Epsom Derby 2022: Nations Pride Profile

Charlie Appleby's winning machine Nations Pride is set to be supplemented for the 2022 Cazoo Derby on June 4, and the Godolphin raider could be the surprise package in a competitive field lining up for Classic glory...

Nations Pride

Sire: Teofilo

Trainer: Charlie Appleby

Runs: 5

Wins: 4

Notable Race Wins: Newmarket Stakes

Charlie Appleby has trained two of the last four winners of the Derby (Masar 2018, Adayar 2021) and the Godolphin trainer will bid for a hat-trick of wins on June 4, and he is set to saddle the hugely progressive Nations Pride, who is set to be supplemented for the Epsom showpiece.

Beaten on his debut at Yarmouth, the son of Teofilo then racked up a fine winning run as on his second start he rocketed to a four-and-three-quarter length success at Lingfield, while on his final juvenile start he cruised to a four-length victory at Chelmsford City.

Sent to Dubai for his first start as a three-year-old, Nations Pride showed signs that he could be a potential top-class colt for the Appleby team as he bounded to an impressive three-and-a-quarter length victory at Meydan in February over 1m 2f. Returning to British soil a couple of months later, Nations Pride was sent to Newmarket for the Listed Newmarket Stakes, and he yet again excelled over ten furlongs as he put up a career best to win that contest by seven lengths.

Facing three rivals that day, Nations Pride cruised to the front under William Buick and quickened in fine style to storm clear in the closing stages, and not stopping at the finish it shaped like he could enjoy the step up to the Derby trip of a mile-and-a-half and he could well be a dark horse in this year's Epsom feature.

The Godolphin team will need to fork out a hefty sum to supplement the classy colt, but heading to Epsom with four wins on the spin he is one of the most interesting runners in this event, and has to be considered a huge player in what is a wide open contest this season.