Dubai: Charlie Appleby returns to Kempton Park’s all-weather track — a notable happy hunting ground for the Godolphin handler — where he saddles the highly promising Rouleau in the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes on Saturday.
A three-year-old colt by Exceed And Excel, Rouleau faces seven rivals in the six-furlong contest for juvenile horses.
Appleby has developed a big reputation as a skilful all-round handler ever since he won the 2014-2015 All-Weather Championships in Britain when posting a record-setting 76 wins.
The Sirenia Stakes were originally contested on turf, before it was promoted to Group 3 status in 2003, and switched to Kempton Park’s all-weather surface in 2006.
Rouleau has shown his liking for the surface when winning his maiden at Wolverhampton in June this year. William Buick, who was in the saddle on that occasion, once again takes the ride on the 3/1 second favourite.
Among his seven rivals are three other horses with Dubai connections — Adventurous, who represents Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, the Shaikh Juma Dalmouk Al Maktoum-owned Tutu Bguru and Dream Destination, who is owned by Al Basti Equiworld founder Malih Al Basti.
Trained by Sylvester Kirk, a former assistant to Richard Hannon Sr, Dream Destination steps up in class to contest Kempton’s Group 3 feature.
Meanwhile, Irish Derby hero Jack Hobbs will face just six rivals when he contests the Group 2 September Stakes at Kempton on Saturday.
Twice runner-up to the high-class Golden Horn — in the Dante Stakes at York and the Derby at Epsom — the Godolphin-owned colt has been rested since winning the 150th Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (G1) at The Curragh in Ireland two months ago.
John Gosden, who trains the colt for Godolphin, is using the race as a prep for October’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) at Longchamp, Paris.
Jack Hobbs’ rivals include Winter Derby (G3) sensation Tryster, also owned by Godolphin and trained by Appleby.
Mark Johnston saddles Fire Fighting, while Hughie Morrison is double-handed with Royal Ascot scorer Arab Dawn and Sweeping Up.
