Quick Return Can Produce An Overdue Win For Appleby Six-Year-Old

Course And Distance Winner Has Conditions just Right For A Successful Run

It’s a long way in distance and temperature from June in Milan to Wolverhampton in December, but that is what MICHELE STROGOFF has managed in his four year career.

He made his debut at the San Siro course in 2015, and has won eight times since, including one in France.

He goes for thje Betway Apprentice Handicap this evening and has every chance of repeating one of his three wins of last winter over course and distance.

The Michael Appleby trained son of Aqlaam has actually gone 17 races without a win but has run well and been placed on a good few occasions, going down in photo’ finishes three times at Chelmsford this Autumn.

Those were off marks of 82 and 83 and he returns to Dunstall Park today on a mark of 85, 2lb below his last winning rating.

He ran as recently as five days ago and Mark Crehan, who has a 21% win rate here for Appleby is on board, STORM AHEAD is the favourite and main danger after a course and distance win here a fortnight ago but is up 5lb; the last time he raced off such a mark he was last of 12 at Newcastle.

THE THROSTLES also goes well here and is 1lb lower than when completing a hat-trick over course and distance in the Summer of 2018.

He returned from a two-month break to be third to Blue Medici here a week ago and wore cheek-pieces that day for just the second time.

They are on again today but the way he ran on in that latest event suggests a drop in trip to today’s extended nine furlongs might not be ideal.

At 5/2 Michele Strogoff looks the bet.

G Lees

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