Royal Ascot’s dual 2019 Group 1 winner Blue Point will be a no show for the $14m The Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 19.
Trainer Charlie Appleby trained Cross Counter, above, to win the 2018 Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Trainer Charlie Appleby has ruled out a trip to Australia for five year old stallion Blue Point who will instead be prepared for his initial season at stud.
“Predominantly I take geldings to race in Australia,” Appleby said.
“Our horses are not mentally adapted to that style of pre-race.
“It’s hard for colts with horses walking round in front of them for three hours before a race.
“It’s quite challenging for most colts, and it would be especially so for Blue Point.”
“Blue Point is going to retire this year – he’s a superstar.”
Blue Point claimed back to back victories in the Group 1 £500,000 King’s Stand Stakes (5 furlongs) on Day One of the Royal Ascot Carnival in England on June 18 and then made it a Group 1 sprinting double with his nose win over Dream Of Dreams in the £600,000 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (6 furlongs) on the last day of the five day Royal Ascot Carnival.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed was on hand at Royal Ascot to watch his outstanding sprinter Blue Point carry the famous Godolphin royal blue colours to victory on two occasions down the Royal Ascot straight over the five day Carnival.
“Blue Point is a very good horse,” His Highness Sheikh Mohammed said.
“After he won on the first day of Royal Ascot, we said we would bring him back today and see. For me, it was an easy decision because he is going to stud. I thought he was marvellous today (Saturday). Good horses always give you great pleasure.”
Appleby said that he had planned to start Blue Point in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes before he had won the King’s Stand Stakes after the stallion had galloped brilliantly on the training tracks prior to the 1000m sprint.
“We thought about it the week before – Blue Point put in a very good piece of work ahead of the King’s Stand and High Highness came into town a bit early,” Appleby said.
‘We were walking around looking at the Royal Ascot runners and I said ‘Sir, if you are happy we will leave him in on the Saturday, let’s just dream we can win the King’s Stand and give ourselves a position to go and have crack at the Diamond Jubilee’.
“Blue Point had eaten up after the King’s Stand Stakes and we got fluids and everything else into him quite quickly after the race.
“He is a horse who gains weight quickly and the most encouraging part was this morning was when we weighed him before he got on the horsebox and he weighed 536kg which is bang on his weight.
“I just knew he was in good order and if anything I thought he was more relaxed today.”
Blue Point retires as a four times Group 1 winner and as well as his three Royal Ascot’s Group 1 victories, was also the winner of the US$2m Al Quoz Sprint (1200m) at Meydan during the 2019 Dubai World Cup Carnival in March.
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