Charlie Appleby

Dubawi (Ire) has long been established as a sire of international merit. This weekend at Del Mar, however, he took his reputation to another level, siring three winners at the Breeders' Cup-something never before achieved by a sire in the meeting's 37-year history. Twelve sires have supplied two winners in a single Breeders' Cup. That was first accomplished by Cox's Ridge in the second Breeders' Cup in 1985 when Life's Magic took the Distaff and Twilight Ridge the Juvenile Fillies. Four other sires did it when the Breeders' Cup was...

It wasn't a completely straight-forward weekend for Team Godolphin, given the unfortunate events prior to Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf which resulted in the scratching of Albahr (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Stablemate Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) eased that disappointment with a convincing victory (for purse money only) in the Friday finale, and Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) capped a Saturday double for Sheikh Mohammed's operation with a fast-finishing victory in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, giving jockey William Buick, trainer Charlie Appleby and Darley's Dubawi three winners over the...

Following a bit of unwelcomed deja vu when Godolphin's rail-drawn Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was scratched after rearing up in the gate, stablemate Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) became the shortest-priced winner on what became a pretty quirky day at the Breeders' Cup, coming away late to best pacesetting local Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute) in the GI Fanduel Breeders' Cup Mile, presented by the Permanently Disabled Jockeys' Fund. Ivar (Brz) (Agnes Gold {Jpn}), a well-backed fourth in last year's Mile, went a good race to finish...

Del Mar, CA--Friday's Breeders' Cup card was not short of drama, both the kind one welcomes-like when Twilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {Ire}) flew the barriers and held off a late charge by the plucky Go Bears Go (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) to win the GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint-and also the type one dreads. Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) provided team Europe with its first victory of the 2022 World Championships when roaring down the middle the stretch to take the card-closing GI Juvenile Turf by 1 1/2...

For Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby, not to mention the betting public, the lead up to Friday evening's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf could not have been more of a roller coaster. Godolphin's two charges, rail-drawn Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and GI Summer S. winner Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) to his immediate outside, stepped into the gate the top two wagering choices. But the latter, who had already been acting up before loading, reared in the gate and was briefly cast, perhaps bothering Dakota Gold (Freud) to his outside...

Del Mar, CA--While the bridge between the European turf and the American dirt is one that is rarely crossed nowadays, it has historically been the path to some of the greatest payoffs-at both the parimutuels and in the realms of international ratings and stud value-at the Breeders' Cup World Championships. In 1991, Sheikh Albadou forged the path when backing up a win in the G1 Nunthorpe S. and runner-up efforts in the G1 Sprint Cup and G1 Prix de l'Abbaye into a first victory for a European-trained runners in a...

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. Today's Observations features a close relative to a Derby winner. 12.45 Newmarket, Nov, £10,000, 2yo, c/g, 7fT Godolphin's homebred YANTARNI (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is kin to G1 Jebel Hatta second Vancouverite (GB) (Dansili {GB}) and G2 UAE Derby and G3 UAE Oaks victrix Khawlah (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}), herself...

Godolphin homebred Althiqa (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}-- Mistrusting {Ire}, by Shamardal), a dual Grade I winner, has been retired for broodmare duty, trainer Charlie Appleby announced on Tuesday. "We've retired Althiqa," Appleby told Dubai Racing Channel's Michael Adolphson in an interview. "There were no more options for her. She could have gone to Del Mar, there's a Grade II on the card there, but bless her, she owes us nothing. She's pulled up safe and sound and she'll head to the breeding shed." A winner of her only start at...

With Britain's flat season championships coming to a close on Saturday, Godolphin earned its 14th champion owner title with more than £5-million in win and place prizemoney accumulated since May 1. Adayar (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Hurricane Lane (GB) (Frankel {GB}) have been Godolphin's leading lights this season, while Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) sealed divisional honours last weekend with a win in the G1 Dewhurst S. Godolphin closed the season on a high with a win by Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the G1 British Champions Sprint...

Godolphin's G3 Jersey S. hero Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) had failed to strike in three outings since registering that June 19 Royal Ascot triumph and went postward for Saturday's G1 British Champions Sprint back at the Berskhire venue coming off a three-length sixth in last month's G1 Sprint Cup at Haydock. Notable as Charlie Appleby's first Champions Day contender, he kept jockey William Buick's jockeys' championship hopes alive with a decisive victory in the six-furlong dash. The €400,000 Goffs Orby yearling had sealed a run of four straight wins...

Godolphin's G1 Cazoo Derby and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) might be seen once more this season in the G1 QIPCO Champion S. at Ascot on Oct. 16. Fourth in the G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe after leading into the home straight, the bay has been pleasing trainer Charlie Appleby since his run in Paris. "He will be left in the Champion S. tomorrow, for the simple reason at the moment he has come out of the Arc well," Appleby...

By the time the G1 Darley Dewhurst S. loomed on Saturday, there was a keen sense of inevitability to the outcome and Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) kept to the script to complete Godolphin and Charlie Appleby's rout of Newmarket's Future Champions Day card. Already the keeper of the generation's bragging rights having collected the G2 Superlative S. at the July Festival here and the G1 Vincent O'Brien National S. at The Curragh Sept. 12, the bay had one more mission to complete and did so with his now-customary...