Appleby Wins Second Consecutive Flat Trainers’ Championship

For the second straight year, Newmarket-based trainer Charlie Appleby was honored with the Derby Award as 2022's champion flat trainer by the Horserace Writers and Photographers Association (HWPA).

The 47-year-old Appleby so far this year has been represented by 150 winners and 225 seconds from 478 starters-a 31 percent win rate-and his runners have earned £6,225,397. Among those victories were 18 European Group winners-three Group 1s-including a one-two finish in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas with Coroebus (Dubawi [Ire]) and Native Trail (Oasis Dream {GB}), a first victory for the conditioner in the prestigious Classic.

The HWPA award completes a clean sweep of the 2022 jockeys', trainers' and owners' championships for Godolphin, who in addition to Appleby also employs jockey William Buick.

“I'm hugely proud of what myself and the team have achieved in backing the Trainers' Championship up for a second consecutive year,” Appleby said. “I'm very lucky to have the team at Moulton Paddocks and Godolphin and I'm extremely appreciative of their dedication.

“Winning the QIPCO 2000 Guineas was the highlight. It's something that personally I hadn't done before and had finished close on a few occasions. It's one of those races that I was very keen to get on the board. That was a very proud day.”

Appleby-trained runners collected three victories at Royal Ascot in the shape of Coroebus (G1 St James's Palace S.), Naval Crown (Dubawi {Ire}) (G1 Platinum Jubilee S.) and Noble Truth (Kingman {GB}) (G3 Jersey S.). He also took the leading trainer title at the Qatar Goodwood Festival and tightened the girth on three winners in this year's Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland-Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) (GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf), Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) (GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint) and Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) (GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf).

“On behalf of all of us at Godolphin, I want to offer huge congratulations to Charlie Appleby on winning the trainers' championship for the second year in a row,” Hugh Anderson, managing director of Godolphin (UK & Dubai), said. “It's a great achievement and testament to his own skill as a trainer – the high points of this season are almost too many to mention but I would point to the three 2000 Guineas with 3 different colts and the Breeders' Cup hat-trick as being particular standouts.”

Appleby received his award on Monday night at the Royal Lancaster hotel in London.

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Exceed and Excel’s Mischief Magic Rallies to Win the BC Turf Sprint for Godolphin

LEXINGTON, KY–Godolphin's Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) started off the Breeders' Cup action on an unseasonably warm and picture perfect day at Keeneland Friday in style with a late-rallying victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Dispatched at 6-1 in this 5 1/2-furlong event, the homebred was off slowest of all, leaving him trailing the field early. Meanwhile Speed Boat Beach (Bayern) and previously unbeaten Tyler's Tribe (Sharp Azteca) sped out to the early lead, dueling through a :21.65 opening quarter. American Apple (American Pharoah), a 51-1 shot, charged up the fence to take the lead approaching the far turn, just as William Buick asked Mischief Magic to begin his bid. The flashy bay responded, taking closer order up the fence to put himself in contention, but still had plenty left to do entering the bend. Stuck behind a wall of horses at the top of the stretch as Dramatised (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) took control, Mischief Magic attempted to get out of traffic, but was quickly blocked off. However, another seam opened just in time as Speed Boat Beach called it quits and Mischief Magic punched through horses, forging clear late for a one-length score in front of a very appreciative crowd.

Dramatised held second with Private Creed (Jimmy Creed) in third. Tyler's Tribe was pulled up and vanned off after bleeding in this first start without Lasix.

“I have to say I knew they were going to go hard,” winning trainer Charlie Appleby said. “From the gate, William [Buick] is riding in such great form and has so much confidence in his horses. I can see what he was doing. He was just going to get him on his lead. But he made a lovely run (up the backside) and he was trying to angle out and just got pushed back (inside). He didn't do the horse any harm as I said to William, the one thing he wants is to give him gaps. Give him daylight and the old bugger just might have a second chance. Fantastic ride by William and great effort by all the team. Great to be back.”

“I expected to him to be outpaced early,” Buick said. “He's a comfortable closer at six furlongs at home. I knew the 5 1/2 furlongs here with the speed in the race would catch him out early. I knew if I got behind a horse that would take me into the straight, he would finish off real good. He felt super.”

The jockey continued, “He ran very well in the middle part (of his last race). It was a good race at Newmarket. This is only his sixth race. He's still learning. He enjoys this ground and everything came together for him today.”

As for the runner-up, trainer Karl Burke said, “She ran a fantastic race. We couldn't have asked for anything more, really. She's just a little bit slow for gate speed, which we were always a little bit concerned with, but Ryan (Moore) gave her a beautiful ride and was committed to go down the rail once we were slow away. Maybe we were a bit lucky to get the gaps in the straight. We thought we had it won a half-furlong out. Fair play–Charlie's horse is a very good horse. She's probably a stiff five-furlong horse.”

Breaking through at second asking at Goodwood in July, Mischief Magic romped in an allowance at Newmarket next out Aug. 13. He followed suit with a victory in Kempton's G3 Sirenia S. Sept. 3 and was fourth when last seen in the G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket Sept. 24.

Pedigree Notes:

Mischief Magic represents Sheikh Moahmmed's operation from top to bottom. The chestnut is the 17th Grade I winner for Darley Australia's Exceed and Excel and his second Breeders' Cup winner, following 2013 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Outstrip (GB). He is also the 11th top-level scorer out of a daughter of Elusive Quality, who is now the broodmare sire of a whopping four Breeders' Cup winners. The other three all came on dirt with subsequent Eclipse winners in two-time GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Roy H, GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint victress Shamrock Rose and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Essential Quality, who is also a Godolphin homebred. Mischief Magic is bred on the same Exceed and Excel/Elusive Quality cross as MG1SW Guelph.

His unraced dam Veil of Silence, also a product of the Godolphin operation, is a daughter of English and Irish Highweight and MG1SW Gossamer (GB) (Sadler's Wells), who is a full-sibling to European Horse of the Year Barathea (Ire). Mischief Magic is the second graded winner for his dam, who is also responsible for GSW Sound and Silence (GB). The 16-year-old mare's most recent produce is a full-sister to Mischief Magic.

Friday, Keeneland
BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE TURF SPRINT-GI, $920,000, Keeneland, 11-4, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:02.41, fm.
1–MISCHIEF MAGIC (IRE), 122, c, 2, by Exceed And Excel (Aus)
                1st Dam: Veil of Silence (Ire), by Elusive Quality
                2nd Dam: Gossamer (GB), by Sadler's Wells
                3rd Dam: Brocade (GB), by Habitat
1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Charles Appleby;
J-William T. Buick. $520,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-Eng,
6-4-0-1, $607,317. *Full to Sound And Silence (GB), GSW-Fr,
MSW & GSP-Eng, SP-USA, $244,281. Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the
free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Dramatised (Ire), 119, f, 2, Showcasing (GB)–Katie's Diamond
(Fr), by Turtle Bowl (Ire). 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Clipper
Logistics; B-Branton Court Stud (IRE); T-Karl Burke. $170,000.
3–Private Creed, 122, c, 2, Jimmy Creed–South Andros, by
Sky Mesa. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE.
($45,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $155,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-Mike
McCarty; B-Sierra Farm (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $90,000.
Margins: 1, NK, 2. Odds: 6.92, 12.96, 10.33.
Also Ran: Persian Force (Ire), Lady Hollywood (GB), American Apple, Sharp Aza Tack, Love Reigns (Ire), Speed Boat Beach, Oxymore, The Platinum Queen (Ire), Tyler's Tribe. Scratched: Bushido, Mounsieur Coco, No Nay Hudson (Ire).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Appleby Aiming To Outstrip Last Year’s Breeders’ Cup Hat-Trick

NEWMARKET, UK–The Breeders' Cup has special resonance for Charlie Appleby, who trained his first Grade I winner at the championships not four months into his tenure as trainer for Godolphin back in 2013.

That important first milestone was provided by Darley homebred Outstrip (GB) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) in the Juvenile Turf, and if the American race fans didn't pay much attention to Appleby that day, they do now, for it was a win which set the tone for the years to follow, not just at the Breeders' Cup, but in top-level races in North America generally. Rarely does an Appleby runner under-perform when sent stateside, and more often than not they will return with another trophy to add to the overflowing sideboards in the trainer's office at Moulton Paddocks in Newmarket. 

Behind his desk, neatly spaced, are three matching trophies from Del Mar last year, when Appleby and his newly-crowned champion jockey for 2022, William Buick, took Del Mar by storm. As important as those victories were for the racing stable, the icing on the cake for Sheikh Mohammed's vast breeding operation was the fact that Yibir (GB), Space Blues (Ire) and Modern Games (Ire) are all homebred sons of Darley's flagship stallion, Dubawi (Ire).

“It was a big win,” says Appleby casting his mind back to Outstrip while catching up with some Australian racing on TV before heading out to oversee his first lot. “And it was one of those very surreal moments. To stand at Santa Anita with that backdrop and watching your first Grade 1 winner go by the line…”

He tails off, momentarily reliving a significant moment in his own career, which has gone from strength to strength in subsequent seasons to see him crowned champion trainer in Britain last year for the first time. It is a title he is odds-on to retain as 2022 draws to a close.

“Look, I'd been in the operation for a long time before that, so you always know what these moments mean, but when you're holding that trophy, and my name was next to it, that does really give you an amazing feeling, and a feeling that you want more,” he adds.

“So the Breeders' Cup always been a meeting that we've campaigned. I'm not saying we've campaigned hard, but I feel that we've always tried to find the right horses to be the most competitive anyway. And thankfully, it's so far been a lucky hunting ground.”

In 2017 came the turn of Wuheida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the Filly & Mare Turf, while Line Of Duty (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) gave Appleby his second strike in the Juvenile Turf the following year. That race has now gone the trainer's way three times, though last year's success was not without drama. One of his two intended starters in the race, Albahr (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), became fractious in the stalls, forcing him and his stablemate Modern Games to be removed from the gates. In a tumultuous few moments ahead of the start, it initially appeared as if both horses had been scratched from the race, but eventually Modern Games and Buick were reinstated and went on to win, with chaos ensuing for punters. 

“Last year was an amazing year. I felt that we added plenty of drama to the meeting as well,” says Appleby with no little understatement.

“Walking away with three homebred winners and all three of them by Dubawi, I did say to the team there, as much as we say 'well, that was great', we must try harder next year to better that. That might take a little bit of surpassing though, because it was a huge achievement by everybody and we were very proud to walk off the racetrack with what we'd achieved.”

Indeed, it will be hard to top those results at Keeneland this year, but the Appleby team—and the trainer consistently refers to the stable's success as 'we' rather than 'I'—certainly plans to give it a good old rattle.

The one thing I'm confident of with Naval Crown is that he's got gate speed in abundance

The seven runners bound for Kentucky all came through their last piece of fast work on Wednesday in good heart, and will continue with routine canters until shipping on Saturday. With Space Blues now at Kildangan Stud in Ireland and Yibir not travelling, it falls to Modern Games to lead the raiders as he bids to add the Breeders' Cup Mile to his victory last year. In the interim, he became Appleby's third Guineas winner of 2022 when landing the Poule d'Essai des Poulains, following the victory of the late Coreoebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the 2000 Guineas and Native Trail (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in the Irish 2,000 Guineas. Modern Games has already made another trip back across the Atlantic this year to win the GI Woodbine Mile. 

“When unfortunately Coroebus didn't turn up for the Sussex Stakes, it was felt that Modern Games was the substitute. But he posted one of the closest finishes to Baaeed when finishing second in the Sussex. He then went to Canada and won very well there,” says Appleby. 

“Then with the QEII on Champions Day, as the rain came down again on the day, I thought 'should we really be running this horse?'. But he was in great order, and as always, he went out on his shield, finishing second in ground that William said he hated from start to finish. 

“It won't be too soft at Keeneland. I imagine Kinross will start favourite, but he's up there and in great order.”

The statuesque Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) is one of two Godolphin runners, along with Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), being aimed at the Breeders' Cup Turf, claimed last year by Yibir. The four-year-old has had quite the season, with four straight wins culminating in back-to-back Group 1s in Germany over 1m4f.

Appleby says of Rebel's Romance, “He's a past UAE Derby winner and he went out to America on the back end of that winter in Dubai to potentially participate in the Kentucky Derby, but he met with setbacks out there so that didn't materialise. We went back out to Dubai to try and continue his dirt career, which again didn't materialise last winter, but he's been a revelation since we switched him to the turf.

“He stays well, he's got the experience, he's well travelled. I think he's a big player on the night. He'll be joined by Nation's Pride, who's a three-year-old coming into it with a similar profile to Yibir. Obviously they both won the Jockey Club Derby Invitational en route to the Breeders' Cup. But prior to that, Nation's Pride does bring a bit more American experience to the table as well.”

That experience  was provided by the son of Teofilo heading straight from his eighth-place finish at Epsom in the Derby to take second in the GI Belmont Derby before winning the GI Saratoga Derby.

Appleby adds, “Nations Pride will probably go off favourite on the day. William [Buick] will ride him and James [Doyle] will ride Rebel's Romance; they're two live players.”

If he gets a good draw, [Silver Knott] is probably the horse they've all got to beat realistically

The trainer is also double-handed in the Turf Sprint with the Dubawi duo of Naval Crown (GB) and Creative Force (Ire), who finished first and second, a neck separating them, in the G1 Platinum Jubilee S. at Royal Ascot.

“They are both rock solid little horses,” states Appleby. “Creative Force had a break after the summer and we were delighted with his reappearance run on Champions Day, finishing third. He's definitely come forward for that run.

“Naval Crown has got quicker, dare I say it, as the season's gone on. But it hasn't quite gone right for him since the Platinum Jubilee. He ran a good race in the July Cup [when second to Alcohol Free] but was disappointing on very quick ground [at Haydock] and then obviously disappointed on the soft ground on Champions Day. “But the one thing I'm confident of with Naval Crown is that he's got gate speed in abundance. That's what's needed over there, so that's a tick for him. He's got experience and I think he'll enjoy being back on a turning track.”

Appleby also takes aim once more at the Juvenile Turf, this time with the smart Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who already has a pair of Group 3 wins to his credit, and whose yearling half-brother by Dubawi was recently recruited to the Godolphin team for next year to the tune of 1,500,000gns at Tattersalls. 

“His form has worked out quite well and, dare I say it, he has a profile similar to Outstrip,” notes the trainer. “He's competed at a nice level and a sounder surface will suit him, so hopefully we will get that. If he gets a good draw, he's probably the horse they've all got to beat realistically.”

Completing the septet is the G3 Sirenia S. winner Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), who was subsequently fourth to Blackbeard (Ire) in the G1 Middle Park S. and will line up in the Juvenile Turf Sprint. 

“He's got plenty of natural pace and he's definitely a player,” Appleby adds.

“As we all know, you've got to have a lot of luck around there. You've got to travel well, you've got to acclimatise well. And in the shorter-distance events, you have to have a draw. So there's still a few more hurdles to get over, but it's an exciting team to be taking out there.”

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Modern Games Anchors Appleby Breeders’ Cup Brigade

Godolphin's Breeders' Cup team from Charlie Appleby's Moulton Paddocks will be led by multiple Grade I winner Modern Games (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}). Already successful at the Breeders' Cup with a score in the GI Juvenile Turf at Del Mar last November, the chestnut returned to Europe for his seasonal bow and claimed the G1 French 2000 Guineas at ParisLongchamp on May 15. Third in the G1 French Derby in June, Modern Games was fifth in the G1 Prix Jean Prat on July 10 and rebounded to take second behind Baaeed (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 Sussex S. at Goodwood later that month. He made a second triumphant foray to North America with a 5 1/4-length victory in the GI Woodbine Mile S. in Canada on Sept. 17 and is an intended starter in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile.

“It's shaping up,” said Appleby on his raiding party bound for the States.

“The Breeders' Cup is always something that is on our minds at the start of the season and we like to try to pinpoint an older horse or 2-year-old for it. As I've always stated I'd rather turn up with one than six–one good one and have a good crack. And this year I feel like we've got some live contenders there.

“Modern Games [is] in the Mile–he is a deserved favourite as we stand. He's been there and done it as a juvenile and been over to Canada and done what he has done at Woodbine.”

He added on a possible run at Ascot prior to Keeneland's Breeders' Cup, “If we take in Champions Day then that would be an extra race on the list for him, but perfectly doable. But being perfectly honest our main target is [the] Breeders' Cup Mile with him.

“We'll sit and toy with the idea of sending Modern Games to the QEII. If it was good to soft the conversation would still be taking place, but there wouldn't be any certainty to it. If it was soft he wouldn't be turning up at all. It doesn't take much to change it, but if you are lucky enough to get a settled week you might end up on some half-sensible ground.”

Appleby boasts a high strike rate at the Breeders' Cup with six wins from just 11 runners. One horse that is likely for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf is the G3 Solario S. hero Silver Knott (GB) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who most recently ran third to probable G1 Dewhurst S. pick Chaldean (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the G2 Champagne S. at Doncaster on Sept. 11. Less certain of a spot on the Keeneland team is GI Summer S. victor Mysterious Night (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Appleby is also set to be represented in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint with G3 Sirenia S. hero and G1 Middle Park S. fourth Mischief Magic (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}).

He continued, “Silver Knott is a horse I would potentially take to America. Stepping up to a mile I think will suit him, he travels very well.

“Mysterious Night who won in Canada is a horse we'll contemplate going there with as well, but he's achieved his Group 1 status already and, while he hasn't been busy, he's had a few runs and is a horse we've very much got on our radar for next year.

“I will potentially take Mischief Magic to the [Juvenile Turf] Sprint. He ran well in the Middle Park, he ran a solid race drawn out on a wing and he was very impressive at Kempton before that.

“You need to turn up at these international events with A–the right horse and B–have all the luck in the world. You've got to get a good draw, travel over well and get settled in OK. If he does all that he won't look out of place in the race.”

The Godolphin raiders will not be limited to just juveniles, as the progressive Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who has won all four of his starts in 2022, including a brace of German Group 1s on Aug. 14 and Sept. 25, is likely for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf. GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. scorer Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who blew away a field by 6 1/4 lengths in the GIII Jockey Club Derby Invitational S. at the Belmont At The Big A on Sept. 17 is another for the 1 1/2-mile turf showpiece. An outsider for the trip is Classic winner Adayar (Ire) (Frankel {Ire}), who is first running on QIPCO British Champions Day on Oct. 15.

“For the Breeders' Cup Turf we've got a nice little collective,” said Appleby. “We've already seen what Nations Pride has done in America this season. He's come back and is a horse we will very much look forward to having on the list.

“There is also Rebel's Romance, who is now four-from-four and has got the job done in his last two starts at Group 1 level in Germany. Potentially Adayar as well depending on how he gets on at Champions Day.

“If you can walk away from the Breeders' Cup with one winner it sort of wraps the season up nicely.”

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