Appleby has high hopes for Native Trail in 2000 Guineas

Native Trail can cement a Classic season that can so far hardly have gone better for Charlie Appleby with victory in the Tattersalls-sponsored Irish 2,000 Guineas at the Curragh on Saturday.

The Oasis Dream colt was a hot favourite to provide the Moulton Paddocks handler with a first victory in the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May, but was upstaged by stablemate Coroebus.

Last weekend Appleby added the French equivalent to his CV, with Breeders' Cup hero Modern Games dominating the Poule d'Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp.

Having been beaten only three-quarters of a length by Coroebus on the Rowley Mile three weeks ago, Native Trail will be prohibitive odds to claim Classic glory at the second attempt under William Buick and Appleby could not be happier with his condition.

"Everyone is very excited, the horse looks fantastic. He had his last little piece of work (on Wednesday morning), William (Buick) sat on him and he looked great," he said on the Godolphin website.

"We have been delighted with the way he came out of the 2000 Guineas and how his preparation has gone. Obviously, a repeat of his Newmarket run is going to make him the one to beat.

"What fantastic performances we've seen in the English and the French Guineas now, so there's a lot of excitement going into the weekend.

"If we can cap it with the Irish Guineas as well, it would be a fantastic achievement for the whole team here at Moulton Paddocks and for Godolphin."

The biggest threat to Native Trail appears to be the Joseph O'Brien-trained Buckaroo.

The son of Fastnet Rock was touched off by Derby contender Piz Badile in the Ballysax at Leopardstown before successfully reverting to a mile in the Tetrarch Stakes over this course and distance

O'Brien said: