One Ruler Returns In Dubai

One Ruler (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), once considered a leading Classic contender for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby, looks to get his career back on track when he steps out in Friday's Zabeel Trophy, a one-mile conditions race on the turf, at Meydan.

One Ruler, a homebred out of the former Andre Fabre-trained triple group-winning miler Fintry (Ire) (Shamardal), won the G3 Autumn S. at Newmarket in 2020 and was three-quarters of a length second to Mac Swiney (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) in the G1 Vertem Futurity Trophy. He managed only sixth, however, in the following spring's G1 2000 Guineas, and filled the same position behind stablemate Adayar (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Derby. One Ruler finished third when dropped down to 2000 metres for the G3 Hampton Court S. at Royal Ascot, and fared better when given further distance and class relief, finishing third in the Listed Sir Henry Cecil S. and fourth, beaten a length, in the Listed Prix de Tourgeville, both over a mile. One Ruler races for the first time as a gelding on Friday, and is partnered by William Buick.

Appleby saddles three in the Zabeel Trophy, and another 4-year-old looking to get his career back on track after a gelding operation is La Barrosa (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}). The 750,000gns yearling won the G3 Tattersalls S. at two, but his best finish in three starts last year was a second in the G3 Craven S. He is partnered by James Doyle, while Richard Mullen takes the ride on Appleby's 5-year-old Path Of Thunder (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), who won a mile Newmarket July meeting handicap but hasn't been seen since finishing down the field in a Glorious Goodwood handicap.

Musabbeh Al Mheri sends out Alfareeq (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who won at Abu Dhabi last out on Dec. 19 and is rated 107, and the trainer said, “He's had one run at Abu Dhabi after a long break and has been training well. He faces a tougher task this time but he's got the ability and the mile is his best trip. We are hoping he runs well.”

Erwan Charpy sends out another last-out Abu Dhabi winner in Shadwell's Moqtarreb (GB) (Kingman {GB}), winner of the Listed National Day Cup over a mile on Dec. 5.

“It's a different class of race and it's going to be tough and competitive,” said Charpy. “He has a good enough draw and has been doing well and we remain hopeful of his chances.”

Bhupat Seemar has started off well since temporarily taking over the reins from his uncle Satish Seemar at Zabeel Stables, and he sends out Nordic Lights (GB) (Intello {Ger}) among his 20 runners on Friday's nine-race card for his first run off a near three-year layoff since being purchased from Godolphin.

“He hasn't run for a while and his true distance is perhaps longer, but this looks like a good place to start him and we'll see how he goes,” Seemar said.

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Charlie Appleby Named British Trainer Of The Year

British trainer Charlie Appleby has been named Britain's champion trainer for 2021 with more than three weeks left of the racing season, according to Thoroughbred Racing Commentary. Appleby received the award on Dec. 6 at the Horserace Writers and Photographers Association Derby Awards.

Earlier this week, Appleby was named international trainer of the year.

Appleby has sent out 113 winners with time to add more before the British race season concludes on Dec.31. Seventeen out of 113 wins have been Group 1 races, his stable had a fantastic year with wins around the world.

With Appleby's 2021 season quickly coming to an end he is already planning for 2022. Six out of seven of his stable's stars will be back in training for 2022. Breeders' Cup Turf winner Yibir is looking at the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic for his next start with plans for him to run in America later in the year. Modern Games, who won the much-disputed Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, is headed for either the English or French Guineas in May. 

Read more at Thoroughbred Racing Commentary

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Charlie Appleby Crowned International Trainer Of The Year

Charlie Appleby was crowned International Trainer of the Year for a fourth time at today's Horserace Writers & Photographers Awards (HWPA) at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London. The award, which has been sponsored by the International Racing Bureau since 1981, was presented by Adrian Beaumont.

Appleby was joined by Ralph Beckett, John and Thady Gosden and William Haggas on the contenders list, but it was Appleby who came out on top.

Charlie Appleby once again has had a fabulous season both in the UK and internationally. Horses hailing from his Moulton Paddocks base in Newmarket contested ten North American Grade 1 races during 2021 and won no less than eight of them, twice being followed home by a stablemate. Throw in the Jockey Club Derby at Belmont, a Grade 1 in all but name won by Yibir, and Appleby had an incredible nine big transatlantic triumphs during the year.

His crowning glory was, of course, the Breeders' Cup, where three of his four horses that did start at Del Mar came home in front, landing arguably the meeting's three most prestigious turf contests. His wins around Europe throughout the year were also impressive. Hurricane Lane took both the Irish Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris before his gallant Arc third; Space Blues landed the Prix de la Foret; and, over the Irish sea, Native Trail gave his handler a third National Stakes victory at The Curragh in the past four years.

International racing has once again been hugely popular with UK trainers. Remarkably, given the negative impact of Covid upon international travel, 2021 could yet become the highest grossing year ever in terms of overseas prize money earned by British trainers. At the time of writing, the total is a little shy of the blockbusting £29.7m accrued in 2018 but it is already the second largest tally. And, given the riches on offer at the Longines Hong Kong International meeting this coming Sunday, the £30 million barrier could yet be broken.

Adrian Beaumont said: “It has been an amazing year for international racing, especially given the extra protocols caused by Covid. British based trainers have won major races in Bahrain, Canada, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and the States as well as throughout Europe. It is remarkable that John and Thady Gosden won the world's richest race, the Saudi Cup with Mishriff, but didn't win our award due to Charlie Appleby's stellar season.”

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Appleby Named Flat and International Trainer of the Year

Trainer Charlie Appleby was named the 2021 British Champion Flat Trainer at the Horserace Writers & Photographers Awards (HWPA) Derby Awards at the Royal Lancaster in London on Monday evening. The 46-year-old was also named the Champion International Trainer, sponsored by the International Racing Bureau.

The retained trainer for Godolphin based at Moulton Paddocks in Newmarket, Appleby celebrated 17 Group/Grade 1 victories internationally in 2021, including five British Group 1s, four QIPCO British Champions Series races and a trio of Breeders' Cup victories. The Trainers' Championship runs from New Year's Day to New Year's Eve every year, and is based on prizemoney won in that period. Currently, Apple's prizemoney is £4,888,314 through Sunday, Dec. 5 before the UK's cards began on Monday. He is £570,507 ahead of Andrew Balding.

He sent out runners to win at the highest level in Canada, France, Ireland and the United States in 2021. Some of his best winners in 2021 include G1 Derby and G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. hero Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {GB}), G1 Irish Derby, G1 St Leger, and G1 Grand Prix de Paris victor Hurricane Lane (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) and Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}), who won a brace of juvenile Group 1s.

Appleby said, “It's huge for myself and the team at Moulton Paddocks. Most importantly, from the get-go back in 2013, we set our stall out on what we'd like to try to achieve and that was getting the success back into Godolphin and getting the big race winners on the board, while also taking on stallions and broodmares to bolster the future.

“We began growing steadily with winners and then the nicer horses started to come into the yard. Thankfully, we've been able to make the most of it. The success over the last three to four years has improved year on year after a breakthrough year in 2018 with Masar (Ire) winning the Derby and Cross Counter (Ire) winning the G1 Melbourne Cup.

“Going into the start of this season we were confident our 3-year-olds had wintered well as 2-year-olds, but like everyone in the spring you're trying to get a feeling of what you're dealing with. We felt early doors that our middle distance horses were coming to the fore and on the evidence of the trials we were very competitive. We went on to win the Derby, the Irish Derby, the King George and ended up with the St Leger on British soil, so we really did tick all the boxes.”

Creative Force (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) captured the G1 British Champion Sprint S. for Appleby, who added, “I'd have to say the King George win gave us the most satisfaction this year. We were very lucky to win the Derby again, but to repeat history in terms of Adayar going on to win the King George, which hadn't been done in 20 years, that was a very proud moment for the team. A lot of people here at Moulton Paddocks took a lot of pleasure from that.”

Overall, Appleby has had 113 domestic winners, at a strike rate of 29%, and 196 places in 2021 from 389 runs.

Newmarket-based jockey Buick, retained rider for Appleby and close runner-up in this year's Flat Jockeys' Championship, said, “It's a fantastic achievement for Charlie and very well deserved. I feel very privileged to be working so closely with him and the great team at Moulton Paddocks and Godolphin. Charlie's management of his horses and team has been a pleasure to witness and his CV as a young trainer is outstanding. Many congratulations Charlie.”

Charlie's wife, Aisling, said, “As a family all five of us are very proud of Charlie and this award. He may have missed a few Pony Club meets and bath times but this makes it all worthwhile.”

Hugh Anderson, Chief Operating Officer at Godolphin (UK and Dubai) said, “Everyone at Godolphin is delighted for Charlie and very proud of his success this season. It has been a superb year for Godolphin and he has led the charge with his handling of superstars like Adayar, Hurricane Lane and Native Trail as well as his exceptional campaigning across the Atlantic and elsewhere.  He fully deserves the accolade of champion trainer and now joins the greats of the sport. We couldn't be happier for him and his whole team.”

Appleby's trio of Breeders' Cup winners were: Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI Juvenile Turf, Space Blues (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI Mile and Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI Turf. That threesome joined earlier Grade I winners at Woodbine among his outstanding season of international scorers: Albahr (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the GI Summer S., Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the GI Natalma S. and Walton Street (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) in the GI Pattison Canadian International S.

Adrian Beaumont said, “It has been an amazing year for international racing, especially given the extra protocols caused by Covid. British based trainers have won major races in Bahrain, Canada, Dubai, Saudi Arabia and the States as well as throughout Europe.  It is remarkable that John and Thady Gosden won the world's richest race, the Saudi Cup with Mishriff (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}), but didn't win our award due to Charlie Appleby's stellar season.”

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