Undefeated Native Trail to Begin 3YO Campaign in Craven

Unbeaten champion 2-year-old Native Trail  edged closer to his first appearance of 2022 on April 8 when he was entered in the April 13 bet365 Craven Stakes (G3) at Newmarket.

The Godolphin-owned son of Oasis Dream , who is trained by Charlie Appleby, won the Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes (G1) and Darley Dewhurst (G1) last year and heads the betting for the Qipco Two Thousand Guineas (G1) at 3-1 with Betfred.

That is a race Appleby will be eager to win and he has described it as the "one thing missing off the Moulton Paddocks CV."

Appleby has another bullet for the contest in the equally exciting Coroebus, who won the Emirates Autumn Stakes (G3) when last seen, although his entry in Wednesday's Craven seems a precautionary one.

In a video released on Godolphin's website last week, Appleby said: "Native Trail was a man against boys last year. As some of the old school used to say, the Guineas can be the last 2-year-old race of the year and if the Guineas was next week I'd be pretty confident he'd be a stride in front of the crew at the moment.

"We'll look to the Craven with Native Trail and the Greenham (G3) (at Newbury) with Coroebus. Both of them have won on the Rowley Mile so that won't be an excuse."

Coroebus can be backed at 9-2 for the Guineas and Appleby, who has booked William Buick for Native Trail in the Craven, added: "Coroebus has a lot of pace so running him in the Greenham will hopefully help him race the right way round.

"After the Guineas we'll decide if one goes to Ireland and one goes to the St. James's Palace (G1), if they both go to the St. James's Palace, or if one wants stepping up in trip."

Appleby's big rival Aidan O'Brien has entered Aikhal and Star of India in the Craven, which Appleby's subsequent Derby hero Masar captured in 2018.