3 minute read
Charlie Appleby now looks to hold all the aces in Saturday’s Darley Dewhurst Stakes after Aidan O’Brien’s market leader The Lion In Winter was ruled out due to a bruised foot.
Having landed the juvenile Group 1 prize with brilliant performers Pinatubo and Native Trail, Charlie Appleby certainly knows what it takes to claim the seven-furlong contest on the Rowley Mile and with Shadow Of Light a general 4/6 chance ahead of stablemate Ancient Truth, the Moulton Paddocks-based handler will surely fancy his chances of adding to the tally.
Following an impressive display in Group 1 Middle Park Stakes on the Rowley Mile two weeks ago, the supplemented Shadow Of Light will bid to stamp his authority at the top of the Godolphin juvenile team as he steps up to seven furlongs for the first time.
"I'm delighted with the pair of them. Shadow Of Light, you are going to tell me that two weeks ago you thought you were going to go sprinting. But as I look at it, he has everything to gain and nothing to lose," said Appleby.
He added: "If he goes and wins, then fantastic, he adds an extra dimension to his three-year-old career and do we look at a Guineas route. If he gets beat, as Blue Point did, then we just cement he's a sprinter and you can tailor your training programme in the spring. It's a win-win situation, really."
While William Buick will be hoping Shadow Of Light can take the step up to seven furlongs in this stride, James Doyle will surely fancy his chances as he picks up the ride on the unbeaten Ancient Truth.
The son of Dubawi took his record to three from three with a smooth defeat of the reopposing Seagulls Eleven in the Superlative Stakes on the July Course earlier this season and while the Group 1 National Stakes at the Curragh had been muted as his potential big-race autumn target, Appleby instead opted to give his colt more time.
Appleby said: "Ancient Truth is three from three coming into it and we haven't seen him since the Superlative."
"We were toying with the idea of running in the National Stakes in Ireland, but I felt he was a horse who would be better given more time, and I didn't want to have two cracks at Group Ones – and this one, the Dewhurst, is an important Group One for us.
"He looks great, he's strengthened and has done everything we have asked for."
Aidan O'Brien's chance of landing a record-extending ninth Dewhurst was dealt a major blow when The Lion In Winter was ruled out with a bruised foot this morning. However, O'Brien is still dual-handed in the Group 1 prize with impressive debut winner Expanded, who is now the mount of Ryan Moore, and Rock Of Cashel.
"We feel Rock Of Cashel is better than we have seen, and we feel he is a little bit like his sister Snowfall (winner of Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks) – we could only win a maiden with her at two, but we always thought she was good," said O'Brien, who saddled the Breeders' Cup Classic-bound City Of Troy to land the Dewhurst Stakes in scintillating fashion twelve months ago.
"We think he's a bit like that and there is plenty there we haven't seen yet. He had a bad run the last day, but we think there is more to come. Whether that comes in the Dewhurst or whether we have to wait until next year we will find out."
Seagulls Eleven, who runs under the banner of Two Plus Three Plus Four which features footballers James Milner and Danny Welbeck, completes the depleted field of five for trainer Hugo Palmer and jockey Oisin Murphy.