Desert Castle has real Champagne sparkle Desert Castle shot to the top of the ante-post betting lists for next year’s 2000 Guineas when dazzling up the Doncaster straight in the Betfred Champagne Stakes. An impressive winner on debut at Newmarket last month, the Charlie Appleby-trained even-money favourite was settled in rear by big-race pilot Billy Loughnane, who wound up the revs with two furlongs to go, coasting to the lead a furlong out. He was able to saunter home for a cosy three-length success from Aidan O’Brien’s Sergei Diaghilev, with Betfred going 5-1 for next season’s opening Classic, with Coral a touch bigger at 6s. Appleby was not on Town Moor but told the Press Association: “Obviously I’m delighted with that performance. “We went there with a bit of confidence hoping he’s a nice horse and he’s gone and obliged. We’ll head to the Dewhurst now.” Loughnane, who also teamed up with Appleby to win the opening maiden on Al Jabbar, said: “It was all very straightforward for him. “He really showed a good turn of foot when I let him stretch out through the last furlong. “He’s still very raw and there’s plenty still left in the tank so he’s a horse with a future “I imagine he’ll go into top company (Group One) next, but he enjoyed himself today and getting his toe in a bit more helped. Hopefully he has a good end to the year.” He added: “It’s a big crowd today, which is fantastic to see, but it’s hard for two-year-olds, they both had a good look around but they’ll learn plenty. “I’m so lucky to be riding for Charlie and everyone at team Godolphin, I’m very lucky and in a privileged position.” Of the runner-up, jockey Wayne Lordan said: “It was very striaghtforward. He jumped and I popped along nice and quickened up well. We were just second best on the day, beaten by a good one.” William Muir said of third-placed Breacher: “We knew it was a good race, it was a Group Two. We give it a go because we know he’s improved and he’s proved he’s improved. “We want a mile. He’s proved it last time, but there wasn’t an opportunity to go a mile. Yes there’s the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket, but I just thought that a lot of horses can get beat at Newmarket so I thought we’ll go here on a level track and we’ll be back here for the Futurity (Trophy). “They’re very good horses, I never came here saying I would win because I looked at the way Desert Castle won at Newmarket and I looked at the form of the others, they’re very good horses.”
