Coroebus takes Appleby’s eye as Godolphin colts dominate Guineas market

Unbeaten Dewhurst winner Native Trail is favourite for next year’s Classic.

There is no doubting who holds all the aces for next year’s 2000 Guineas – but Charlie Appleby feels the bookmakers may have it wrong in making Native Trail favourite over Coroebus.

Appleby, who has dominated this season with middle-distance colts Adayar and Hurricane Lane, appears to have a stranglehold on next year’s major races already.

Native Trail maintained his unbeaten record with a straightforward success in Newmarket’s Darley Dewhurst Stakes, his second Group One of a perfect season.

Coroebus justified odds-on favouritism in the Emirates Autumn Stakes, having gone for home too early last time out in the Royal Lodge.

On paper there is no doubt Native Trail holds the stronger claims, having won two Group Ones, but there is a real glint in Appleby’s eye when he talks about Coroebus. The pair were also part of a William Buick treble as he gives chase to Oisin Murphy, with a week of the jockey’s championship to go.

Paddy Power have Native Trail their 3-1 favourite for the Classic, with Coroebus next at 5-1.

“He’s naturally Guineas favourite,” said Appleby, after Native Trail’s win.

“I struggle to see him getting much further than a mile, but I can be proven wrong. He’ll go into the winter as an exciting Guineas horse, along with Coroebus as well – we’ve seen two nice colts in the last half-an-hour.

“For the whole team it’s great. This is Future Champions Day – it’s here for a reason, to find the champions for next year.

“I’d have a job to say what we are doing next month, never mind next spring, so we’ll get through the winter and then start making plans for both after we see how they develop. One could do better than the other and might need a trial; another might be more athletic and go straight to the Guineas. But it’s a long way off.”

Asked who he would have favourite, Appleby said: “William and I have differing views. I do like Coroebus – he’s a supreme traveller. But you cannot fault what this horse (Native Trail) has done – he’s four from four, and he does it in that fashion.

“As three-year-olds, when the opposition has got stronger and the pace of the race quicker, the one thing you have to do in these Classics is travel – and that is what Coroebus does in abundance.

“He’s got so much cruising speed, they’d never take him off the bridle before the two pole. But that’s just my opinion – I’m just delighted to have these two horses.”

The Dewhurst went pretty much to plan for Native Trail, although briefly Dubawi Legend looked like living right up to Hugo Palmer’s high opinion of him when going clear into the Dip.

“Given how this horse is, I was always comfortable because he wasn’t doing a stroke,” said Appleby.

“Once William moved out around James (Doyle, on Dubawi Legend) and they met the rising ground, the one thing this horse wasn’t going to do is stop galloping.

“He showed what he had in the National Stakes – the acceleration this horse shows is quite remarkable.”

Appleby last won the Dewhurst with Pinatubo, another unbeaten juvenile who never quite lived up to those heights at three, despite winning the Prix Jean Prat.

“This lad is different to Pinatubo. I’ve always felt this fellow is a man among boys – he has a bit more stature to him,” added Appleby.

“They are different animals, different pedigrees, but going into the winter you would potentially think this lad has a slightly better profile than Pinatubo – although that is obviously up for discussion and debate.

“People will undoubtedly have their own opinions, but that is mine.”

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