Native Trail completes Godolphin-Appleby classic sweep with Irish 2000 Guineas victory
Native Trail gave Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby an unprecedented European classic sweep with a 1 3/4-length triumph Saturday at the Curragh in the Group 1 Irish 2000 Guineas.
Godolphin and Appleby already had won the English 2000 Guineas with Coroebus, with Native Trail second, and they landed the French 2000 Guineas with Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Modern Games. It’s the first time the same trainer and owner have won the Guineas races with different horses.
Native Trail, the odds-on favorite under William Buick, broke from the rail in this one-turn mile and was stuck in the pocket until about three furlongs from the finish. Buick edged his mount off the rail, and the massive Native Trail pushed his way between horses and asserted himself over the final furlong to win comfortably.
The race’s strong second choice Buckaroo didn’t show up at all, finishing eighth. That left the place slot to 40-1 shot New Energy, who finished three quarters of a length in front of Imperial Fighter. Racing over a course labeled good to yielding, Native Trail clocked a modest 1:39.82 for the mile.
Native Trail was unbeaten in four starts at age 2, winning a pair of Group 1’s, but after a facile win in the Craven Stakes to launch his 3-year-old campaign, Native Trail was upended in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket.
Native Trail is by Oasis Dream out of Needleleaf, by Observatory.
Appleby, in post-race remarks to the media, didn’t specify a target race for Native Trail, though he did mention the St. James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot with regard to all three of his Guineas winners. Buick said he thought Native Trail could stay 1 1/4 miles.