Ruling Court to step up in trip after Ascot defeat
Charlie Appleby's 2000 Guineas hero was slated for an immediate leap up to a mile and a half for the Derby before being withdrawn on the day at Epsom and subsequently remained at a mile for an all-star rematch with Newmarket runner-up Field Of Gold in the St James's Palace Stakes.
However, after seeing his Rowley Mile rival turn around the Guineas form in style, Appleby is now relishing the next stage of his career up in distance, despite also being eager to see how the cards fall into place before playing his hand.
'We're very much letting the dust settle but the signs are he has very much come out of the race well,' said Appleby.
'We'll see where respective winners from the whole meeting go in respects to where we may head. Ombudsman was of course very impressive in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and it will be interesting to see where John and Thady (Gosden) steer him towards.
'We've mooted an Eclipse with our fellow but I'm not afraid of going straight up to a mile and a half which we were going to do in the Derby and we have got the option of the Grand Prix de Paris.
'It's your last option against three-year-olds so that could be a nice race to take a look at, but we'll let a bit more dust settle before we confirm a plan.'
While Ruling Court may be heading up in distance, it appears likely Appleby's other Classic scorer Desert Flower will be dropping back in trip after her third at Epsom in the Oaks.
Sent off the 11-10 favourite after a sublime performance on her return in the 1000 Guineas, the challenge of Epsom on rain-softened ground ultimately proved too much, with the Moulton Paddocks handler happy to give her as much time as necessary to recover from her Oaks exertions.
'You know she's had a race at Epsom for sure and as I've said previously the ground and the track were the undoing of us,' added Appleby.
'It might have looked like she stayed but I don't think she did being brutally honest, or didn't stay well enough for that level.
'I'm going to give her a little bit of time and there's plenty of options for her at a mile and a mile and a quarter. She's a filly who owes us nothing and for now we will give her plenty of time.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Ombudsman heightening excitement for Walker with Almaqam
Almaqam impressively made all at Sandown to see off John and Thady Gosden's performer, but with Walker deciding to wait for more suitable ground rather than head to the Royal meeting with his talented four-year-old, the door was left open for Ombudsman to boost the Esher result. which now looks red hot. 'It looked a very strong renewal of the Brigadier Gerard, Ombudsman has come out and confirmed he's a smart horse and hopefully we can do soon,' said Walker, who enjoyed a tremendous time at the Royal meeting with two winners and Do Or Do Not beaten only by Gstaad in the Coventry Stakes. 'It's an exciting result to see for us, but you have to remember Sandown was Ombudsman's first run of the season and he was carrying a 3lb penalty. He loomed up like he was going to be a threat and John and Thady will know more than me, but it felt like he needed the run slightly carrying a penalty on easy ground. 'It is exciting and I think we all felt at Sandown the first two were very smart horses.' After quick ground scuppered any designs of turning up in the Prince of Wales's Stakes for Almaqam himself, Walker is now left searching for ideal conditions buoyant he has plenty to look forward to. Ombudsman was a brilliant winner at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA) 'It's all ground dependent and we will have him in everything and take our pick,' added Walker on future plans. 'He'll be in everything at a mile and a quarter, but I wouldn't rule out going a mile and a half as well. We have put him in the Princess of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket (July 10) over a mile and a half, so we will see where the ground will suit.'
South Wales Argus
2 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Ombudsman heightening excitement for Walker with Almaqam
Almaqam impressively made all at Sandown to see off John and Thady Gosden's performer, but with Walker deciding to wait for more suitable ground rather than head to the Royal meeting with his talented four-year-old, the door was left open for Ombudsman to boost the Esher result. which now looks red hot. 'It looked a very strong renewal of the Brigadier Gerard, Ombudsman has come out and confirmed he's a smart horse and hopefully we can do soon,' said Walker, who enjoyed a tremendous time at the Royal meeting with two winners and Do Or Do Not beaten only by Gstaad in the Coventry Stakes. 'It's an exciting result to see for us, but you have to remember Sandown was Ombudsman's first run of the season and he was carrying a 3lb penalty. He loomed up like he was going to be a threat and John and Thady will know more than me, but it felt like he needed the run slightly carrying a penalty on easy ground. 'It is exciting and I think we all felt at Sandown the first two were very smart horses.' After quick ground scuppered any designs of turning up in the Prince of Wales's Stakes for Almaqam himself, Walker is now left searching for ideal conditions buoyant he has plenty to look forward to. Ombudsman was a brilliant winner at Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA) 'It's all ground dependent and we will have him in everything and take our pick,' added Walker on future plans. 'He'll be in everything at a mile and a quarter, but I wouldn't rule out going a mile and a half as well. We have put him in the Princess of Wales's Stakes at Newmarket (July 10) over a mile and a half, so we will see where the ground will suit.'
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Leader Live
Clover still on cloud nine following Royal effort of Flowerhead
One of the newest names to the training ranks, Clover has enjoyed a dream June, saddling not only his first ever winner but quickly taking his tally to five. However, it is his 100-1 runner-up at the Royal meeting which has firmly shone a spotlight on his fledgling Newmarket operation. 'It's getting increasingly hard to find words to describe Wednesday, it was a very special day,' said Clover. 'We love this filly and you hope for a run like that, but it's hard to do it on that big stage and she was incredibly gutsy and did us incredibly proud.' Flowerhead ultimately proved no match for Aidan O'Brien's ultra-impressive scorer True Love in the Ascot Group Two, but having been drawn on the far side of the track, Clover was left to ponder what might have happened if able to race closer to the main action on the stands side. 'I saw Aidan's horse in the pre-parade and I was seriously worried as she is the most impressive two-year-old filly I've ever seen,' explained Clover. 'But It would have been fun to see her drawn upsides True Love and have a bit of company and see if they could have had a hammer and tongs battle. Would we have come out on top? I don't know, but I think we certainly could have got close.' Although just failing to join brother and fellow Newmarket handler Tom Clover on the Royal Ascot roll of honour, the 29-year-old hopes to soon match his exploits in Group company, as connections plot the next move with Flowerhead. Owned by Kia Joorabchian's Amo Racing, the daughter of Starman appears set to step up in trip, with Clover highlighting Newmarket's Duchess of Cambridge Stakes (July 11) or a return to Ascot for the Princess Margaret Stakes (July 26) as possible options. 'She seems to have come out of the race really well and we can now think of picking up some serious black type,' continued Clover. 'She shapes like she wants six and the data at home would back that up, but she was showing plenty of speed so that's why we went for the Queen Mary over the Albany. 'However, Colin (Keane, jockey) felt she was little bit off her feet in the early stages and then when she found her feet she came home so strong that six furlongs next would be the right direction. 'There's plenty of six-furlong races we can target. The Duchess of Cambridge is on the radar, although that might come to soon. She's absolutely pinged out the race, but I am aware she has already had three starts and we just want to get our next move right. 'We'll have that race on our radar, but failing that we can go back to Ascot for the Princess Margaret at the end of next month.'
