Flying Honours winning the Zetland Stakes
Flying Honours in action

Charlie Appleby on Derby contenders including Flying Honours and Military Order; Imperial Emperor ruled out


Charlie Appleby has revealed Betfred Derby second-favourite Imperial Emperor is unlikely to be aimed at the Epsom Classic.

The impressive Newmarket maiden winner is 10/1 generally behind Auguste Rodin in the Derby market but Appleby admits the Dubawi colt will instead be aimed towards either the Group Two King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot or the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby at the Curragh.

He said: “I’ve just taken my time with Imperial Emperor. He is very closely related to Ghaiyyath and in his three year old career he met with a setback.

“It is always on my mind that he is a mile and a quarter to a mile and a half Dubawi and you just can’t push them. People will say that I did it with Coroebus but that was different as he was a miler.

“Wholeheartedly, I would probably say I won’t be getting there with him. I would rather bring him along and we might end up going to Royal Ascot or the Irish Derby with him.

“He is a horse that I have high regards for but one that we will look after along the way.”

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Honours leads the line

Appleby believes Flying Honours has got enough experience to help him handle the undulations of Epsom after expressing his delight with the leading Derby contender following a racecourse gallop at Newmarket on Friday morning.

The Godolphin handler stepped up the son of Sea The Stars’ preparation for the mile and a half Classic on Saturday June 3 with a spin alongside 2021 Breeders’ Cup Turf winner Yibir and fellow stablemate Natural World before racing at the Rowley Mile.

Working over a mile under William Buick the three-time race winner, who signed off last season with victory on the Rowley Mile in the Group Three Godolphin Flying Start Zetland Stakes, finished upsides Yibir and James Doyle at the end of the exercise.

Following the piece of work Appleby confirmed that Flying Honours will now tackle the Group Two Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes at York on May 18 ahead of his Classic assignment the following month, which he is a 16/1 chance for with the sponsor.

Appleby said: “I’m delighted with that piece of work. At the end of the day, he has worked with no mug there in Yibir.

“We were intending to go to Sandown last week with Flying Honours, but that got rained off, and the plan now is that if he comes out of this piece of work well is to head to York for the Dante.

“He has got a lovely profile stepping up to this middle distance category this year. The Dante is the race that if you go and win afterwards you will probably be second favourite for the Derby. At the end of the day it is one of the best trials.

“This horse will get a mile and a half no problem at all. He is a neat horse and he has got enough racing experience under him now to head to a track like Epsom.

“Until you have been around there you can never hand on heart say you handle it but I believe he has got enough race experience to go there and handle it fine.”

Order heading for Lingfield

The Classic-winning handler intends to send stablemate Military Order down the same route as his 2020 Derby winning brother Adayar after earmarking the Listed Lingfield Derby Trial Stakes on May 13 as his next target on route to a trip to Epsom Downs.

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After getting off the mark at the second time of asking at Newmarket in October the son of Frankel took a step up to 10 furlongs in his stride on his return with a decisive win in a novice contest at Newbury last month.

He said: “I was very pleased with what I saw from Military Order at Newbury. People will say it was a slow time but they weren’t going to be setting records in those conditions.

"I just loved his demeanour and the way that he galloped out. He has come out of it very well and he is bred to win a Derby.

“He will now head to Lingfield and follow the trodden route of his brother Adayar, who won this race in 2021, and then we will work it out from there."


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