Can Appleby Land All Four Newmarket Group Races on Saturday?
Saturday could be a red-letter day for Charlie Appleby. The private trainer for Dubai’s Godolphin operation saddles the odds-on favorite in all three of Newmarket’s major two-year-old races. He also has a strong chance in an all-aged Group 3 contest with the popular old stager Barney Roy making a welcome return to action.
The Appleby juggernaut gets into gear at 1.45 pm in the Group 3 Godolphin Flying Start Zetland Stakes. Here Appleby saddles two runners, Hafit and Goldspur. The former won on his racecourse debut but was soundly beaten into second on his next outing. Nevertheless, at 15/8 he is the one the bookies like ahead of Goldspur (7/2) who was an impressive winner on his only start at Sandown four weeks ago.
Native Trail, odds-on favorite to land Saturday’s Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes, winning on debut at Sandown for trainer Charlie Appleby. ©GettyImages
In the Group 3 Emirates Autumn Stakes at 2.20 pm Coroebus is expected to put his course and distance winning form to good use. An odds-on favorite with all betting firms, Coroebus is much the best on the figures and the Appleby-trained horse will benefit from a more restrained ride than he received in the Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes a fortnight ago.
On that occasion, he went clear of his field but was collared close home. Like Hafit and Goldspur, Coroebus – named after a character in Greek mythology – is a son of Dubawi meaning William Buick’s mount is likely to improve for age and experience.
Appleby’s Native Trail Has Unbeaten Rivals to Contend With
Thirty-five minutes later in the biggest race of the day – the Group 1 Darley Dewhurst Stakes – Appleby’s Native Trail will attempt to win his fourth consecutive race and justify odds-on favoritism in the process.
While Native Trail looked sublime when plundering the Group 1 Vincent O’Brien National Stakes in Ireland, supporters should be wary of Saturday’s opposition. Ger Lyons is an infrequent visitor to the UK, so his impressive last-time-out winner Straight Answer must be respected.
Similarly, Aidan O’Brien has taken five of the last eight runnings of the Dewhurst. Consequently, his representative, Glounthaune, should be feared. Unraced since scrambling home in a Curragh maiden contest six months ago, the betting market should prove an excellent guide to his current ability.
Popular Roy Could Be the Boy to Beat in the Darley Stakes
Returning to the track following an even longer absence is Charlie Appleby’s Barney Roy. Despite a 13 month lay-off, bookmakers are taking no chances with the seven-year-old gelding. Even the best betting sites make him just 4/1 to take the concluding contest on an excellent Newmarket card, the Group 3 Darley Stakes.
Barney Roy winning the Group 1 Jebel Hatta at Maydan in March 2020. He would win two more Group 1s by the end of the season. ©GettyImages
A remarkable horse that finished second in the 2000 Guineas and Eclipse Stakes, victory in Royal Ascot’s St James Palace Stakes prompted connections to pack him off to stud in 2017. However, infertility saw him gelded and returned to the track. He enjoyed amazing success shortly afterwards.
In 2020 the seven-year-old won three Group 1 contests, two in Germany and one at the Dubai World Cup Carnival. Despite giving age to all his rivals and weight to most of them, should Barney Roy retain most of his ability it would not be difficult to envisage him entering the winner’s enclosure on Saturday afternoon.
Two for Nicholls’ at Chepstow?
Across the country, at Chepstow, Paul Nicholls’ Fidelio Vallis looks the best bet on an all-jump racing card. The French-bred is unbeaten in four chase starts in 2021 and heading into the weekend his trainer has delivered 32 winners from precisely 100 runners.
Connections could well double-up with Timeforatune in the concluding contest at 4.40 pm. A shock but impressive 33/1 winner on his debut in May, this five-year-old was later sold by his breeder, owner, and then trainer Brian Eckley for £175,000. As the price-tag suggests, Timeforatune could prove to be something very special.
