King Al and Menaggio extend Apple Tree Stud celebrations
The Apple Tree Stud are enjoying a purple patch, both on the racecourse and in the sales ring, and twice in the last four days Alan has given them further reason to celebrate, newcomer King Al having made a winning debut at Haydock on Friday, while over jumps Menaggio won first time over fences at Plumpton today.
It is rare for Alan to have a two-year-old winning first time out as he has never been a trainer who revs up his youngsters at home, so the ones that have gone in at the first time of asking have usually gone on to be above-average.
King Al is an Al Kazeem half-brother to Kings Merchant, who has proved a useful sprinter for Ed Bethell this year, winning four races, so Choc Thornton, who manages the Apple Tree Stud horses, will be optimistic about the future for King Al.
Likewise, Menaggio can only get better, having overcome an absence of almost six months when making a winning debut over the larger obstacles. He had only two rivals, but Tom Cannon was closing up on market-rival War Lord when the latter made a mess of the final fence, leaving Menaggio, who also has useful form over hurdles, to run out an easy nine lengths winner.
Alan sends three runners down to Exeter tomorrow. Alshadhian showed promise for Ralph Beckett last season, and, having been off the track for eight months until being transferred to Barbury, he has still to find that form in two attempts for us. He now switches codes for the maiden hurdle at Haldon,
One with better prospects according to the formbook is Ernest Gray in the staying handicap hurdle. He had been running well over fences this year until putting in an uncharacteristic poor effort when favourite at Southwell in May, so Alan switches him back to hurdling. He won at Doncaster and finished third at Huntingdon 18 months ago, so he ought to be happier back over timber.
Our other Exeter raider is Uhtred Ragnarson, bought for 32,000gns at last year’s Breeze-Up Sales at Newmarket’s Guineas meeting. He makes a belated debut in the junior bumper.
On Wednesday we have Irish Chorus going to Southwell. She looked to have a future when she chased home the smart Irish Lullaby at Warwick in May, so she could be interesting in the mares novice hurdle, in which we are also represented by Rockola, runner-up at Hereford in May.
