Appleby confident Masar can step up for Derby challenge

Pointer: Charlie Appleby believes his son of New Approach is bred for the Epsom race

Charlie Appleby believes Qipco 2000 Guineas third Masar has every chance on pedigree of staying the trip in the Investec Derby, for which he is generally a 16-1 chance.

The Newmarket trainer will step the son of New Approach, who won the Epsom Classic in 2008, up to a mile and a half for the first time on June 2 in preference to sending him to Ireland for the Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at The Curragh this weekend.

Appleby said: “Masar has come out of the Guineas well and as we stand we are leaning towards the Derby.

“On pedigree he should get the trip. He has got a good head for it and you can switch him off in a race, but we’ve all got the favourite [Saxon Warrior] to beat and we’ve all got to find some improvement.

“I would not have thought he would have a problem with the trip, as, although they are not the same, he’s handled the undulations at Newmarket well twice.”

At Auteuil yesterday, Djakadam was out of luck in a dramatic renewal of the Grand Steeplechase de Paris.

The Willie Mullins-trained chaser was prominent for the first circuit, but steadily lost ground, eventually finishing a distant sixth. The race was won by the Guillaume Macaire-trained On The Go, who got up close to home under James Reveley, who was winning the race for the third year in succession.

There had been drama at the first fence, where the Macaire-trained So French, the winner for the past two years, was one of three casualties, being brought down along with Roi Image after Bipolaire fell.