First Godolphin visitors arrive for Melbourne Spring Carnival

Godolphin’s early arrivals from Britain have touched down at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport and transferred to the quarantine barn at Werribee, on the outskirts of the city.

Three horses trained by Charlie Appleby at Moulton Paddocks in Newmarket (UK) form the advance party, which will focus initially on lucrative targets in September.

Jungle Cat is being aimed at the G1 Rupert Clarke Stakes and Folkswood at the G3 Naturalism Stakes at Caulfield, both on Saturday, 22 September, while Blair House is set to run in the G1 Underwood Stakes, at the same track on Sunday, 30 September.

Charlie Appleby has taken on a pioneering role, being the first overseas trainer to send a team of horses to Australia so early in the Melbourne Spring.

“We think all three horses will be suited to the races we have chosen for them,” Appleby said.

“Our team are enjoying a very successful season in Europe, and we are hoping we can maintain the momentum on our visit this year to Australia,” he added.

Jungle Cat has not run since winning the G1 Al Quoz Sprint at Meydan on Dubai World Cup night, while Folkswood, who won last year’s Cranbourne Cup and finished third to Winx in the G1 Cox Plate, has also not raced since March.

Blair House beat Benbatl in the G1 Jebel Hatta at Meydan, also in March .

The Godolphin trio are scheduled to come out of quarantine on Saturday, 22 September.

Appleby is planning to be in Melbourne on Friday 21 September, when a press conference is scheduled to discuss his stable plans for the Spring Carnival.