Charlie Appleby's wait for a Guineas victory can end on Saturday

Godolphin handler saddles top two contenders in Native Trail and Coroebus

By Leslie Wilson Jr

Published: Sat 30 Apr 2022, 12:41 AM

Godolphin handler Charlie Appleby’s wait for a maiden 2000 Guineas (G1) success could end on Saturday when he saddles the top two contenders in the prestigious mile contest at Newmarket racecourse in the UK.

Champion juvenile Native Trail and course and distance winner Coroebus are a pair of above-average colts who go into the showpiece with serious claims.

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Native Trail, the mount of William Buick, has won all five career starts including a pair of dominant Group 1 victories as a two-year-old in the form of the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes and Darley Dewhurst Stakes.

The son of Oasis Dream showcased his skills when posting an effortless victory in the Group 3 Craven Stakes, the leading prep race for the 2,000 Guineas, earlier this month.

Coroebus (James Doyle) finished 2021 as joint second behind Native Trail in the European two-year-old rankings following three exciting performances at Newmarket, which included an emphatic victory in the Group 3 Emirates Autumn Stakes on Dubai Champions Day in October.

Assessing the chances of his pair of runners Charlie Appleby told the Godolphin website: “We are delighted with Native Trail and Coroebus heading into the 2,000 Guineas. William and James rode them in a breeze on Wednesday and both horses looked great.

“Native Trail’s preparation has been faultless and he has definitely come forward since the Craven Stakes. With the stalls in the centre of the track, being drawn 15 doesn’t worry me at all – he is the class horse in the field and William knows him very well.

“He is an unbeaten dual G1 winner and we are very much looking forward to him hopefully winning a Classic,” Appleby added.

“Coroebus is drawn on the other side in stall one, so I’d like to think that we have both angles covered! His preparation has also been perfect and we got exactly what we wanted out of his racecourse gallop. He has certainly come on for that piece of work and stepping up to this level will tell us where we are for the future,” said the Derby-winning handler.

“The one thing we do know is that they have both won over the course and distance, so we don’t have any concerns over stamina and handling Newmarket.”

The Godolphin take duo on some modest opposition headed by Epsom Derby's favorite Luxemourgh who will bid to give Irish powerhouse trainer Aidan O'Brien an 11th success in the Guineas.

Godolphin has previously won the race three times with Mark of Esteem in 1996, Island Sands in 1999, and Dawn Approach in 2013.

The 2000 Guineas is the first of five Classics that feature on the annual British calendar together with the 1000 Guineas, Derby, Oaks, and St. Leger.