Autumn Plans Revealed For Mick Appleby Stars

[Wandering Eyes]

Fosnic Racing's multiple group winner Annaf (Ire) (Muhaarar {Ire}) is eyeing another G3 Bengough Stakes win this autumn, trainer Mick Appleby revealed.

The 5-year-old won that six-furlong race last October, before taking second in a Lingfield listed race in his 2024 debut. Successful in the G2 1351 Turf Sprint in February, the entire was unplaced in the G1 Sprint Cup Stakes at Haydock in September, but displayed a return to form when third in the G3 World Trophy Stakes on Sept. 21. He has also been penciled in to contest the G1 QIPCO British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot on Oct. 19, with another trip to Saudi Arabia to defend his 1351 Turf Sprint crown also in the cards.

“He ran very well, we were very pleased with him,” said Appleby. “He was probably drawn on the wrong side and the [heavy] ground was a bit against him, but he ran well.

“He's in the Bengough at Ascot again, so we'll decide whether we are going to go there or not, then there's Champions Day and we'll probably go and have another tilt in Saudi with him, I would think.

“He got murdered at Haydock, so it was nice to see him run a good race on Saturday.”

Appleby also had a positive bulletin regarding his pair of Breeders' Cup-bound RP Racing-owned horses–Grade I winner Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) and G3 Molecomb Stakes hero Big Mojo (Ire) (Mohaather {GB}). The former landed the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, and is now targeting the GI Turf Sprint, while the latter will try to give Appleby consecutive wins in the Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar in November.

“They're both good and they're both going straight there now,” Appleby added. “They're both in good order.”

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