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Appleby: Classic hope Alpine Trail continues to surprise
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Fri 2 May 2025
Alpine Trail entered Charlie Appleby’s Derby calculations in maintaining his unbeaten record at Newmarket.
The Dubawi colt was sent off the 10-11 favourite in the hands of William Buick for the Nyetimber Newmarket Stakes and showed he is on the up by coming home strongly in the Listed event to deny and John and Thady Gosden’s Nebras by three lengths.
Lingfield Derby Trial could be next
“He’s been improving with every start and has done nothing wrong,” said Appleby.
“At home he’s never been exciting to watch but as the lads keep saying, he’s a hard horse to get past if you’ve got one in the gallop with him. He was a big, raw Dubawi last year and he needed a bit of time. We gave him all the time he needed and he’s repaid us so far.”
Alpine Trail was handed a quote of 25-1 for the Epsom Classic by Paddy Power, but would need supplementing for the June 7 contest providing he passes his next assignment, with Appleby considering a quick return to the track at Lingfield on May 10.
“We could look at the Lingfield Derby Trial or something like that,” added Appleby.
“Do I think he’s really a Derby horse? I don’t really know because he wouldn’t jump out at home, but then you can’t fault what he’s doing on the track. He’s not in the Derby, but at any stage we can pop him in, so I think let’s get him to Lingfield and see what happens there.
“He’s done it nicely today and I think he showed there he will stay. Stepping up to a mile and a half, he might take another step forward again, but you will need to if you are going to be what we’re looking for.”
Sandringham possibilities for Zgharta
In the opening Darley EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes, Hollie Doyle got the better of her husband Tom Marquand as Zgharta saw off Pearla.
Andrew Balding’s daughter of Ghaiyyath saw the form of her previous track second to Charlie Appleby’s Victory Queen franked earlier in the week and as such was sent off the 13-8 favourite stepping up in trip.
However, despite opening her account, she could now revert to a mile for a possible Royal Ascot tilt.
“I’m relieved she’s a winner but she probably didn’t quite see out the trip as well as we thought, so we will have to consider coming back in trip,” said Balding.
“I thought she would stay it well but Hollie felt she was running on fumes a bit the last half-furlong.
“I think her class and experience got her through it and time will tell, but I would expect there were some nice fillies in the race and it wasn’t a bad effort considering.
“We could possibly look at the Sandringham at Royal Ascot, but I’ll have to discuss it with Imad (Al Sagar, owner) and see how she feels. We’ll see how we go, but I think a stiff mile is what we will be looking at now.”
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