Flying Honours and Silver Knott on target for Godolphin team

Charlie Appleby might have been left cursing his luck the last time Flying Honours appeared at Newmarket but there was no denying him victory on this occasion after he advertised his Classic credentials in the Godolphin Flying Start Zetland Stakes, the opening race on Dubai Future Champions Day.

Having been caught out in a dash to the line when sent off the 2-7 favourite for the Group Two Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes over a mile at the track 14 days ago, the Sea The Stars colt was not to suffer the same fate in today’s Group Three contest.

Racing prominently throughout on his first start over a mile and a quarter the 10-11 Favourite kept out of the way of all the drama in behind which saw Frankie Dettori unseated from Liftoff entering the final half-mile.

Moving past long-time leader Dear My Friend inside the final quarter of a mile Flying Honours was kept up to his work by champion jockey elect William Buick before holding the staying-on Blanchland, who had his run checked by Liftoff, by a length.

Following the race, which Appleby’s second win in it in succession having saddled Goldspur to glory 12 months ago, Flying Honours was left unchanged at 16-1 by both Betfair and William Hill for The Derby at Epsom Downs next June.

Appleby said: “I’m delighted for him to get back on track. After the last run we were head scratching slightly.

“I know the pace of the race was never going to suit him but we weren’t sure whether to run him or put him away for the winter but I’m glad we have run him.

“He has grown up again since that last run and we can put him to bed for the winter now on the back of getting his head back in front and looking towards those Derby trials in the spring.

“As William said, you can see how we got beat last time. They have gone a good gallop today and he has had to stay and stay well to get the job done.

“Like last time it was a steadily run race that turned into a sprint and you could have thrown a blanket over them.

“One thing I was confident was that he would keep galloping. When the second horse came to us it would have had to quicken up, and quicken up smartly.

“In these mile and a quarter races quickening is not their game it is lengthening and he was on that lead and lengthening away

“On his page staying will be his forte, to what level he stays at next season are hopefully things we can dream about over the winter and see where we are in the spring.

“He has got a bit of experience under his belt. He has been round Epsom and we will put him one of those trials in the spring and see where we are.”

Classic-winning rider Buick was impressed with the display and expects Flying Honours to take high rank in middle distance contests next season.

He added: “When he ran in the Royal Lodge last time, it was a non-event really as they went very slow and it wouldn’t have suited this fella. Today, up in trip and with an end to end gallop it suited him.

“He is going to be a nice middle-distance prospect for next year.”

As for Blanchland’s trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam she insists she is keen to take on the winner again.

She said: “I want another go at the winner, where that will be I don’t know. Our lad has improved again. He had a little stride on the turf on Long Hill the other day as he hasn’t seen the turf at home all his life.

“He has done well and improved so let’s hope he has a nice winter. Mr Harris (owner) and I had a discussion at lunch and I would say that The Derby would be a mid-season aim.”

Stablemate Silver Knott completed a quick-fire 8.5-1 double for both Appleby and Buick when leaving behind his own odds-on reversal last time out when returning to winning ways in the Emirates Autumn Stakes.

Trailing home last of three in the Group Two Champagne Stakes at Doncaster the 4-1 chance demonstrated what he is capable off when carrying a penalty to glory to land the second Group Three success of his career on his first attempt at a mile.

One of four horses still in with a chance approaching the final furlong the son of Lope De Vega, who claimed Group Three honours in the Fasig-Tipton Night of The Stars Solario Stakes at Sandown Park, began to assert his dominance in the closing strides.

Wearing down the previously unbeaten Epictetus inside the final 100 yard Silver Knott eventually went on to score by a neck to have his odds trimmed from 40-1 into 33-1 for next year’s QIPCO 2000 Guineas by Paddy Power.

Appleby, who teamed up with Buick to win the race last year with subsequent QIPCO 2000 Guineas hero Coroebus, said: “It was a disappointing run last time but we had a genuine excuse and we felt the step up in trip was always going to suit him as was being back on a sound surface.

“He got caught up in the mud at Doncaster but went there off the back of a nice performance at Sandown Park where he quickened up and I think we saw that again today.

“A key point today was stepping up in trip as he has a stout pedigree out of God Given so we were confident going up in trip was going to see improvement back on a sound surface.

“He got the penalty for a reason as he was a Group Three winner coming into the race but he was against a nice competitive field.

“In my mind I think he is a horse that in the middle of next summer you will see him at 10 furlongs but we will put him potentially in one of the trials in the spring.

“I feel he is that level (of Modern Games). He is doesn’t do anything flash now. I know we were getting excited after Sandown but that sort of race broke down in front of him as they went hard and they came back in front of him up the hill.”

As for winning rider Buick, like Appleby, he felt the switch to a sounder surface was a key reason behind the performance

He said: “At Doncaster the ground went against him but on a nice surface he travels well and he has seen out a mile very well today.

“He’s a big horse and that gives you confidence for next year – he has plenty of scope to improve.

“This lad and the fella in the first (Flying Honours) are both three year old types and anything they do as two year olds is a bonus.”

Owen Burrows might have seen his numbers reduced this year but it has not stopped him from having a phenomenal season on the track which Alflaila continued when coming to last in the Masar Darley Stakes, the concluding contest on Dubai Future Champions Day at Newmarket today.

Since securing the first Group One of his career following the victory of Hukum in the DahlBury Coronation Cup at Epsom Downs in June, the Lambourn handler celebrated his eighth Pattern race winner of the year, and sixth domestically, in today’s Group Three contest.

Despite giving Burrows “heart failure” when making a slow start from the gates the Dark Angel colt swiftly moved through the gears under Jim Crowley before mounting his challenge approaching the closing stages of the nine-furlong prize.

Although Ottoman Fleet proved to be a persistent challenger the 5-2 Favourite found plenty when it mattered most before prevailing by a length and a quarter to set up a potential trip to Bahrain next month and secure his fourth victory of the year.

Burrows said: “He gave us heart failure a bit at the start but we know he does that now a bit and Jim knows him so he doesn’t panic. He lets him find his feet and he is strong at the end.

“He was going to be vulnerable if he did that and they went slow but they didn’t go very quick at York (in the Strensall Stakes) and we managed to get away with it and they went a good gallop today and the front two pulled nicely clear.

“The Strensall was a win and you’re in for Bahrain. We will see how he comes out of that and have a chat with Sheikha Hissa and see what she wants to do as he will be a nice four year old as well.

“He has a free entry in the Bahrain Trophy but we will see how he comes out in the next week to 10 days.

“We were left what we thought were the best horses. There are not many of the horses that Shadwell left with us that haven’t shown up on the track and he has contributed a nice bit as well.”

Joint-owners Linda and Peter Appleton can look forward to Azure Blue making more trips back to Newmarket next year along with lining up against Group race opposition after taking her form to new heights in the Blue Point British EBF Boadicea Stakes.

After scoring on the July Course earlier in the season the daughter of El Kabeir made it two wins from as many appearances at the Rowley Mile when bursting through late on in the six furlong affair to make her debut at Listed level a triumphant one.

Hitting top gear inside the final quarter of a mile the well-supported 9-2 joint-favourite turned on the afterburners to cross the line a length and a quarter clear of Makarova and complete a 26.5-1 double on the card for jockey David Egan.

Linda Appleton, who owns Azure Blue with her husband Peter and Anne Elliot, said: “She was amazing. She got out quicker this time as she had been a bit slow coming out but David said she came out lovely and got into a lovely position.

“Sometimes she can hit a flat spot in the middle of her races but she didn’t this time and said she felt good and it was scary how good she felt.

“She will be better next year and that is what Michael (Dods, trainer) always said. She deserved to be here as she won three times and when you look at the form against other horses it has been good. She has got a very good mind.

“You would think so (that she would be able to hold her own in Group race company). We will just enjoy today. It is fabulous. She is a lovely horse she really is. I’m overjoyed.”