Charlie Appleby

Completing an unprecedented Classic quadruple on the first weekend in May, Desert Flower left Team Godolphin in dreamland with her G1 1,000 Guineas triumph on Sunday. Keeping it simple on the even-money favourite, William Buick was always in control of the main group racing far side away from the three fillies sticking near the stands. It was from that trio that the unbeaten TDN Rising Star's main threat emerged in Siyouni's Flight, but Desert Flower was in no mood to spoil the transatlantic party for the Boys In Blue and...

Godolphin's weekend of all weekends also had a key support act on Sunday as Cinderella's Dream added more glitter dust to proceedings in Newmarket's G2 Betfred Dahlia Stakes. With all the momentum, the operation had the 11-8 favourite for this nine-furlong test by one of their key sires of recent times and on her first British start since last year's 1,000 Guineas she provided the latest reminder of just what a force Shamardal has been. Switched off in a detached last with William Buick oozing confidence throughout, the homebred sliced...

NEWMARKET, UK -- "Well that was good timing," said a beaming Freddy Powell, a man with a sale to sell next week. The work had just been done for him.  Ruling Court was known only as Oak Tree Farm's Justify colt at this time last year - a colt that would soon top the Arqana Breeze-up Sale at €2.3 million. Next year, he will be the sale catalogue's cover star. Big prices, however, are not always a guarantee of big results, but this horse had on his side the fact...

Flying the flag for Justify in Saturday's G1 Betfred 2,000 Guineas Stakes at Newmarket, Ruling Court proved William Buick's judgement to be spot-on as he provided Charlie Appleby with a third renewal in four years. Selected by Godolphin's number one over the 2-year-old champion Shadow Of Light, the 9-2 second favourite travelled notably strongly held up towards the stand's side and when delivered to overhaul his stablemate inside the final furlong gave generously to see out the mile the better of the pair. It was the 15-8 favourite Field Of...

There were four with promising Derby credentials contesting Friday's Listed Newmarket Stakes and ultimately a clear-cut winner in Godolphin's improver Alpine Trail (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}). Sent off the 10-11 favourite for the 10-furlong Blue Riband pointer, the Wolverhampton and Yarmouth winner had it all his own way in front under William Buick and made straightforward work of registering a three-length verdict over the Gosdens' TDN Rising Star and fellow Dubawi, Nebras (GB). Still unbeaten 🤩 Alpine Trail makes it three from three for Charlie Appleby and @WilliamBuickX in the Listed...

In what is teed up to be a potentially stellar renewal of Newmarket's G1 Betfred 1,000 Guineas on Sunday, Godolphin's TDN Rising Star Desert Flower and Ballydoyle's TDN Rising Star Lake Victoria head a cast of ten. As in the 2,000 Guineas, Aidan O'Brien has just one contender in the unbeaten triple top-level-winning daughter of Frankel, having withdrawn his other three entries including Bedtime Story and Exactly, and her meeting with the Charlie Appleby-trained G1 Fillies' Mile-winning daughter of Night Of Thunder is one to relish. Other notables include another Frankel special in Juddmonte's...

Godolphin's homebred Victory Queen (GB) (Kingman {GB}) backed up a half-length debut triumph at Newmarket's Craven meeting with a narrow victory, racing under a six-pound penalty, in Wednesday's Darley British EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes on the Royal Ascot trials undercard. The February-foaled half-sister to the ill-fated dual Group 1 winner Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), whose Apr. 15 debut success came over the same one-mile distance at HQ, broke sharply and made an immediate impact on the front end. Enjoying a soft lead at a moderate tempo for the most part,...

Charlie Appleby has got off to a flyer with his two-year-olds and Wednesday's Royal Ascot Two-Year-Old Trial EBF Conditions Stakes saw one who could be for the future as well as now. A half-brother to the G1 Commonwealth Cup and G2 Norfolk Stakes winner Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) who cost 1million gns at Tattersalls October Book 1, Godolphin's Wise Approach (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) had a lot to live up to on this debut but as the 16-5 joint-favourite was expected to put up a bold show. Tracking the leaders...

1st-Newmarket, £10,000, Novice, 4-17, 2yo, 5fT, 1:00.08, gd. MILITARY CODE (GB) (c, 2, Wootton Bassett {GB}--Wishfully {Ire} {SP-Fr, MSP-Ger}, by Invincible Spirit {Ire}), sent off at 6-1, tracked the early pace before being committed against the rail approaching two out. Soon in front, the newcomer asserted to beat fellow newcomer Moonfall (Ire) (Starman {GB}) by 1 1/2 lengths, with a telling 3 3/4-length gap back to the Brocklesby third Exclamation (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}). "We came here with a bit of confidence, as he'd done some nice work with a small...

NEWMARKET, UK -- Beyond the action on the racecourse at Newmarket this week, there are plenty of pointers to the first two Classics of the season to be found in the mornings and Charlie Appleby took to the Rowley Mile early on Wednesday with a team which included his two best juveniles of last year. Desert Flower (Ire), the unbeaten G1 Fillies' Mile winner, was by far the most visually impressive of the Godolphin workers as she powered through the dip and up the hill under William Buick. Her efforts...

One of the choicest-bred horses running on the opening day of Newmarket's Craven meeting, Godolphin's Victory Queen (GB) (Kingman {GB}) made her class tell first time in the fillies' mile maiden. Sent off at 10-3, the Charlie Appleby-trained half-sister to the 2,000 Guineas and G1 St James's Palace Stakes hero Coroebus (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) raced freely towards the front end from the outset. Committed by William Buick running down into the dip, the homebred asserted to score by a fast-diminishing half-length margin from Zgharta (Ire) (Ghaiyyath {Ire}). "It's her first...

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. Tuesday's Observations features a half-sister to 2,000 Guineas hero Coroebus. 4.45 Newmarket, Mdn, £22,000, 3yo, f, 8fT VICTORY QUEEN (GB) (Kingman {GB}) is another significant runner in the Godolphin blue at the first big European meeting of the year for the operation, being a half-sister to the 2,000 Guineas...