Tag Archive for: michael appleby

Royal Zabeel lands Lady Wulfruna prize

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It was a successful afternoon at Wolverhampton for The Horse Watchers syndicate, capped by Royal Zabeel’s triumph in the BetMGM Lady Wulfruna Stakes.

Trained by Michael Appleby and ridden by Alistair Rawlinson, the bay was an 11-2 chance after an impressive campaign on the all-weather so far this winter.

He was well positioned throughout under his rider, kept handy in the early stages of the seven-furlong trip and then ridden to challenge around the turn for home.

The gelding took up the lead in the straight and would not be passed, staying ahead of the fast-finishing Witch Hunter to prevail by three-quarters of a length on the line.

“We’re really pleased with that, he’s done it well and we’ve always thought he’s a decent horse,” said Appleby.

“This has been the target for him for the winter and it’s good that it’s worked out and he’s gone and won it.

“He’s not done much wrong and he’s been progressing well all the while.

“We’ll switch to turf now and it will be interesting to see what he can do on grass.”

The Horse Watchers had already been successful at the meeting when Symbol Of Light won the first race, the BetMGM Lincoln Trial Handicap.

The six-year-old is trained by Julie Camacho and was ridden by Jason Watson as a 7-1 shot for the contest.

From a wide draw, the gelding was driven out on the line to score by a short head from Farasi Lane.

Big Mojo to be primed for Commonwealth Cup bid

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Mick Appleby’s Big Mojo will likely step up to the six-furlong sprint division when he returns to action in the upcoming Flat season.

The colt began his career in July last year and made his second start at Goodwood’s key summer meeting when lining up for the Group Three Molecomb Stakes.

There he followed in the footsteps of his stablemate Big Evs, with whom he shares an owner, by coming home victorious in the five-furlong sprint event.

Big Mojo was subsequently the fourth-placed horse when running over six furlongs for the first time in the Gimcrack at York, after which he returned to the minimum trip to go down by just a neck in the Flying Childers at Doncaster.

He therefore fell just short in his bid to emulate Big Evs on Town Moor, and did so again when coming home fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar towards the end of the year.

Though he could not join Big Evs in securing that Grade One title, he ran with great credit in America and was beaten only a length to wrap up a productive juvenile campaign.

Appleby is pleased with how he has progressed since, emerging from his winter break in good form as Flat stables begin to stir ahead of the spring.

His three-year-old campaign is likely to see him depart from the path trodden by Big Evs, however, with Appleby expecting six furlongs to be his trip rather than the bare-minimum sprint distance of five.

“He’s coming on really well, we’re very pleased with him at home,” the trainer said.

“We’re thinking at the moment that we’ll probably head straight for the Commonwealth Cup.

“He got plenty of experience as a juvenile and he’s come out of the winter looking very well, he’s grown and matured nicely from two to three.

“We’re thinking he might be better at six this year rather than five – and if that’s the case, that will open more doors for him throughout the year.”

Big Evs back on path Appleby team hopes is paved with sprinting gold

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Sprinting star Big Evs makes his comeback in the British Stallion Studs EBF Westow Stakes at York on Thursday.

The Mick Appleby-trained Blue Point colt was a huge success story as a two-year-old, winning the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot and the Molecomb at Goodwood before stepping out of the juvenile division to chance his arm on the Knavesmire in the Nunthorpe Stakes.

There he was defeated when considered to have been returned to the track too quickly after his last run, but in the Flying Childers he bounced straight back to form and his trade was then plied with great success overseas when he brought home the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

Big Evs struck Breeders' Cup gold
Big Evs struck Breeders’ Cup gold (PA)

That outing at Santa Anita in November was his last sighting on a racecourse, with this Listed event now the first step in his three-year-old season, where he is either favourite or vying for favouritism in the King Charles III Stakes (formerly the King’s Stand) on the opening day of Royal Ascot.

“He’s been very well, he’s wintered well and he’s in good order,” said Appleby.

“All has been going well and we hope he’ll come out and win.

“It’s a nice place to start out, we’re just hopeful we don’t get too much more rain.

“All being well we’ll run him here and go to Royal Ascot, that’s the plan.”

Big Evs with trainer Mick Appleby and head girl Tara Belfield
Big Evs with trainer Mick Appleby and head girl Tara Belfield (Joe Giddens/PA)

Opposing him will be Marco Botti’s Sommelier, who makes his debut on turf having won twice on the all-weather at the end of last year.

The bay gelding was narrowly beaten over six furlongs at Newcastle on New Year’s Day and was last seen at the same track finishing down the field on All-Weather Championships Finals Day, which represented a rare blot on his consistent CV.

“We got it wrong at Newcastle and tried to hold him up and he ran too free,” said Alastair Donald, racing manager for owners King Power Racing.

“I think a fast five furlongs is really want he wants. We probably didn’t expect Big Evs to be in there, but this is the first time he is running on turf and I think he is probably going to be a good horse. Although he probably doesn’t want too much rain.”

Elsewhere in the race is Kylian, who makes his first start for Archie Watson having previously been trained by Karl Burke.

Kylian is having his first start for Archie Watson
Kylian is having his first start for Archie Watson (Nigel French/PA)

For Burke the Invincible Spirit colt was a Listed winner when taking the Dragon Stakes at Sandown by an eyecatching six lengths, and was also third behind Big Evs when beaten only a length and a half in the Molecomb.

Kevin Ryan’s Mon Na Slieve runs for the first time since September last year, with Clive Cox set to run Unbreak My Heart, third at Group Three level last term when beaten two lengths in the Cornwallis Stakes.

Richard Fahey’s Dark Vintage makes his second start on British turf after relocating from America and Burke’s Sports Coach completes the field.

Big Evs gearing up for Breeders’ Cup mission

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Mick Appleby’s Big Evs is revving up for his trip to Santa Anita to take on the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.

The Blue Point colt has been a star of the juvenile sprint division this season, landing both the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot and the Molecomb at Goodwood.

He took a steep step up to Group One level against older horses in the Nunthorpe at York and that did not pay off when he finished 14th, but against horses of his own age he bounced straight back to win the Flying Childers at Doncaster in good style.

The Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint was mentioned in the aftermath of the Nunthorpe disappointment and those plans were only further solidified when Big Evs returned to form on Town Moor.

The meeting is this year held at Santa Anita and after a brief break Big Evs is preparing to set sail for America, where he will spend a few days in quarantine before getting accustomed to the track ahead of the meeting.

Big Evs and Jason Hart (centre) coming home to win the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot
Big Evs and Jason Hart (centre) coming home to win the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

“He’s in good form, we’ve just freshened him up a bit and he seems in good order,” said Appleby.

“Hopefully he stays that way until he goes, he flies out on October 26.

“He’s got to have 48 hours in quarantine then he’ll be able to go out on track two or three times before the race.”

Big Evs will go for a racecourse gallop on British soil to get to grips with racing around a bend, something he has yet to encounter, but stalls work with the American-style starting bell will take place once he lands in the States.

“We’re going to take him for a racecourse gallop so we can run him around a bend, obviously he’s never raced around a bend before but I don’t think it’ll be an issue,” Appleby said.

“He’s got to do a bit of stalls work with a bell but I think we’re going to do that when he’s out there so he can get used to the stalls there.

“He’s doing very well and hopefully it’s all systems go.”