King George at Ascot next stop for Derby winner Adayar

CHARLIE Appleby intends to aim Cazoo Derby winner Adayar at next month’s King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot – Flat racing’s premier summer race.

The Frankel colt would be attempting to become the first horse since Galileo, Adayar’s paternal grandsire, in 2001 to complete the same Group One double.

Although Adayar holds an entry in the Irish Derby at the Curragh on June 26, Appleby feels that the King George will come at the perfect time for his latest stable star, and also expects it to help determine which route he takes for the remainder of the campaign.

“He has come out of the race great,” said Appleby who was recording his second Epsom Derby win following the success of Masar in 2018.

“As you saw he went on the seawalker yesterday morning and he has been out for a jog this morning and has been turned out in the paddock and he has shown his wellness. All signs are good so far.

“Without rubber stamping anything the discussions that are taking place at the moment are that we will give this horse a bit more time and look towards going to a King George with him.

“I think timing-wise it suits him and also we will have tested our mettle a bit against the older horses.

“After that we can see what he is like against the older horses there and if he happens to win a King George we can work back from an Arc. If he gets beat in a King George then we revert back to our original plan which was going down the St Leger route.

“I think, personally, looking from the outside having won neither race, I would rather pinpoint one as we all know in the autumn it is a big ask to do a St Leger then an Arc.”

Jockey Adam Kirby had looked set to miss out on a ride in the Derby, having being replaced aboard the Ed Dunlop-trained John Leeper by Frankie Dettori last Wednesday.

But Appleby was quick to offer the 32-year-old rider the chance to partner the Godolphin-owned Adayar and was praised by Kirby for his loyalty before and after the race.

Appleby added: “Adam has been a huge part of the team since the day I took over. He understands what we want. He knows the individuals and he knows the pedigrees but more importantly he knows what we are trying to achieve.

“Adam will educate them in the right manner to get the best out of them at the right time of their career. He is a good friend, like they all are.

“We all went round to Adam’s on Saturday night after the Derby. It was great to see Adam and his family happy but it’s great the amount of support he has got in the racing industry.”

While it is Appleby’s name on the door of Godolphin’s Moulton Paddocks stables in Newmarket, he has been quick to acknowledge that Adayar’s victory is very much a team effort.

“It is all very well me taking all the plaudits but without any of them it doesn’t happen. They are all walking around on Cloud Nine this morning and deservedly so,” added the trainer.

“I look at myself as the orchestrator. I’m the man lucky enough to be picking up the prizes but it is a huge team effort. From my own personal view I am very proud. To have trained two Derby winners is of course surreal.”

Meanwhile an outing in the Irish Derby appears to be on the agenda for York’s Dante Stakes winner Hurricane Lane, who lost his unbeaten record when finishing third behind Adayar.

Appleby added: “I was delighted with Hurricane Lane. He was the horse I thought in the paddock looked magnificent and I thought he took the preliminaries very well.

“What did surprise me, but we took it as a positive, is that he is very much learning on the job there. He showed his inexperience. Going into the Derby I thought he was one run short of what I would have liked to seen. I’m delighted with how he has come out of it and the plan with Hurricane Lane is to head straight to Ireland.”

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