Apple Away

Those three Class 1 wins arrived across three different venues — Doncaster, Aintree, and Perth — which tells you this is a horse who travels and performs on the big occasion rather than one who flatters at a friendly track. The Aintree win in April 2023 would have been particularly meaningful given the venue's reputation, and the yard has been open about the fact that she can handle a stiff test well, especially over longer distances of more than three miles. The trainer has talked about her as a potential Scottish National type, which is a serious ambition for a horse of her profile.

What really stands out in her record is how she handles normal ground conditions: three wins from four races on a standard surface, a 75% win rate that is almost unheard of at this level. It gives the team a clear picture of when to target her, and explains why they have been selective with their entries.

Her partnership with jockey Derek Fox has been central to the story. He has ridden her in 13 of her 20 races, winning 4 of them — roughly 1 in 3 — and after her most recent win at Perth this week, assistant trainer Michael Scudamore was emphatic that Fox had produced the best jumping display she has shown since switching to fences. That win, just days ago, rounded off a hard season that included a tough run at Cheltenham over three miles and six furlongs. The team say she has come through it looking a picture and will now be given a rest, which feels like exactly the right call for a horse who has given everything asked of her.

With 49 winners sent out from the Milnathort yard this season alone, Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore are operating at full tilt — and Apple Away, now at the top of her game at nine, looks like she has more big days ahead of her next season.