Charlie Appleby suffers new savage blow as Arabian Crown is ruled out of Betfred Derby at Epsom following an injury in training

Charlie Appleby has suffered another savage blow after Arabian Crown — his leading contender for the Betfred Derby — was ruled out of Epsom with injury.

Godolphin’s trainer looked to have three strings to his bow 10 days ago. His season had started in the best possible fashion, when Notable Speech plundered the Qipco 2,000 Guineas, and the feeling sweeping around Newmarket was that he had the best hand for Epsom.

Arabian Crown had made an impressive return to action when going through the gears in Sandown’s Classic Trial on April 26, while Appleby also had Ancient Wisdom, a Group One winning juvenile, plus dark horse Hidden Law.

But dreams in racing are fragile and Hidden Law, regrettably, suffered a fatal injury just after he had won the Chester Vase and Ancient Wisdom had no answer to the turn of foot Economics showed in Thursday’s Dante Stakes at York.

Immediately after that race, Appleby — who has won the Derby with Masar (2018) and Adayar (2021) — said it would be ‘very hard’ for his jockey William Buick to not ride Arabian Crown at Epsom but that dream is now on hold after he suffered a setback in training. 

Though the injury is not so serious to threaten his racing career, the shot at history Appleby craved for Arabian Crown is no more. Instead, the colt will be given time to recover and be prepared for an autumn campaign.

Alex Merriam, who was representing Appleby at York yesterday, said: ‘It is a great shame. We hope it is only a fairly minor injury and hopefully we have got a horse for later in the summer. There is only one Derby but hopefully we’ve got a nice horse for an autumn campaign.’

It is two weeks until the greatest Flat race but the situation around which colt looks the winner in waiting is murky. Economics is not entered and might be kept away from the hullabaloo.

City Of Troy, underwhelming in the 2,000 Guineas, remains favourite but it would be a leap of faith backing him at 2-1, regardless of Aidan O’Brien’s ability to coax revivals from his stable. A stronger candidate from Ballydoyle might be Los Angeles, winner of last Sunday’s Derrinstown Stakes.

Giavellotto thrust himself into the realms of the staying greats when retaining the Yorkshire Cup — but a trip to Royal Ascot will not be on the cards.

The Yorkshire Cup is often a pointer to the Ascot Gold Cup and its history features multiple winners Stradivarius and Ardross. It speaks volumes for the quality of Giavellotto’s performance in the contest, in which he demolished the field, that he found himself in distinguished company. 

Jockey Oisin Murphy was over the moon with the five-year-old and has no doubt he will be competing in top races later in the campaign but trainer Marco Botti is not convinced two-and-a-half miles around Ascot is what Giavellotto wants for his next assignment. 

‘The race went smoothly and he galloped strongly to the line,’ said Botti. ‘Ascot is definitely not on the agenda as the Gold Cup trip stretches him too much.’