Charlie Appleby

ARCADIA, USA -- They got what they came for. Breeders' Cup Saturday delivered two storybook results right off the bat: victory for the fabled Cody's Wish (Curlin) and a 15th win at the championships for Frankie Dettori, whose thoughts of retirement are now firmly consigned to the past. And that was just in the first two races. Amid a huddle of reporters by the tunnel entrance as the runners went to post for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf, one of the most seasoned of American racing writers muttered, "The suspense...

Under normal circumstances, drawing the outside gate in a one-mile race, on turf, going two turns is a kiss of death. At Santa Anita, well, maybe not so much. Sent off as the 33-10 second betting favorite behind Japan's superstar miler Songline (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}), Godolphin's Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) produced a stunning late burst of speed to run down the commonly owned Mawj (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}), whose half-brother Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) was victorious in last year's Mile at Keeneland and in that...

Leading flat jockey James Doyle is set to become the first retained rider for Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani's Wathnan Racing beginning in January, the organisation announced on Monday. The 35-year-old had been riding as second jockey for Godolphin since January 2015 and will join Wathnan when his contract expires at the end of this year. "It is a tremendous honour for me to sign for Wathnan," Doyle said. "It's an amazing opportunity for me going forward with His Highness Sheikh Tamim's Wathnan Racing and I'm greatly looking forward...

Michael Lund Petersen's Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) tuned up for Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Distaff with a four-furlong drill in :48.20 (22/69) Sunday at Santa Anita. The 4-year-old comes into the Distaff with a string of four straight stakes victories, including a 5 1/4-length score in the Oct. 1 GII Zenyatta S., but will have to step up her game to win Saturday, according to trainer Bob Baffert. "She'll be running against a different type of filly on Saturday," Baffert said. "She's a big, fast filly and she has a...

After a 15-minute delay caused by Ballydoyle's Battle Cry (Ire) (No Nay Never) turning over in the stalls, Godolphin's Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}--Golden Valentine {Fr}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) proved the most effective on Doncaster's deep ground to justify 5-4 favouritism in Saturday's G1 Kameko Futurity Trophy. Back in action a fortnight after winning Newmarket's G3 Autumn S., the Charlie Appleby trainee was left in front initially and looked beaten for a few strides as the pack closed in two out. Regaining momentum to ultimately outstay his rivals, the TDN...

The mighty Godolphin stable leads all Breeders' Cup owners with 16 wins, a testament to both the quality of the horses owned by Godolphin and its commitment to the Breeders' Cup. Godolphin won four Breeders' Cup races last year and is sending a strong contingent of U.S. and foreign-based horses to Santa Anita for this year's event. To find out more about the Godolphin runners for this year's Breeders' Cup and why the event is so important to the stable, the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland called on...

Godolphin's Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}), who cost €2 million as a juvenile at Arqana, will be supplemented for the G1 Kameko Futurity Trophy on Saturday, Oct. 28. A winner of the G3 Autumn S. last out, the colt is reportedly doing well. His record stands at three wins from four starts for trainer Charlie Appleby, and he pleased connections in a Saturday morning workout. "Ancient Wisdom, brilliant winner of the G3 Autumn S. on Future Champions Day at Newmarket, worked well this morning and the intention is to supplement...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Nations Pride in the Canadian International at Woodbine and two other graded wins for Godolphin colourbearers.   Nations Pride Adds Another Graded Win To His Resume Autumn in North America is a rich seasonal hunting ground for Godolphin's European raiders, particularly those trained by Charlie Appleby, and Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) scooped Woodbine's GI Canadian International S. recently (video). The royal blue...

Stop me if you've heard this one before. A rain-soaked Saturday at a New York racetrack with a scratched-down field tackling a less-than-firm turf course. In this edition of NYRA's Groundhog Day, Eternal Hope (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) repeated her performance in last month's GIII Jockey Club Oaks with another win over Neecie Marie (Cross Traffic) in the GII Sands Point S. Saturday's victory, her second in the United States after a quintet of starts in Europe, also marked her 1 1/8-mile debut in a career of thus-far longer distances. Favored...

While it is entirely excusable that everybody's favourite subject on Saturday was City Of Troy (Justify), there was a notable subplot to Newmarket's Future Champions Day with the town's triple threat of Godolphin, Charlie Appleby and Dubawi (Ire) doubling up in the fixture's next-best prizes. After the stable's Ancient Wisdom (Fr) had registered an impressive success in the G3 Autumn S., Arabian Crown (Fr) followed suit with his own masterclass in the manner of his sire's Ghaiyyath (Ire) whose name graced the 10-furlong G3 Zetland S. Last seen capturing Salisbury's...

Godolphin's €2-million Arqana August 'TDN Rising Star' Ancient Wisdom (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}--Golden Valentine {Fr}, by Dalakhani {Ire}), who ran third to subsequent G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagradere victor Rosallion (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) in July's Listed Pat Eddery S., came back off a 77-day sabbatical to trounce his six-strong opposition in Saturday's Emirates Autumn S. at Newmarket. Positioned off the clear leader in third until taking closer order once past halfway, the 2-1 joint-favourite seized control approaching the final furlong and powered clear of toiling rivals up the hill to easily...

Charlie Appleby had yet to taste success in Newmarket's G3 Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp S., but made a first dent on the seven-furlong contest when Godolphin's hitherto undefeated homebred Dance Sequence (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}--Tearless {GB}, by Street Cry {Ire}) pounced late to maintain her perfect record. The 4-1 chance, who prevailed over the same trip on debut at HQ's summer venue at the beginning of July, recovered from a slightly tardy start to race in sixth, but slipped to last of the seven contenders soon after passing halfway....