Woodbine Saturday

THE focus turns to Canada and Woodbine this weekend and Naval Power spearheads a strong Charlie Appleby contingent in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile (11.16pm), a race Appleby/Godolphin have won for the last two years with Master Of The Seas and Modern Games.

Both his rider William Buick and Oisin Murphy, who is heading out to ride New Century at the meeting for Andrew Balding and Qatar Racing, are missing Doncaster and Leopardstown on Saturday but will be back to ride at the Curragh tomorrow.

Naval Power finished runner-up in two American Grade 1s in the spring, beaten a head last time.

“Naval Power is a horse who has had a bit of a break now and had a good run in Churchill Downs, that was a very good run,” Buick said earlier this week.

Also in the same race is last year’s impressive Queen Elizabeth II Stakes winner Big Rock for trainer Maurizio Guarnieri but below par this season.

He wears first time blinkers. It takes a big leap to faith he finds that top form again.

It’s not the strongest of fields with the home team led by Mark Casse’s last time out trial winner Filo Di Arianna, a Brazilian-bred eight-year-old. He is five from five on the Woodbine turf course though.

SELECTION: Naval Power

Next best: Filo Di Arianna

In the E.P. Taylor Stakes, Appleby and Buick run Cinderella’s Dream, a filly who has only lost once, in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, in seven starts.

With two victories already on the board stateside, Buick said: “She’s done very well in America and arrives there in good form.”

The Shamardal filly showed an electrifying turn of foot in capturing the Grade 2 Belmont and Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes. One of two three-year-olds, she carries 4lb less than her older rivals.

Main opposition comes from the two Canadian Grade 1-winning mares, Fev Rover and Moira. Moira got the better of her rival last time in the Grade 2 Beverly D. Stakes at Colonial Downs.

She was Canada’s Horse of the Year in 2022 after dominating male rivals by seven lengths in that year’s Queen’s Plate Stakes but seeks her first Grade 1 win.

Fev Rover had Moira back in third when winning this contest, going all the way from the Appleby representative last season.

Blue Rose Cen needs to recapture her top form of last year, she has been below that level since she moved to new trainer Maurizio Guarnieri. Her last run gave some promise - last month, she fared much better, finishing fourth while beaten only three-quarters of a length by Mqse De Sevigne in the Prix Jean Romanet.

SELECTION: Cinderella’s Dream

Next best: Moira

Two-year-olds

The Grade 1 Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes is for two-year-old fillies over a mile and Appleby’s Mountain Breeze is drawn in 13, widest of the field,

She was most recently second in both the Group 3 Sweet Solera Stakes and Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket. The field also includes Latin Fever, an impressive winner for Kevin Coleman at Leopardstown in July and now with Mark Casse. Casse trains eight of the 13 runners.

In the Grade 1 Summer Stakes for two-year-olds, Appleby runs Al Qudra (No Nay Never), who will again be taking on Balding’s recent Stonehenge Stakes winner New Century after the pair met at Ascot in July.

Balding said this week of his Kameko colt: “He’s one of those horses with exactly the right type of attitude and constitution to do some traveling, so hopefully he’ll bring his ‘A’ game to Woodbine on Saturday.

“I think the turning mile should suit him well. Al Qudra was very impressive at Ascot but we have got an extra furlong on Saturday. We’re hoping that a truly run mile will be to our advantage. He has learned and improved with every run.”

Belmont at Aqueduct

Charlie Appleby is also represented in the Grade 3 Fasig-Tipton Jockey Club Oaks Invitational (10:17pm) for three-year-old fillies by Beautiful Love with Dylan Davis in the saddle. She has a bit to improve on from her US debut when only sixth of eight in the Grade 3 Lake Placid Stakes at Saratoga.

Morning line favourite is the Jack Sisterson-trained Lady Mary, a German-bred daughter of Lawman. Trained last month in Germany by Andreas Suborics, she was third in the German Oaks.