Charlie Appleby on plans for his top stars after ruling Adayar out of Epsom

Adayar will miss next month’s Coronation Cup after a “minor setback” with trainer Charlie Appleby pointing last year’s Derby winner at the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot instead.

The Godolphin-owned four-year-old had long been earmarked for the Coronation Cup over the same course and distance at Epsom as he won over when landing Appleby and Sheikh Mohammed a second Derby last year under jockey Adam Kirby.

However, Adayar was forced to miss a week of exercise due to coughing, during which time he put on extra weight, meaning he will not be ready in time to compete in the Group 1.

“Adayar, who was an intended runner [at Epsom], met with a minor setback in the respect that he was coughing for a few days so I eased off him for a week,” Appleby said.

“In doing so, he did very well that week so I think we're going to be giving the Coronation Cup a miss as fitness-wise I won't have him there ready in time. He will most likely head to the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

“Manobo will head towards the Coronation. He’s a horse we always mooted wanting to drop back in trip with to a mile and a half. He's done very well and I’m very pleased with him.”

Appleby is seeking to capture a third Cazoo Derby this year, following the successes of Masar and Adayar, and reported his contenders this year, Walk Of Stars and Nahanni, to have improved for their recent reappearance efforts.

Walk Of Stars (right): a contender for Charlie Appleby in the Cazoo DerbyCredit: Edward Whitaker

“Walk Of Stars has definitely come on mentally for his run at Lingfield [when second in the Derby Trial],” the trainer told godolphin.com. “He's a big playboy still but we're definitely pleased with what we've seen since his run.

“Nahanni has not been seen since the Blue Riband at Epsom but physically I couldn't be more pleased with how he's done. Work-wise, he's clicking up the gears each week and we're looking forward to them going to Epsom.”

Before the Derby meeting at Epsom, Appleby is seeking to complete the set of main European Guineas with Native Trail in Saturday’s Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh.

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Native Trail finished second to stablemate Coroebus in the Qipco 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, while Modern Games won last week’s Poule d’Essai des Poulains at Longchamp for Godolphin.

“Everyone's very excited [about the weekend],” Appleby said on Wednesday. “Native Trail looks fantastic and had his last piece of work this morning with William [Buick] on. He looked great and it's all systems go for the Curragh.

“We had fantastic performances in the Guineas and the French Guineas so there's a lot of excitement going into the weekend. If we can cap it with the Irish Guineas this weekend it will be an amazing achievement for everyone here at Moulton Paddocks and for Godolphin.”

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