'He's to the fore' - Solario winner Silver Knott impresses Charlie Appleby

Saturday: Sandown

Charlie Appleby thought there were some talking horses in the Solario Stakes, but it was Silver Knott who had the final word.

The juvenile is bred to be smart as he is by French Derby winner Lope De Vega out of God Given, former Newmarket trainer Luca Cumani's final Group 1 winner, and he drew clear by three and a quarter lengths to score.

Betfair and Paddy Power trimmed Silver Knott to 16-1 (from 40) for the Qipco 2,000 Guineas after his victory under Pat Dobbs, who stepped in to replace the injured James Doyle.

Appleby played down comparisons with Masar, his Solario winner of 2017 who went on to land the following year's Derby.

"He's travelled into that like a nice horse," said the trainer, whose winner is 40-1 with BoyleSports for next season's Cazoo Derby.

"There were a few talking horses in the race, but with our team he's to the fore and we've a line on what we've got.

"He's up there and has had experience. There are no set plans, but I think he'll be better when he steps up in trip. He could be a Royal Lodge horse or we could stick to seven furlongs.

"His dam stayed a mile and a half well, so there's no reason he won't stay a mile and a quarter and everyone will start asking about a mile and a half, but I think it's a bit early for that."

Protagonist ace

A tennis injury meant owner Michael Buckley was lame but Protagonist was foot perfect in the 1m2f handicap.

"I busted my hip, but had surgery a few weeks ago and this is my first venture out," explained Buckley, also the owner of exceptional Supreme Novices' Hurdles winner Constitution Hill. "And a winner can't make you feel worse."

Constitution Hill's dam will be offered on Goffs OnlineCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Protagonist used to be trained by Buckley's close friend Jessica Harrington but is now in the care of William Haggas.

"He was in Ireland and, with Covid, I never got to see him," he added. "He's a horse I bought as a yearling and I'm quite fond of him, so thought it would be nice to have him closer to home and I've known William since he was 19 and worked for Jeremy Hindley, who was a friend of mine."

Of Constitution Hill, who is the 7-4 favourite for the Unibet Champion Hurdle, Buckley said: "He's big - he's grown a bit and Nicky [Henderson] says he looks wonderful."

Baaeed camp still buzzing

The blue and white colours of the world's highest-rated horse Baaeed found their way into the winner's enclosure after Zainalarab won the 7f handicap.

He has won his last three and was continuing a purple patch for the Shadwell outfit, whose supremo Hamdan Al Maktoum died last year.

Former jockey Richard Hills, a long-term employee of the operation, was at York to witness the brilliant Baaeed win Wednesday's International Stakes and said: "We've not come back down to earth yet and we're not going to until someone pulls us down.

"We've just won the first at York with Alflaila, who is a lovely horse and we're having a real good run. We've been blessed with some good horses."

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