Lincoln hero Auxerre set for Ascot Listed race as Appleby takes steady approach

Impressive Lincoln Handicap winner Auxerre is expected to have his next outing in the Listed Paradise Stakes at Ascot on May 1, which is part of a newly packaged Royal Ascot trials day card.

The four-year-old became the shortest-priced winner of the Doncaster curtain-raiser for over 50 years when making all the running to justify odds of just 5-2 in the 19-runner cavalry charge last month.

Racing off a mark of 100 that day, the Charlie Appleby-trained gelding has been put up 7lb for that two-and-a-quarter-length defeat of Kynren and is set for a step up in class.

Last year's impressive Lincoln winner Addeybb went on to win the Group 2 Sandown Mile, but Appleby is taking a steadier approach with Auxerre, who will instead run in a Listed mile race at Ascot that last year featured subsequent Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes winner Accidental Agent.

Appleby said: "Auxerre is fine after Doncaster, where he put up an impressive performance, but we feel the Sandown Mile might be a big step up so we'll go to the Listed race at Ascot first and see how we go."

More recently, Appleby was also celebrating after the promising Ghaiyyath made an impressive seasonal comeback in the Group 2 Prix d'Harcourt at Longchamp on Sunday.

The son of Dubawi was on trial for the Group 1 Prix Ganay in the 1m2f contest and did not disappoint when making all under William Buick.

The Godolphin trainer added: "We were thrilled with the performance of Ghaiyyath and the plan would be to go back to France with him for the Ganay.

"The key to him is that he doesn't want the ground too quick so we'll have to play it by ear through the summer but we see him as an Arc prospect."

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