Native Trail leads the way as Godolphin Guineas hopes sparkle in weekend workout

Charlie Appleby believes he has three live contenders in Native Trail, Coroebus and Wild Beauty for the opening Classics of the season after the three completed weekend workouts in Newmarket.

Native Trail and Wild Beauty furthered their credentials for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas and 1,000 Guineas respectively when landing the Craven Stakes and Dubai Duty Free Stakes on their comebacks.

Appleby, who won his first British Flat trainers’ title last year but has yet to win either of the Guineas, also spoke of positively Coroebus’s prospects in the colts' Classic after the three-year-old came through a racecourse gallop at Newmarket during the Craven meeting.

2,000 Guineas entries and betting

Native Trail heads the betting for the 2,000 Guineas at evens, with Coroebus second best in the market at 7-2, ahead of the Aidan O’Brien-trained 4-1 shot Luxembourg, and Appleby said it was an exciting weekend for the Godolphin team.

“Saturday is the big day for us with Coroebus and Native Trail both heading towards the 2,000 Guineas,” he said on Tuesday. “William [Buick] sat on Native Trail on Saturday and was very pleased with the way he galloped and we're very pleased with how he has come out of the gallop.

“James [Doyle] will get the ride on Coroebus. He sat on him on Saturday and he sat on him midweek as well as he hasn’t ridden him in any of his races. He looks great and has definitely come forward for that racecourse gallop at Newmarket. We go in there with two live chances and we're very much looking forward to it.”

Coroebus: the mount of James Doyle in the 2,000 GuineasCredit: Mark Cranham

Wild Beauty is a longer price for success in the 1,000 Guineas with the filly priced at 10-1 for Sunday’s contest. Nevertheless, Appleby is optimistic the step back up to a mile – the distance over which Wild Beauty won the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes in Canada last year – will be in the filly’s favour.

“I feel we have a live candidate there in Wild Beauty,” the trainer told godolphin.com. “She brings some great form and I think the step up in trip from the seven to a mile will suit. As we saw in Canada when she stepped up to the mile, she found further improvement.

“In the trial over seven in the Dubai Duty Free she put up a brave performance and did it the right way round. We're confident going back up to the mile will see some further improvement from the trial.”

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The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a four-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday