The 12-year-old will now be retrained for a second career in another discipline.

“We were half-thinking of keeping him at home and just putting him in the field with a couple of horse that have retired, but I don't think he's ready for that,” he said. “I think he'd still like to be active and doing something else.

“We'll find a really nice home for him with somebody who'll want to do ROR [retraining of racehorses] or dressage with him because I think he'd still love to be doing something.

“We'll find a home for him and have him on loan there so that if they ever don't want him, we'll be having him straight back.”

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Kingscote rode 79 winners-seven more than runner-up Hollie Doyle-for his first champion all-weather jockey title.

“It has been a great winter from start to finish,” Kingscote said. “I am very grateful for all the support and my agent Guy Jewel has done a good job. It has been a solid season to ride 79 winners and they have flowed nicely through the year. I am pleased with myself.

“For me, only being able to ride at one meeting has been a positive and I think a lot of the lads in the weighing room are now in favour. You can relax a bit into your day and there is no rushing because you are worried that you are going to let somebody down by not getting somewhere. It has been nice.”

Appleby, meanwhile, was earning his title for the fourth consecutive season, and fifth overall, with 59 wins.

“It is a good achievement, we've got a great team at home who work very hard all winter, so they all deserve it,” Appleby said. “We have a great bunch of owners, they back the yard and a lot of the owners have been with us a long time, so it's a great achievement.”

Reflecting on the key factors that have turned the all-weather season into such a success, Appleby added, “I think the tracks are a lot better now, the surfaces are getting a lot better than they used to be, and they are putting a lot better races on.”

Ghiani, who is apprenticed to Stuart Williams, took the apprentice's title with 28 winners.

“I am really grateful; this is my third season and it has been going well,” Ghiani said. “I have never been close to being champion apprentice and this year I had a great opportunity to find some good horses and good trainers who will support me.

“My first winner was here at Lingfield two years ago and now I'm on 65 winners, so it's been a lot of winners since. Stuart Williams has helped me a lot–I am really thankful to him.

“Starting out with Luca Cumani definitely helped me a lot because when I first got here, I was at the racing school and obviously I'd just started riding racehorses. He taught me how to gallop, how to canter, the right paces, and then sent me to his son Matt Cumani in Australia for a winter. He gave me a good chance to learn faster and then has kept supporting me like an owner when he retired. He still sends me messages if I have ridden a horse and he didn't like the ride. I am definitely going to try to be champion jockey on the turf. I have some good trainers supporting me and hopefully they have some nice horses for me too.”

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