Hot To Trot: Appleby the one to follow

Flat Trainer – William Haggas

William Haggas has made a blistering start to the season, much faster out of the blocks than is usually the case, as the graph below shows.

He is a trainer to follow in the coming days and Tarte Tropezienne, who is entered for a mile and a half handicap at Salisbury on Monday, is of some interest. She won a maiden over this trip at Ripon in August, has ran respectably in handicaps the last twice and, though she will stay further this year, she should prove competitive. Kodinar could run at either Kempton or Nottingham on Tuesday after showing plenty to work on at Ripon on debut recently, shaping better than the result; he seems sure to progress and win races this season. Elsewhere on the Nottingham card, Croque Monsieur – an interesting type on paper – could make his debut, while Final Treat will hold strong claims in the mile handicap for three-year-olds. He showed enough in three starts at the back-end of last season to suggest he is up to winning races and an opening mark of 77 could underestimate him.

Flat Trainer – Charlie Appleby

Charlie Appleby took the Craven Meeting by storm last week, saddling six winners, including the impressive Masar in the Craven itself. As the graph below demonstrates, Appleby notoriously gets stronger heading into May, and he is definitely a trainer to follow at present.

Appleby struck with his first two-year-old runner last week and Shellbrook, who is entered at both Windsor (Monday) and Yarmouth (Tuesday) in the coming days, makes plenty of appeal on paper. Later in the week, Ascot stage their good early-season card and Dathanna seems sure to go off a short-priced favourite if lining up in the fillies’ minor event over a mile. A well-made filly, she was much improved when winning on her return at Kempton earlier this month by seven lengths, and she is expected to develop into a pattern-class performer this season. On the same card, Sound And Silence holds an entry in the Group 3 Pavilion Stakes. He was a near-smart two-year-old, winning four times, including at this level, and is another expected to improve further this season given his physique.

Under The Radar – Dean Ivory

In previous years, Dean Ivory’s form has dipped after the all-weather season, but as the graph below shows, he is faring much better this season and has some interesting entries this coming week.

Spring Romance has been in top form on the all-weather this year, winning two of his three starts, seemingly improved for a gelding operation and switch to handicaps. His turf form from last season isn’t anything special, but he looks a much better horse this term and is worth another chance on this surface. Olive Mabel remains a maiden, but leaves the impression she has a race in her, and will be of interest if taking her chance at Yarmouth on Tuesday, while three-year-old filly Eirene proved she had trained on when finishing a good third in the Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket last week. She is entitled to take her chance in the Pavilion Stakes at Ascot on Wednesday, and could surprise a few this year.