Charlie Appleby

NEWMARKET, UK--Dawn hasn't even broken on Thursday morning at Godolphin's Moulton Paddocks and trainer Charlie Appleby is discussing with his lieutenants Marie Murphy and Chris Connett which rugs to pack for his team of seven horses travelling to the Breeders' Cup at Keeneland. "That's 14 crates we're up to now," he says, rolling his eyes and smiling. "Wasn't like that back in the day." Appleby is a lifer when it comes to racing, from his days as a youngster working for Jackie Retter and Susan Piggott, to his role as...

NEWMARKET, UK--The Breeders' Cup has special resonance for Charlie Appleby, who trained his first Grade I winner at the championships not four months into his tenure as trainer for Godolphin back in 2013. That important first milestone was provided by Darley homebred Outstrip (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) in the Juvenile Turf, and if the American race fans didn't pay much attention to Appleby that day, they do now, for it was a win which set the tone for the years to follow, not just at the Breeders' Cup, but...

The Green Group Guest of the Week on the latest edition of the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland, commentator Nick Luck, who works both sides of the Atlantic, was asked what are the best storylines out of Europe when it comes to this year's Breeders' Cup. With a deep and talented group of shippers coming to Keeneland, there was no shortage of answers, starting with the story of Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night of Thunder {Ire}). "I think Highfield Princess is right up there as one of the great...

Charlie Appleby is readying a strong team for the Breeders' Cup, headed by globetrotting millionaire Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), while Jane Chapple-Hyam has given the green light for dual Group 1 winner Saffron Beach (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) to make the trip to Keeneland next month. Appleby boasts a tremendous record at the meeting, winning six Breeders' Cup races from just 11 attempts and he has some proven travellers bidding to enhance that record this year. Leading the charge is last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Modern...

Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), who won the 2021 G1 Derby and G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S., is unlikely for the Breeders' Cup, but will remain in training in 2023 and target 10-furlong Group 1s, according to trainer Charlie Appleby. He made his season bow a victorious one in a Doncaster conditions race in September, and then finished second to Bay Bridge (GB) (New Bay {GB}) in the G1 Champion S. on Oct. 15. "He's in good order and has come out of Ascot with no problems at...

Labelled a TDN Rising Star on his winning debut over seven furlongs at Newmarket Aug. 5, Godolphin's Local Dynasty (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}--Really Special {GB}, by Shamardal) was fifth in a strong edition of York's G3 Acomb S. 12 days later before returning to winning ways in a Sandown mile novice Sept. 14. Sent off the even-money favourite for Monday's Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Silver Tankard S. at Pontefract, the Charlie Appleby-trained relative of Dubawi's luminaries Yibir (GB) and Wild Illusion (GB) was sheltered behind the pace early by William...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Tuesday's Insights features TDN Rising Star Highbank (Ire). 2.30 Leicester, Novice, £9,000, 2yo, 7fT HIGHBANK (IRE) (Kingman {GB}) may have blotted his copybook in Newbury's Haynes, Hanson & Clark Conditions S. last month, but Godolphin's TDN Rising Star is back to show that his impressive Newmarket debut success in...

Godolphin's Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--God Given {GB}, by Nathaniel {Ire}), whose yearling half-brother sold for 1,500,000gns at Tattersalls' Book 1 sale during the week, bounced back off a below-par effort--behind subsequent G1 Dewhurst S. hero Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB})--in last month's G2 Champagne S. to deliver a game victory in Saturday's G3 Emirates Autumn S. at Newmarket and completed a hat-trick for connections following in the wins of Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and One Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the two most recent editions of the seven-furlong...

Godolphin's Breeders' Cup team from Charlie Appleby's Moulton Paddocks will be led by multiple Grade I winner Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Already successful at the Breeders' Cup with a score in the GI Juvenile Turf at Del Mar last November, the chestnut returned to Europe for his seasonal bow and claimed the G1 French 2000 Guineas at ParisLongchamp on May 15. Third in the G1 French Derby in June, Modern Games was fifth in the G1 Prix Jean Prat on July 10 and rebounded to take second behind Baaeed...

In amongst the group-race action on Saturday, Godolphin unveiled the deeply-promising Imperial Emperor (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) to become Charlie Appleby's latest TDN Rising Star on debut at Newmarket. Sent off the 13-8 favourite for the Prestige Vehicles British EBF Maiden S. over a mile, the son of the GI Man o' War S. heroine Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) travelled strongly for William Buick behind the early leaders and moved forward with ease to take control passing three out. Sent clear running down into the dip, the relative of Dubawi's...

Godolphin's 3-year-old distaffer Eternal Pearl (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Pearly Steph {Fr} {SW-Fr}, by Oasis Dream {GB}) has gone from strength to strength since failing to contend with Sea Silk Road (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in Goodwood's May 20 Listed Height Of Fashion S. and remained upwardly mobile with an impressive tally in Friday's G3 Princess Royal Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai S. at Newmarket. The July 16 Listed Aphrodite Fillies' S. and Aug. 14 G3 Prix Minerve victrix broke from the gates as the 6-4 favourite and employed patient tactics in...

Godolphin's Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), winner of the G1 Cazoo Derby and the G1 King George VI And Queen Elizabeth S. in 2021, is likely to run in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 2, as long as he gets his desired ground, trainer Charlie Appleby confirmed on Thursday. If the going is too deep, he will instead be pointed for the Oct. 15 G1 Champion S. at Ascot. Fourth in the ParisLongchamp test last year over the heavy going, the bay was then fifth in...