Appleby on a Quest for Stonehenge success Quest For Stars is on a hat-trick for Charlie Appleby and Connor Planas in the British Stallion Studs EBF Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury on Wednesday. The Sea The Stars colt was a second string and widely unconsidered 18-1 shot when making a winning debut at Doncaster in early July, but proved that was no fluke with another battling victory from the front at Sandown a fortnight ago. He now gets his chance at Listed level in a race Appleby won in three successive years between 2021 and 2023 with Albahr, Flying Honours and Arabian Crown respectively. Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy successfully combined to land the 2024 renewal with subsequent Grade One winner New Century and this year team up with recent Newmarket scorer Scommessa Sicura, while Hugo Palmer has an interesting contender in Velociraptor. The latter was third on his July course introduction behind Aidan O’Brien’s Haffner, who has since gone close in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood, and then opened his account with an odds-on success at Chester. “He’s done nothing wrong and I’m looking forward to stepping him up in trip,” said Palmer. “It was a good first run at Newmarket, he was good at Chester and we’ll give it a go.” Dandyman Dan has performed well in Group Three and Listed company for David Evans and now makes his stable debut for Oliver Cole, while Marco Botti’s Rocket Boy bids to build on the promise of his winning debut at Yarmouth. Reflecting on that 22-1 victory, Botti said: “He’s a horse who is quite laid back at home, so it’s not like he’d show his best in the morning. We thought he could run well, but we didn’t go into the race thinking he would definitely win. “It was a good performance. He sat at the back of the field and they weren’t going very quick, but once he picked up he finished the race really well and everything suggests a mile shouldn’t be a problem. He is by Soldier’s Call, but there is stamina on the dam’s side. “The experience has definitely brought him on and I think he learned a lot that day. Obviously it’s a step up in class and there are some nice horses in there, but he’s come out of his race well and he’s definitely ready to go again.” The other Listed race on the card is the British Stallion Studs EBF Upavon Fillies’ Stakes, for which Ed Walker’s Felicitas is a hot favourite. Runner-up to Legacy Link in the Musidora Stakes at York in May, the Teofilo filly then finished seventh in the French Oaks and now takes a sizeable drop in class. John and Thady Gosden’s Miss Scott and the Sir Mark Prescott-trained Alla Stella are also in the mix along with Annastarzy, who won three handicaps in succession for Richard Hannon between the end of May and early July, but was beaten into sixth place on her most recent appearance at Goodwood. “She’s been in great form this season, especially lately, and it was a good run at Goodwood,” sad Hannon. “This is a step up, but she’s out of a mare (Anna Nerium) that won the Dick Poole at Salisbury and we’re on the search for some black type. “I don’t think she’s done improving yet.”
