Could there be another Group 1 star lurking in this year's Newmarket Stakes?

Two of the five runners have entries in the Betfred Derby at Epsom and Aurel looks to be the best of the pair. The Ralph Beckett-trained son of Soldier Hollow came from the rear to beat two subsequent winners on his debut at Kempton last November and is open to improvement.

Aurel beat the Charlie Appleby-trained evens favourite Bedouin Prince by a nose that day and has another Godolphin runner to see off this time in the shape of Alpine Trail, who has a best Racing Post Rating of 93 and is therefore 8lb superior to Bedouin Prince on that metric.

Alpine Trail is evidently a higher-class rival, but he doesn’t hold a Group 1 entry of any kind and was engaged in the closing handicap at this meeting on Sunday. He clearly isn’t considered to be among Appleby’s leading lights, despite having won both starts easily.

Appleby has landed four of the last nine runnings of this race, though, and two of his winners were Hawkbill and Nations Pride. Both went on to win Group/Grade 1s later in their careers.

John Gosden’s 2020 winner Mishriff became a multiple Group 1 scorer after his victory here, and he and son Thady saddle both Ernst Blofeld and Nebras. When Misriff won five years ago he was a 10-1 chance while Gosden’s 8-11 favourite Waldkonig finished only third. That is an indication that the market doesn’t always get the yard’s runners right, and of their two, Nebras is the one who holds a Derby entry so it is surprising Ernst Blofeld is shorter in the overnight betting. However, there isn’t much between the pair at the prices.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

On the Trail of another win

Blue is the colour, or at least it often is in this Listed contest that has been won by two subsequent Derby winners since it was first run in 1978.

The Godolphin royal blue has been carried to success by two Saeed Bin Suroor-trained colts, one for Mahmood Al Zarooni and four in the last nine years running for Charlie Appleby.

Alpine Trail is the operation's contender this time in a race Shirley Heights (in 1978) and Slip Anchor (1985) took on the way to Epsom glory.

Charlie Appleby: trainer of Alpine TrailCredit: Edward Whitaker

He is not entered in the Derby himself and made his debut only in February. But this €550,000 yearling is ripe for a step up in class after ready wins in novice events at Wolverhampton and Yarmouth, and his trainer admits this is something of a fact-finding mission.

"He has done nothing wrong so far in his races and his work," Appleby said.

"Stepping up to this level will potentially give us a steer on where we head in the summer and he goes into this in good shape."

What they say

Ralph Beckett, trainer of Aurel
He's going well at home. Winning on his debut was a bit of a surprise and he's come forward over the winter. There's speed in his pedigree and it looks like he'll stay well.

John Gosden, joint-trainer of Ernst Blofeld and Nebras
Nebras is going back on to turf after running over a mile on the all-weather and he should be suited by going up in trip. Ernst Blofeld is having his first run on turf and deserves to take his chance after winning at Kempton last time.

John Gosden: runs Ernst Blofeld and Nebras at NewmarketCredit: Edward Whitaker

Peter Chapple-Hyam, trainer of Harvey
I'm looking forward to it. I see he's the outsider of the field but he won't finish that way. He's done well through the winter and is a beautiful-looking horse. They say the ground will be good and that won't be a problem.
Reporting by David Carr

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