'Charlie said keep calm and carry on' - Appleby team back in business with a double on the Rowley Mile

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The message of 'Keep Calm and Carry On' paid off for Charlie Appleby and his Godolphin team at Moulton Paddocks when they ended a three-week winless streak with a quickfire double on the Rowley Mile.

The Appleby team were without a victory since Opera Ballo's Group 2 Sandown Mile win until Al Hudaiba – their first two-year-old runner of the year – scored in the 6f novice under Conor Planas.

Appleby holds an impressive 30 per cent strike-rate with his runners on the Rowley Mile in the last five seasons, and Al Hudaiba, an easy to back 5-1 chance before the off, enhanced that record after capitalising on odds-on favourite Mrair blowing the start.

Apprentice rider Planas, who rode out his claim at Yarmouth on Wednesday, was aided by still being able to utilise his 3lb claim on the winner.

Paddy Power gave the winner an opening quote of 33-1 for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot next month, but no specific target was mentioned post-race.

Appleby's assistant, Alex Merriam, said of the stable's recent winless run: "It is what it is. The three-year-olds have all been running in top-class races and the likes of Distant Storm ran well to be third in the 2,000 Guineas. Abashiri ran well in the 1,000 Guineas, and others have hit the crossbar. Charlie has just said to keep calm and carry on which we have done and we've brought two horses here today and they've both won."

Stablemate Tales Of Wisdom was the second leg of that double when landing the mile novice in the hands of Dougie Costello.

The 11-4 chance had disappointed in a hood at Kempton previously but was without the headgear on this occasion and kept on well to beat William Haggas' Bayaann.

Merriam said: "Dougie rides him at home so knows him well. He has a handicap mark and that could well be the way we go with him."

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