Charlie Appleby On The Dewhurst Stakes

There is nothing to raise the excitement levels in a stable more than having a potential Classic horse on the premises.

I can tell you that from first-hand experience as we prepare for the Dubai Future Champions Festival at Newmarket starting tomorrow. We have the Dewhurst favourite Emotionless, and everything about him is keeping us here at Godolphin focused and buzzing.

This colt has plenty going for him. He is a very imposing individual, he has a lovely pedigree, and he has always shown loads of natural ability right from the start.

We never push horses of his profile. Everything about him tells you whatever he is doing as a two-year-old is a bonus. So there has never been any pressure.

But like some of the very good sportsman you see or read about, he is a natural. It all seems to come easy to him. He learns quicker than others because he is naturally talented. This has become obvious in his races.

I remember one gallop in particular, about 10 days before Emotionless's second win, his victory in Doncaster's Champagne Stakes last month.

William Buick got off him and said, "we've got one here with the potential to be a very, very good horse." And, William was so right. Emotionless is unbeaten in two starts, and already he is one of the top fancies for next year's 2,000 Guineas. A win on Saturday would see him promoted to outright favourite.

A few days ago, we took Emotionless to Newmarket's Rowley Mile, where the Dewhurst will be run. I just wanted him to experience what he would find on race day, and I wanted to get him off-site, to get on to a lorry, and to get his blood pumping.

The whole exercise involved walking around the paddock for 15 minutes or so, then cantering down to the six-furlong marker, and then to gallop back. He was in the company of two others, ridden by Willie Ryan and Oscar Urbina, two ex-jockeys experienced in riding this type of work.

Crucially, I wanted Emotionless to run down into the dip. Some horses can't handle it. I needed to see how he did it. I need not have worried.

When he came back, my first question to William was "how did he handle the dip?" William replied "I didn't even notice the dip. We were in and out of it very easily. He did it comfortably."

So, it was a successful day out, and I think he has everything going for him in the Dewhurst. The ground should be perfect, as well. It is on the 'good to soft' side at present, and expected to dry out.

Win, lose, or draw, Emotionless will be rested after Saturday. There will be no temptation to run in the Breeders' Cup. We at Godolphin believe him to be a colt with Classic potential, and he will be given every chance to realise that potential in 2016.

Charlie Appleby is one of Godolphin's private trainers, based in Britain and Dubai. Appleby, 40, has been employed in various roles by Godolphin over the past 17 years, taking out his trainer's licence in July 2013. He saddled Charming Thought to win the G1 Middle Park Stakes at Dubai Future Champions Day in 2014.