Dubai: Having recorded a number of significant wins during the Dubai World Cup Carnival, Godolphin handler Charlie Appleby is relishing the prospect of challenging for this season’s British Classics.
It will be the first full season that the Hampshire-born trainer will be overseeing, following his appointment last July, and he said he is raring to go.
Appleby singled out 1,000 Guineas aspirant Folk Melody and Epsom Derby probable Sudden Wonder as two of his leading Classic hopefuls.
“A couple could head to the Nell Gwyn (G3, Newmarket, April 16),” the trainer told Sportinglife. “Majeyda is a two-time Listed winner who ran behind Ihtimal in the May Hill.
“Then there’s Folk Melody, who won impressively at Newmarket last summer. We’ll take a look next week. I think [Folk Melody] is a nice filly but I don’t want to put pressure on her — she’ll do the talking.
“We earmarked some to be Classic contenders and she’s one we decided to put away.”
Folk Melody is a best-price 40-1 shot in the British exchanges, with Majeyda available at 50-1.
Appleby is also hopeful that Sudden Wonder can be his first representative in the Epsom Derby on June 7.
“He’s a [son of] New Approach who is only going to get better,” Appleby said. “He has done very well and we aren’t going to take a normal Derby-type route — he might go for a sales race next week to get used to the hustle and bustle.
“Pinzolo won the Haynes, Hanson & Clark at Newbury and was a bit disappointing in the Racing Post Trophy (G1), but up to then he had looked a horse you could go down the Derby route with.”
Outstrip and the Saeed Bin Surour-trained Be Ready are Godolphin’s leading 2,000 Guineas hopes and the former will head straight to the Guineas on May 3.
“Fitness won’t be a concern and he’s a horse we’re looking forward to racing throughout the season,” Appleby said.
“We’re confident we can go for the Guineas fit and well. As an individual, he has grown and strengthened, physically and mentally. We’re very happy where he is.”
Outstrip is priced at 25-1 for the Guineas, while Be Ready is a shorter-priced 16-1.
Appleby saddled six winners during the Carnival, including Long John, won the UAE 2,000 Guineas, and Certify, a winner of the Cape Verdi. He also pulled off smart wins with Cat O’Mountain, who went on to finish third in the $10 million Dubai World Cup (G1) (Dh36.7 million), and Ahtoug, who was a thrilling runner-up in the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint (G1).
Meanwhile, Dubai businessman Saeed Manana will also be watching to see if his promising filly Blockade can give her Classic credentials a boost in the Nell Gwyn next week.
Trained by James Tate, Blockade won three times as a juvenile and ran a blinder to take second in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket in October.
Blockade has impressed Tate to no end and the trainer said: “She had a creditable first season, winning three times and finishing an excellent second at Newmarket in the Group 2 Rockfel Stakes. I’ve been delighted with how she’s done this spring and her work last week was very encouraging.
“She’ll start off in the Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket next week and has an entry in the Guineas, which isn’t tilting at windmills as her Rockfel run was very smart. If she’s improved as much I hope she has, she could have a good season.”
