Charlie Appleby

Sunday's five-furlong Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Fillies' Novice S. at Newmarket looked by far the most intriguing 2-year-old race staged in this country so far in 2024 and the outcome did not disappoint as Godolphin's Charlie Appleby-trained Mountain Breeze (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}--Lava Flow {Ire}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) justified 7-4 favouritism to earn TDN Rising Star status. A half-sister to her stable's juvenile champion Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal), the chestnut who had only turned two at the start of the month broke smartly and had an ideal target ahead in the...

NEWMARKET, UK -- They came for a coronation and perhaps, when we look back at the end of the season, that's what those packed into the stands and around Newmarket's vast parade ring will have seen. The crown now just rests on a different head to the one we were expecting.  Those who don't appreciate the blustery open swathes of the Rowley Mile are quick to knock the course, but over that same strip last October there had been a truly stellar performance in the Dewhurst by City Of Troy...

Saturday's G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas went to an unbeaten colt with TDN Rising Star status, but instead of the bitterly disappointing City Of Troy (Justify) it was Godolphin's Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}--Swift Rose {Ire}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}) who stepped up to conquer the Newmarket Classic. Sent off at 16-1 on his first start on turf, the Charlie Appleby-trained homebred who unusually had not raced at two and had only been to Kempton so far in his career, was kept sprung-loaded in last by a confident William Buick content...

13.30 Goodwood, Cond, £30,000, 3yo, 8fT DEVIL'S POINT (IRE) (New Bay {GB}) is dropped in class by trainer David Menuisier following a lacklustre return when a distant third in the G3 Prix Djebel last month. Entered in the G1 Commonwealth Cup, Clive Washbourn's G1 Futurity Trophy runner-up has only two to beat and should be able to get back on track. 13.50 Newmarket, Mdn, £40,000, 3yo, f, 10fT MAGIC DREAM (IRE) (Shamardal) bids to build on her highly encouraging debut second at Newbury last month in this maiden won 12...

Godolphin's Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the Coolmore partners' Tower Of London (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) have both been entered in the G1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup at Sha Tin in Hong Kong on Sunday, May 26, the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) revealed on Tuesday. The pair are the only overseas entrants in the 2400-metre contest, which is the final Group 1 of the Hong Kong season with a purse of HK$13 million (£1.3 million). Both horses are also coming off of victories on Dubai World Cup...

Last seen winning the G3 Zetland S. in commanding fashion at Newmarket in October, Godolphin's Arabian Crown (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}--Dubai Rose {GB}, by Dubai Destination) furthered his Derby claims with a return win in Friday's G3 Sandown Classic Trial. Sent off the 5-6 favourite for the 10-furlong blue riband prep, the €600,000 Arqana Deauville August graduate was quickly to the fore under William Buick and already held a clear advantage at the top of the straight. Never seriously troubled from there, one of the key Derby hopefuls for Charlie Appleby...

Few jockeys have ever come so far so fast. Keith Asmussen, the son of Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, has been riding full time for less than two years, but has already snagged mounts in the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks and sits in second-place in the jockey standings at Oaklawn Park. Asmussen, who will ride Just Steel (Justify) in the Derby and Lemon Muffin (Collected) in the Oaks for trainer Wayne Lukas, joined the TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland this week to discuss his...

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. Thursday's Observations features a 'TDN Rising Star'. 16.45 Newmarket, Novice, £20,000, 3yo, 10fT ENDLESS VICTORY (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) earned TDN Rising Star status at Wolverhampton in February and is the Charlie Appleby first string in a race he likes to target with his potential Classic prospects. A full-brother to...

Godolphin's Ottoman Fleet (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}--Innevera {Fr}, by Motivator {GB}) had won one of five overseas starts since annexing last term's G3 bet365 Earl Of Sefton S. at Newmarket and made a winning European return with back-to-back victories in Wednesday's latest renewal of the nine-furlong test. The gelded 5-year-old backed up last term's success with a win in Belmont's GII Fort Marcy S. before hitting the board in June's GI Manhattan S. back in New York. He then returned off a sabbatical to place in Meydan's G2 Al...

NEWMARKET,UK--Charlie Appleby, who is aiming for a fourth victory in the first of the major British Classic trials, Thursday's G3 Craven S., has outlined plans for his team of Godolphin horses currently stabled at Keeneland. One of those, Master Of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), landed the Craven back in 2021 before being beaten a short-head when second in the 2,000 Guineas. Now six, he claimed the Maker's Mark Mile Saturday to notch his third Grade I strike in North America, including last season's Breeders' Cup Mile. "Master winning last...

NEWMARKET, UK -- Charlie Appleby, who takes aim at a fourth victory in the Bet365 Craven S. on Thursday with Native Approach (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}), took advantage of the Rowley Mile early on Wednesday morning to give one of his Derby prospects, Arabian Crown (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), a racecourse gallop. The winner of the G3 Zetland S. at the course last October, Arabian Crown, ridden by William Buick, worked over seven furlongs alongside his older stable-mate King Of Conquest (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) and James Doyle. "He...

Long absent but certainly not forgotten by the racing intelligentsia, TDN Rising Star Matrika (Ire) (No Nay Never) stages her comeback in a renewal of Newmarket's G3 Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn S. on Wednesday that could yet determine the shape of next month's G1 1000 Guineas. While seen generally as an understudy to Ballydoyle's sidelined Opera Singer (Justify) and other TDN Rising Star Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the Classic picture throughout the winter weeks, there is time for her to emerge as a leading light with this seven-furlong...