Appleby plans ‘same approach’ to Melbourne
J A McGrath
24 April, 2017
Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby is already in the initial stages of drawing up plans for a return to Australia in October - and he intends sticking to the winning formula he adopted last year.
There will be no fundamental changes to the format that saw Qewy, Francis Of Assisi and Oceanographer all land Stakes races at the Melbourne Spring Carnival and Scottish finish runner-up in the G1 Caulfield Cup.
"We will be following the same approach as last year," Appleby said.
"The squad will be much the same size, but everything depends on what suitable horses are available at that stage of the season. Obviously, the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups will be the focus of our attention, but there are other attractive prizes that we will look at again.
"We feel we now have a better appreciation of what is required," he added.
Appleby said Saturday's G1 Sydney Cup winner Polarisation would be on the short list of likely Melbourne contenders.
"We will see how he is after he has arrived back in Dubai (where he will complete quarantine formalities)," he added.
"We will put together a list of horses for Melbourne towards the end of August," he pointed out.
