Global Weekly Preview: Appleby aims for global double on busy day for Godolphin

The racing action on Dubai World Cup day will start a little earlier this year for Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby.

Following his usual dawn kick-off, running his eye over an elite team of horses at Marmoom, Appleby will endeavour to pick up television coverage of the principal Melbourne meeting, where The Gold Trail aims to win the Listed Mornington Cup.

This is an important assignment for The Gold Trail, as victory would ensure ballot-free entry to the G1 Caulfield Cup on Oct 21, which is shaping as his Spring objective in Australia.

Appleby sent out five winners in Melbourne in a span of just over two weeks in October and November last year. The Gold Trail is his first runner in Australia this Autumn -- and he is optimistic the son of Teofilo can notch an early success for Godolphin.

"He has been based at Canterbury in Sydney but travelled to Melbourne during the week. He shipped down well, and I couldn't be happier with him," Appleby said from his Dubai base.

"He had a routine canter at Werribee (near Melbourne). I have seen the video of the exercise and he looked good. If he brings his A-game to Mornington, he will go close," he added.

In winning on the Meydan turf track last start, The Gold Trail beat another Godolphin stalwart, Prize Money, who in turn was too good for highly-rated Postponed in the Dubai City Of Gold, a race that developed into a tactical battle. The form line is strong.

Boom Time and Annus Mirabilis look the main dangers in a strong Mornington Cup field this year.

From Mornington, perched on a peninsula skirting Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne, to Meydan, situated in the outer sprawl of ever-expanding Dubai -- and Appleby is still hoping for the same result.

"We have two runners, Jungle Cat and Baccarat, in the G1 Al Quoz Sprint (over 1,200m), and I feel both horses will be competitive," Appleby said.

"They have both done particularly well out at Marmoom. I believe Jungle Cat will run a big race, and wherever he finishes, Baccarat will be close to him," he predicted.

This year's G1 Dubai World Cup card is typically strong, with Arrogate's appearance in the finale the climax to the night. But the G1 Dubai Turf, with Godolphin's Ribchester lining up against Zarak, is a fascinating clash, while the seven-runner G1 Dubai Sheema Classic shapes as a tactical minefield for jockeys.

The 22nd Dubai World Cup is expected to be one of the best.

One more item of interest from Australia: Kerrin McEvoy rode Godolphin's Penglai Pavilion in a piece of work at Canterbury, testing him as a possible mount for the G1 Sydney Cup on April 8. "Kerrin was delighted with the spin he had on 'Penglai' and would like to ride him in the Sydney Cup," trainer Charlie Appleby reported.