Up to £40 in free bets Charlie Appleby is dreaming of a second Melbourne Cup success with Cross Counter after taking encouragement from his performance in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. The five-year-old became the first British-trained winner of the ‘race that stops a nation’ when striking gold in 2018 – and was beaten just a length and a half in eighth place when defending his Flemington crown in November. Cross Counter disappointed when hot favourite for a valuable staying handicap on the undercard of the Saudi Cup in February, but Appleby was pleased with his third place in Thursday’s Ascot feature – albeit beaten a long way by the brilliant Stradivarius. Add caption Andrew Nelis Racing .
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