The GI Breeders' Cup Turf is next on Old Persian (GB) (Dubawi {Ire})'s agenda following his latest top-level triumph in Canada last weekend. Charlie Appleby's charge has won nine of his 16 career starts to date–with his big-race victories including the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot, the G2 Great Voltigeur at York and the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan. The 4-year-old disappointed in the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom on his return to European action, and was then a beaten favourite in the G1 Longines Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten last month. However, he was back in the winning groove when dominating the GI Northern Dancer Turf S. at Woodbine last Saturday–and Appleby feels his charge has earned himself a trip to Santa Anita in early November.
He said, “We were delighted with Old Persian, and he's come back home in good order. The Breeders' Cup is in our sights–that was the pencilled plan going into the Northern Dancer, and I think he deserves a crack at it now. A mile and a half on the turf at Santa Anita should suit him well.”
A few days after the Breeders' Cup has been run, Appleby will chase a second successive victory in the G1 Melbourne Cup, with last year's winner Cross Counter (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) set to be joined by stable companion Ispolini (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). Cross Counter could finish only fourth when a hot favourite for last Sunday's G1 Irish St Leger, but Ispolini was in winning form on the same afternoon–landing the G3 German St Leger at Dortmund.
“Hopefully he'll go straight back to the Melbourne Cup now, along with Ispolini,” added Appleby. “He [Ispolini] was second to Cross Counter in Dubai earlier in the year, and ran well behind Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the Yorkshire Cup.”
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