Champions Series Dark Horses: Space Blues

Charlie Appleby has an intriguing prospect on his hands in Space Blues. Picture: Racingfotos.com

Trainer: Charlie Appleby. Form: 1

Space Blues holds no fancy entries but fits into the “could be anything” category.

The Dubawi colt is a half-brother to three winners and did his bit to keep up the family name when easily winning a 13-runner mile maiden at Nottingham in November.

It is difficult to know exactly what he achieved – the ground was soft and pace steady – but Space Blues was always travelling like a winner and won by two-and-a-quarter lengths from Private Secretary without James Doyle having to get anything like serious on him.

Has Charlie Appleby got another smart one? Twenty-four hours after landing the Melbourne Cup, he scoops division two of the mile maiden at Nottingham with Space Blues. pic.twitter.com/UjlzfgkA2Q

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) November 7, 2018

The runner-up, a son of Kingman trained by John Gosden, had previously been beaten a neck on his debut at Yarmouth, giving the form some substance.

It will be intriguing to see where Space Blues resumes this year.

His connections will not be complaining if he progresses like Young Rascal, who won a division of the Nottingham race he won in 2017 and developed into a live hope for the Investec Derby last year.