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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