Charlie Appleby

Two years ago and on the heels of a victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile, Master of the Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) returned to American shores for his seasonal debut in the GI Maker's Mark Mile and ran out a ready 2 1/4-length winner. Eclipse Award-winning 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Notable Speech (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) will jump a warm favorite in an attempt to repeat the dose Friday afternoon at Keeneland, with William Buick--the only rider the 5-year-old has known in his career--in for the steer. It...

Two-time winner Masai Moon (Siyouni) (lot 154) topped the Tattersalls Online Emirates Racing Authority Sale when selling for AED1.1 million (£226,300) to Bhupat Seemar's Zabeel Stables. The four-year-old gelding has won twice in the UK and has finished second in his last two starts at Meydan for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby. He is a grandson of listed winner, G1 Irish Oaks second and G1 Oaks third Melikah (Lammtarra). Horses from Charlie Appleby's stable made up the next three lots, with Indian Springs (Too Darn Hot) (lot 137) hammering at AED880,000...

One of Charlie Appleby's quartet of 2,000 Guineas entries, King's Trail (Sea The Stars) put his hand up for consideration with a smooth win in Saturday's conditions event at Kempton. Off the mark over the same course and mile trip on debut in December, the 4-7 favourite was positioned off the early speed by Billy Loughnane and when given the command brushed aside the similarly unexposed Conclave (Sioux Nation) to score by a length. This race used to hold Listed status when it was the Easter Stakes, a recognised 2,000...

Charlie Appleby's Opera Ballo (Ghaiyyath) will skip an intended start in the G1 Dubai Turf at the end of March and instead will be pointed to a summer campaign. The Racing Post first reported the news. The winner of the G1 Jebel Hatta earlier this year, the son of Ghaiyyath was set to face fellow Godolphin runner and Group 1 winner Ombudsman (Night Of Thunder) in the contest. Appleby told the publication, "Opera Ballo is in good shape but I don't think a full field of 14 runners going around...

Following in the steps of Notable Speech (Dubawi) and Opera Ballo (Ghaiyyath), Godolphin's Hidden Force (Frankel) lived up to expectations in providing Charlie Appleby with a third straight "European Road To The Kentucky Derby" Conditions Stakes at Kempton on Wednesday. Languid out of the stalls, the chestnut who had won on debut over here in December was allowed to saunter behind his three rivals throughout the early stages before being cajoled upsides soon into the straight. In front a furlong from home, the 1-4 favourite dismissed Venetian Prince (St Mark's Basilica)...

Godolphin and Charlie Appleby have made Kempton's Unibet Supports Safer Gambling Maiden Stakes their own in recent years, landing recent renewals with high-class winners such as Opera Ballo, Notable Speech and Measured Time. That dominance continued on Wednesday evening, when Palladas (Lope de Vega) made a striking debut in the one-mile contest. The €750,000 Tattersalls Book 1 yearling produced a power-packed performance that earned him TDN Rising Star status, presented by Hagyard. "He feels like a vert smart horse, he's got a nice turn of foot and he did it...

Godolphin's Opera Ballo (Ghaiyyath) earned his first Group 1 badge in the Jebel Hatta at Meydan on Friday. The consistent colt gave William Buick his third win on the night. Four-time Group 1 winner Nations Pride (Teofilo) cut out fractions while shadowed by Wathnan Racing's Silawi (Dubawi) for much of this contest. The well-regarded eventual winner stayed in midpack from the jump, but was keen to do more behind his first three rivals. On the bend, Godolphin second-stringer Nations Pride lengthened his advantage, but came back to the field entering...

It's that time of year where everybody who's anybody in racing is being asked for their 2026 predictions. Already, I've seen four different staying chasers nominated as the likeliest winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup - Galopin Des Champs is a decent bet to regain his crown at 6/1, if you're asking - while Flat racing fans can be found staring deep into their crystal balls, trying to pinpoint the five Classic winners of 2026. On Friday, it was exactly four months until the 2,000 Guineas kicks off the proper...

Friday, Meydan, Dubai, post time: 20:25, ZABEEL MILE SPONSORED BY PHI ADVERTISING-G2, AED850,000, 4yo/up & SH 3yo, 1600mT Field: Quddwah (GB) (Kingman {GB}), Holloway Boy (GB) (Ulysses {Ire}), Aomori City (Fr) (Oasis Dream {GB}), Keffaaf (GB) (Adlerflug {Ger}), Audience (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), Chicago Critic (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}), Asad Zabeel (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), Vafortino (Ire) (New Bay {GB}), Andrease Vesalius (Ire) (Caravaggio), Western Writer (Ire) (Shamardal). TDN Analysis: If Aomori City prevails in the Zabeel Mile, he would be the seventh winner for trainer Charlie Appleby. The gelding faces...

As the betting suggested, Kempton's mile novice on Wednesday evening was not supposed to present a serious test to Godolphin's Nation's Hope (Ghaiyyath) and that proved to be the case. Sent off at 1-16 having earned TDN Rising Star status on debut over this course and distance last month, the half-brother to the stable's multiple Grade I-winning Nations Pride (Teofilo) was put on the front end by James Doyle with none of his four peers able to stride on. Stretching clear from two out, the Charlie Appleby trainee put six lengths between...

Billy Loughnane rode his 200th winner of the year aboard Dandy Khan (Dandy Man) in a Lingfield handicap on Monday. The 19-year-old has enjoyed a memorable campaign and his ridden frequently for Georgey Boughey, as well as Charlie Appleby. Loughnane, a former champion apprentice also rode his first Group 1 winner with Rebel's Romance (Dubawi) in the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin in Germany. Loughnane told Sky Sports Racing, "It's been on my mind since I hit 100 earlier in the year and a goal I set up. "I wouldn't...

In this series, we will have a look predominantly at American-bred first-time juvenile starters (through the end of 2025) and debuting 3-year-olds in maiden races at Meydan Racecourse, with a specific focus on pedigree and/or performance in a sales ring. The flagship venue for racing in the United Arab Emirates is Meydan Racecourse, which will host racing on Fridays through the end of March, with the exception of Super Saturday on Feb. 28 and Dubai World Cup night Mar. 28, 2026. Here are the horses of note for this Friday's...