Nations Pride has Appleby beaming ahead of Epsom Derby challenge

Nations Pride is the most likely shot at Derby glory for the Godolphin, stable according to trainer Charlie Appleby. The stable’s leading hope for the richest prize in British racing appears to be the Newmarket stakes winner who was supplemented on Monday at a cost of GBP75,000. And jockey William Buick has taken Appleby’s advice confirming that Nations Pride is his pick of the yards’ three contenders for the Group 1 classic at Epsom, which goes off at 4.30pm on Saturday in front of a worldwide audience.

“Nations Pride was impressive at Newmarket and he’s in the French Derby, where we have Modern Games as well,” said Appleby. “Nations Pride won the Newmarket Stakes and we said then is he a Derby horse. He is in the French Derby, which we have Modern Games pencilled in to go there.

“We are hoping we are.

There is only one Derby, we all know that, but you only want to go there if you think you can win it.” “Nations Pride has a great profile that could turn up on Derby Day. He has had five runs under his belt and he was very impressive on his last start.

“He is a very neat horse and well balanced horse and out of the three he probably ticks the most boxes. The question mark is slightly pedigree-wise has he not got an abundance of stamina there, whereas the other two lads they do.” In recent years Appleby, who last year became British flat racing Champion Trainer and leading World Trainer in the TRC global rankings, has been the only trainer capable of stopping Aidan O’Brien in the Derby.

His 2018 victory with Masar and last year’s success for Adayar were two of the four occasions in the last decade where the Irishman didn’t train the winner.

But the uphill task of taking on Ballydoyle stables doesn’t faze Appleby, who remains focused in his quest for third success in the biggest race on British soil. He also revealed how the race acts as a motivation tool through the harsh months of winter. “It is the one race everybody wants to win,” he told Racing TV.

“No disrespect to the French and Irish Derby as trying to win one of those is hard work, but the English Derby is the ultimate for any owner, trainer, breeder or jockey. “More importantly for the lads in the yard, it is what keeps them warm through the winter. “With the jockeys, in an ideal world I like them to ride the ones they are most happy to ride.

I want them to go out and think they are on the best horse. “To win an English Derby is the ultimate goal and one that keeps them dreaming.” As well as Nations Pride, Nahanni and Walk of Stars will also undertake the one mile four furlong trip for Appleby.

And he thinks both have the potential to play a part in the finish at Epsom Downs on Saturday, despite Walk of Stars suffering defeat last time out at Lingfield Park. “Nahanni is a horse that has done fantastically well,” said Appleby. “Physically he has turned himself inside out the last four weeks. He ticks the boxes in that he has been here and done it at a trip that was two furlongs too short at the end of the day.

“Adam (Kirby, jockey) was very pleased with him today. He has track experience. Adam just led the gallop and he was very pleased with him.

He moved well. “The one thing this horse will do is stay for fun and he has got track experience, so I think he ticks a couple of nice boxes coming into the Derby. “Walk of Stars has got all the ability in the world and we have always felt he has got the engine to do something exciting.

“He was disappointing at Lingfield but any horse that can still have the energy to mess around and jink around after a mile and three around there at the level with Aidan’s horse, you just know that he is not putting in 100 per cent.

“So he is still very much a work in progress and that was the reason for bringing him here today to get some more experience under his belt ahead of the big day.”