Nations Pride and Silver Knott ready for battle in G2 Man o’war Stakes
Silver Knott was beaten by a nose in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland in 2022 and was a comfortable winner of last month’s G2 Elkhorn Stakes at the same track. The four-year-old spent the majority of 2023 in the US
Nations Pride bids for another major North American prize in the G2 Man o’war Stakes, with recent Keeneland winner Silver Knott also running in the Aqueduct feature on Saturday.
Five-year-old Nations Pride posted an easy victory at the New York course in the 2022 G3 Jockey Club Derby, having previously annexed the G1 Saratoga Derby.
The Teofilo entire enjoyed further G1 success last year in the Grosser Dallmayr-preis in Germany and the Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine. He makes his seasonal return for Charlie Appleby after finishing seventh in the G2 Bahrain International Trophy in November.
Stable-mate Silver Knott was beaten by a nose in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland in 2022 and was a comfortable winner of last month’s G2 Elkhorn Stakes at the same track.
The four-year-old spent the majority of 2023 in the US, placing in Graded races at Belmont Park, Colonial Downs, Santa Anita and Del Mar.
Charlie Appleby said: “Nations Pride is going into this on the back of a disappointing run in Bahrain but has enjoyed a nice break since. He is the horse the rest of the field have to beat, providing he turns up on his A game. He will come on for his first run of the year, but his preparation has gone well and he looks great.
“Silver Knott has come out of the Elkhorn Stakes well and it was nice to see him produce such a strong performance over a longer trip.
He goes into this in good order and hopefully we have two very competitive runners.”
GUINEAS POSSIBLE STEPPING STONE FOR CORNICHE: A good performance from talented three-year-old Corniche in Saturday’s Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas (1,200m) could earn the Godolphin galloper a start in feature sprints over the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
Premier jockey James Mcdonald will ride the James Cummings-trained colt in the Guineas, which has been switched to the Sunshine Coast after recent heavy rain made the Gold Coast circuit unfit for racing.
Corniche ran excellent races in three starts in Sydney during the autumn, including a cracking fourth behind Joliestar in the Group 2 Arrowfield Sprint (1,200m) at Randwick when he was beaten just 1.5 lengths after turning for home second last in the 12-horse field.
Only the winner and runner-up (Hedged) ran faster final 600m sectionals.
While Corniche has never raced on a track rated heavy, the son of Fastnet Rock did beat subsequent Golden Slipper winner Shinzo at his only attempt on soft ground in last year’s Group 2 Skyline Stakes at Randwick.
Cummings gave Corniche a barrier trial at
Randwick on 30 April to keep him ticking over and, from a midfield draw in the big 18-horse Guineas field, Mcdonald should be able to find ample galloping room.
A Gold Coast Guineas win could set up Corniche beautifully for a start in the Group 3 Fred Best Classic over 1,400m for three-year-olds at Eagle Farm on 1 June.
If Cummings decides to go that way, two good performances could earn Corniche a spot in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1,400m) at the same track two weeks later.
Mcdonald will also ride consistent gelding Pereille for Godolphin in the Benchmark 85 Handicap on Saturday.
Pereille has won three races and been placed 11 times from 15 starts.
Runner-up behind Tashi at Randwick on 2 March at his last appearance, Pereille has since had two barrier trials in Sydney and has been placed at his only two starts on heavy tracks.
At the Gosford standalone meeting, leading apprentice Zac Lloyd will ride Pisces and Jambalaya for Cummings.
Pisces wasn’t beaten far when a first-up fourth at Rosehill on 27 April and should strip fitter for the 2YO Handicap (1,200m), while Jambalaya has drawn the inside barrier and has a light weight in the Benchmark 78 Handicap over 1,000m.
Meanwhile, Hidden Law broke down and sustained a fatal injury shortly after winning the Chester Vase on Wednesday, 8 May.