Trainer Charlie Appleby is preparing a team of four for next weekend's Saudi Cup card: 3-year-olds Noble Truth (Fr) (Kingman {GB}) and Sovereign Prince (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) for the G3 Saudi Derby, Siskany (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) for the Red Sea Turf H. and Naval Crown (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) for the Turf Sprint.
Noble Truth and Sovereign Prince will be trying the dirt for the first time, and Appleby said, “they have never raced on dirt before but judging by what we have seen in their gallops at home, they will have no problems handling it. They have been training on the Marmoom track in Dubai, which has a surface very similar to what they will experience in Saudi. I'm very happy the way they have been training on it.”
Noble Truth, winner of the Listed Flying Scotsman S. in September, has not raced since finishing fourth in the G3 Horris Hill S. in October. He was previously second in the G1 Prix Jean Luc Lagardere.
“He was slightly disappointing in the Horris Hill on very soft ground, but he put up such a great performance in the Lagardere [on heavy], it took the edge off him for Newbury,” said Appleby. “He was sent to Dubai in November purposely to be aimed at the Saudi Derby, and if he brings his best 2-year-old form to the race, he'll be a very live contender. He's adapted well since embarking on a more American-style training programme in Dubai since travelling over.”
Sovereign Prince, who broke his maiden at Epsom in September, is two-for-two this season at Meydan, including a most recent win in the Listed Jumeirah Classic going a mile on the turf on Feb. 4.
“He has earned his stripes following two creditable performances at Meydan,” said Appleby. “He's a typical Dubawi in strengthening and moving forward at a rate of knots as he gets more mature. He's had plenty of racing experience in the UK and Dubai.”
The 4-year-old Siskany was likewise a listed winner at Meydan last out, taking the Al Khail Trophy going a mile and six on Jan. 28.
“Siskany was a progressive middle-distance handicapper who showed marked improvement at 2800 metres,” said Appleby. “We are hoping that in stepping up to extreme trips he can take it to another level. He has come out of his last race really well, and the second and third have franked the form by being placed subsequently behind Global Storm at Meydan. We are looking to him to run a big race.”
The 4-year-old Naval Crown, who was fourth in last year's G1 2000 Guineas, looks to give his trainer back-to-back wins in the Turf Sprint, following on from Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) last year. Naval Crown returned from almost six months on the sidelines with a win in the G2 Al Fahidi Fort on Jan. 21.
“We deliberately finished his season early last year to get ready for this,” said Appleby. “He was a model of consistency as a 3-year-old and he has come back in great form. It was a nice performance to win the Al Fahidi Fort and he has come forward for that run.”
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