Conversations with Charlie Appleby are always informative and it was no different when he started talking about his dreams for the year.
The Godolphin trainer can often be compared to a Premier League trainer or a Formula One director, in that he is always expected to achieve great results no matter what – Appleby has some of the best bred horses in the world in its state-of-the-art Moulton Paddocks in Newmarket.
He was, understandably, in a very good mood when we spoke, having just discovered that Shadow of Light, a bouncing pocket rocket, had topped the European rankings for two-year-olds with a rating of 120, confirming that it was the right thing to do. that we all knew. Furthermore, the colt was last season's Juvenile Champion.
After landing the Middle Park and Dewhurst Stakes last autumn, Shadow of Light stood out as a horse capable of following in the footsteps of Notable Speech, whom Appleby saddled to win the 2000 Guineas last May. The twinkle in his eyes suggested that a big race is in store on May 3.
“I hope he is a horse that the public will latch on to,” Appleby told Racing Confidential. 'It's exciting to have someone like him in the yard and this is the time of year we all have reason to believe. The way we won the Dewhurst gives me every reason to believe he will see a mile away.
Shadow of Light's quality is there for all to see given his pedigree (his half-brother, Earthlight, was another big winner), but it was fascinating to hear Appleby dig a little deeper and propose the name of a forgotten horse that could come to make a big name for yourself.
Charlie Appleby is in good spirits as he looks ahead to the 2000 Guineas and Derby.
Believes Supreme Court could surprise people at Derby after training in Dubai
Ruling Court made headlines when he won on debut at Sandown in July, leading his rivals by five lengths. A big race was expected at York the following month in the Acomb Stakes and many judges believed it was safe ground for Group Three competition.
However, things never went as planned. Ruling Court finished third and there was some discouragement after the event but, rewatching the race and studying the form of the race, things look a little different at the moment.
The Lion in Winter, who won the Acomb, is the favorite for the 2000 Guineas and Derby and is held in the highest regard by Aidan O'Brien; second place went to Wimbledon Hawkeye, who won the Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket and is believed by his trainer James Owen to be a Derby horse.
In fourth place was The Waco Kid, who also won a group race at Newmarket in the autumn and Appleby explained, rightly, why The Acomb Stakes has become a hugely informative race and how Ruling Court should not be discounted.
“The first goal for him this year is to race in the United Arab Emirates, Guinea, at Meydan on March 5,” Appleby said. 'He could be another guinea horse that drags on until a trip to the Derby. We are currently training him in Dubai as it suits him there. Do I have faith in him? A lot.'
With Notable Speech returning to contest all major mile events for older horses and Arabian Crown (once mentioned as a Derby contender last year) lined up for the major middle distance events, Appleby has every reason to dream. His words must be taken into account.
What a wonderful day at Haydock last Saturday with Mr Vango making his way through the soft conditions to give Sara Bradstock an emotional victory in the Peter Marsh Chase. It had been two years since he had been on the Merseyside track and since then his world has been turned upside down.
Sara was inextricably linked to her husband, Mark, and the void left in her life since his death last March has been enormous. They have a rare gift for training these great permanent hunters and it could be that Mr Vango takes part in the Grand National in April.
“Large” doesn't really do justice to Mr. Vango's size: he's like a milk float, square and sturdy and basically has one gear that doesn't change. So how do you get a horse like that to win? It helps that Sara Bradstock only has 12 racehorses in her stable and can provide individualized attention.
All horses need confidence and, at Mr Vango's last gallop at Lambourn last Friday, she had the idea of training him in the gallops with a horse that was not in full training and therefore would not be able to follow his lead. rhythm. stablemate Mr Vango ended up full of beans and the result was spectacular.
There's no way Mr. Vango, which is owned by the enthusiastic Cracker and Smodge Partnership, would have received that individual attention to detail in a larger yard. Sara Bradstock deserves all the success that comes her way.
Sara Bradstock deserves immense credit for training Mr Vango to win the Peter Marsh Chase
It was an emotional day at Haydock and she should be applauded for her fight after her husband and fellow trainer Mark (pictured) died in March.
The Cheltenham Festival continues to come into view and a picture is now beginning to form as to which horses will compete in which races.
Some trainers will do warm-up races between now and then, to ensure their stars are mature, while others will go straight to Prestbury Park and two that fall into that category are Windbeneathmywings and The New Lion.
The former, trained by David Pipe, was a spectacular winner of a traditionally informative clash at Ascot on December 20, jumping further and further down the straight. It's a distinctive chestnut and clearly has a talent for burning.
Pipe informed this column in a discussion in Windsor last week that everything has been going well in the month since and Windbeneathmywings is flourishing. He has made four starts in his career, the limit for a Bumper Champion contender, and Pipe isn't worried about inexperience.
Meanwhile, Nuevo León is thriving for Dan Skelton. Regular readers will know that we featured him as a horse to watch after his outstanding performance at Newbury on November 30 and he duly followed up in the Challow Hurdle over the same course four weeks later.
JP McManus subsequently purchased the gelding and he is all set for the Turner Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham. There would have been a chance to introduce it on field testing day this weekend, but The New Lion has done everything it needs to and March 12 is the day that matters.
The Cheltenham Festival is just weeks away and talks are taking place over which horses will compete in which races.
It was a surprise to see Oliver Harris sell Peaky Boy, who won the first race at Cheltenham last year.
Oliver Harris's yellow and black silks have become an increasingly common sight on the show jumping courts in recent seasons. Harris is a 42-year-old money manager who has been successful in the city and hasn't been afraid to invest.
It was a surprise to see, then, that Peaky Boy, a horse who had the distinction of winning the first race at Cheltenham on January 1, 2024, was sold at Doncaster Sales earlier this week, for an undisclosed six-figure fee , leaving Nicky Henderson's Stables to go to Jonjo and AJ O'Neill's yard.
Peaky Boy looked good in the autumn after jumping fences, winning at Cheltenham in November before finishing second in a hot race in December. It has been bought by Martin Tedham and Wasdell Properties, former supporters of the O'Neil shipyard.