Assisi set for Melbourne warm-up

Francis Of Assisi will be back in action at Newbury next month as trainer Charlie Appleby steps up his Melbourne Cup preparations.

The seven-year-old has been pencilled in for the Group Three Betfred Geoffrey Freer Stakes in August to keep him primed for a big winter Down Under.

The Appleby stable star caught the eye in Australia last year when winning Group Three handicaps at both Flemington and Bendigo, leading to him being one of the ante-post fancies for the Melbourne Cup.

The Newmarket handler is already excited about what is to come and is hopeful of a confidence-boosting performance at Newbury.

“He is one of the leading ante-post contenders for the Melbourne Cup and the Geoffrey Freer will be one of his prep runs towards going out to Australia,” said Appleby.

“I am pleased with the way he is going and his preparation is going well. He won’t look out of place in the Geoffrey Freer.”