Good News, Bad News for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin at weekend

Firstly Derby winner Masar was ruled out for the rest of the season having reportedly knocked a leg in routine training on the eve of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown. The news that he would miss the rest of the season came on Sunday; the injury is not considered serious but the timing certainly sucks. Talking on the Godolphin website Appleby said “The vet has seen a change in the soft tissue damage to Masar’s off-fore, and after speaking to His Highness, we have decided to call a halt to the colt’s season immediately. Sheikh Mohammed is keen for Masar to run again at four, and if we are to deliver on that, the best option is to give him a long break. He’s going to be on the ‘easy’ list for six to eight weeks in any case, and that leaves little time to prepare him properly for the big targets in the final months of this season. In time, though, we can give him the right preparation for big races such as next year’s Coronation Cup, which is over the same course and distance as the Derby. Other targets we will look at are Ascot’s G1 King George and the G1 Arc,” All being well the colt will be back.

The good news is they look to have a good one for the future in the shape of Quorto. The homebred colt entered the Classic markets having won his maiden winning the Group 2 Superlative Stakes in eye-catching fashion. Appleby said afterwards "He's in the Gimcrack and National Stakes. I don't see any reason to come back in trip, so we'll look more to the National." As touched upon when I tipped him at 9-4 for Saturday the colt is well bred being by Darley ace Dubawi out of Volume, a Listed winner who was third in the English and Irish Oaks in 2014; get him in your notebook.