Kidmenever starts another Godolphin charge

Herbert Power Stakes contender Kidmenever leads stablemate Folkswood in Werribee trackwork.

Godolphin travelling foreman Chris Connett says the pressure is mounting ahead of Kidmenever lining up at Caulfield.

Kidmenever will be the first of English trainer Charlie Appleby’s horses to run at this year’s spring carnival when he contests Saturday’s Group Two Herbert Power Stakes.

Appleby was the star international trainer of last year’s carnival saddling 10 starters, winning five races, including the Geelong, Bendigo and Sandown Cups.

He returned in the autumn to win the Sydney Cup with Polorisation.

“There’s always going to be a little bit of pressure after last year considering how well we did, but we’ve got a nice team of horses down here,” Connett said.

Connett has a team of four horses in his care.

Kidmenever has been joined by Folkswood while two of last year’s winners, Francis Of Assisi and Qewy, are on their second trips.

With 50.5kg, Kidmenever is yet to qualify for next month’s Melbourne Cup and needs to win on Saturday, and receive a penalty, to creep up the ballot order.

Connett is expecting a good run on Saturday.

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“Off his gallops he’s done here so far we’d like to think he’d run a big race,” Connett said.

“His form from England, especially his Sandown race, his last race, has worked out pretty well and we’re going there (Caulfield) with high hopes and we’ll see where we stand after that.”

Stablemate Folkswood is set to run in the Cranbourne Cup on Sunday.

That race was chosen over Saturday’s Caulfield Stakes, although Connett said the stable insists Folkswood is a Group race performer.

“I believe the Caulfield Stakes has come up real tough this year,” he said.

“Hopefully it’s a slightly easier stepping stone to get to bigger things later on in the carnival.

“On his best day he’s a real force to be reckoned with.”

Connett is happy with how Francis Of Assisi and Qewy are ticking over.

Francis Of Assisi is aimed at the Caulfield Cup on Saturday week with Qewy’s first run to be in the Geelong Cup, a race he won last year, on October 25.