Noble Style to test Guineas aspirations in Greenham

Gimcrack winner Noble Style is to tackle seven furlongs for the first time in the Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes at Newbury as a trial for what trainer Charlie Appleby hopes will be a crack at the 2000 Guineas.

Appleby sees the outcome of a race over seven furlongs giving him options of whether to go up or down in trip for the unbeaten son of Kingman, a horse he describes as “going well and in great form”.

Having won on his debut at Ascot in May he was well fancied for the Coventry Stakes but an injury kept him off the track until he won at Newmarket at the end of July.

Appleby said: “He has done well from two to three and the plan is to go for the Greenham, because I didn’t want to step him up from six furlongs to a mile in the Craven.

“The seven and how he gets on will give me an indication of what we are going to be doing, whether that is dropping back to six for the Commonwealth Cup or going forward in distance to the Guineas.

“He was very impressive in the Gimcrack when he gave the impression there’s a lot of speed in that family. His maiden at Ascot is also very strong form, and he’s delighted me through the winter.”

Appleby conceded that he does not have an obvious flag bearer among his three-year-old fillies, and is hoping something may emerge in the coming weeks.

He concluded: “I have a few to run in the trials, and while there is no standout individual they have all done well and will not look out of place physically. Others will run in maidens and let’s see what transpires.”