Charlie Appleby

Charlie Appleby will make a decision after watching Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) work at the weekend regarding his participation in the G1 Qatar Prix Jean Prat at Deauville. The Newmarket handler is leaning towards the seven-furlong Group 1 on Sunday week as the next target for last year's champion 2-year-old, who has met with defeat in both of his starts this season. Having finished third on his first start over a mile in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, the Sharmardal colt subsequently found only Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) too strong...

   After the quintet of thrilling Group 1 contests this week at Royal Ascot, Saturday sees a triple treat as the G1 St James's Palace S., G1 Coronation S. and G1 Diamond Jubilee S. provide the ultimate closing act. It is the St James's Palace which entices the most, with the May 6 G1 2,000 Guineas second and third Wichita (Ire) (No Nay Never) and Pinatubo (Ire) (Shamardal) re-enacting their Classic encounter as TDN Rising Star Palace Pier (GB) (Kingman {GB}) joining in for good measure. On last year's form,...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Thursday's Insights features a full-sister to MG1SW Wild Illusion (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). 1.30 Newmarket, Mdn, £6,400, 2yo, 7fT YIBIR (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), due postward in a first-time hood for this debut, is kin to three stakes performers headed by full-sister Wild Illusion (GB), who annexed the G1 Prix Marcel...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features last year's Tattersalls October top-priced yearling. 1.15 Newmarket, Mdn, £6,400, 2yo, 6fT NOBLE DYNASTY (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is the 3.6million gns Tattersalls October Yearling Sale Book 1-topping sensation who represents the Charlie Appleby stable and is one of four Godolphin representatives. A half-brother to the yard's...

Godolphin's Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) had proven capable of scintillating performances at times during his 2019 campaign and he pulled out another tour de force at Newmarket on Friday when dominating the G1 Hurworth Bloodstock Coronation Cup. Left in no man's land after his imperious 8 1/2-length success in the Feb. 20 G3 Dubai Millennium at Meydan, the 5-year-old who had spreadeagled his opposition in the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden made up for a missed opportunity on World Cup night in some fashion here. Quickly to the head of...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Today's Observations features the first juvenile runners of the season for Godolphin. 2.25 Newmarket, Mdn, £5,400, 2yo, 6fT MAGICAL LAND (IRE) (Frankel {GB}) is the first Godolphin juvenile runner of 2020 from the Charlie Appleby stable and is due to start favourite with the G2 Coventry S. looming. Out...

The first Group 1 of the evening at Meydan brought a trifecta for Charlie Appleby in the Jebel Hatta with the class act of the field, Barney Roy (GB) (Excelebration {Ire}), claiming his second win at the highest level and his third victory since returning to training after his failed stud career. Settled towards the rear of the field by William Buick after jumping from the widest gate, the 6-year-old raced a tad keenly at times but made steady progress around the home turn, quickening nicely once switched outside to...

It was a blue wash at the start of Thursday's G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy at Meydan, with the five Godolphin runners leading the four others past the stands the first time in the 2810 metre turf contest, and it remained that way at the finish, with Secret Advisor (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) leading home a Godolphin top four finish in the feature. Last year's G3 Bahrain Trophy and Belmont Gold Cup winner Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}) traveled last early but failed to fire when put to pressure in the...

Team Valor International's English GSW Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}), the highest rated horse on Thursday's Meydan card at 110, makes his first start since a narrow win in Belmont's Sept. 7 Jockey Club Derby Invitational S. in the G3 Nad Al Sheba Trophy. The 2810-metre turf event drew a field of nine, and the David Simcock trainee, successful in the July 11 G3 Bahrain Trophy S. and third in Goodwood's G3 Gordon S. on Aug. 1, leaves from gate six. If he performs with credit today, the Nad Al...

Second choice on the board, Zakouski (GB) (Shamardal) just nipped heavy favourite Mythical Magic (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) by a neck in a blanket finish in the $250,000 G2 Zabeel Mile going a mile over the Meydan grass on Thursday. It was a similar margin back to Dream Castle (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in third, with pacesetter Salute The Soldier (Ger) (Sepoy {Aus}) another neck behind in fourth. Charlie Appleby trained the first two home, with Saeed bin Suroor's Dream Castle giving Godolphin the trifecta. Content to race in fourth against the...

Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) had not been seen since beating just two home in the G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Oct. 6, and upon return in Thursday's G3 Dubai Millennium S. going 2000 metres on the Meydan turf he looked much more like the horse that won the G1 Grosser Preis von Baden by 14 lengths last summer, blowing apart an overmatched field by 8 1/2 lengths. An exciting proposition at two off the back of a five-length maiden win and a score in Newmarket's G3 Autumn S.,...

Thursday's Dubai Carnival action continues to build toward the Mar. 7 Super Saturday card and the Mar. 28 Dubai World Cup night, as four group races are on tap. The highest rated Dubai-based horse, Godolphin's German Group 1 winner Ghaiyyath (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) (126) for Charlie Appleby, returns in the 2000-metre G3 Dubai Millennium S. over the grass at Meydan after a last out 10th making the early running in the Oct. 6 G1 Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Run as the first race of seven on the evening,...