Champion trainer Charlie Appleby on amazing 2021 including wins for Native Trail, Adayar & Hurricane Lane

Twelve months ago the Newmarket handler faced going into this year without the services of his two stand out performers from 2020 with both multiple Group One winners Ghaiyyath and Pinatubo retired to continue their careers at stud.

Any fears that Appleby would be down on firepower though were quickly erased as Adayar, Hurricane Lane, Creative Force and Yibir all established themselves as genuine Group One performers as the year progressed.

Add to that the emergence of two year old Native Trail, who ended his campaign with victory in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, along with fellow top-class juveniles Coroebus and Modern Games and it all makes for a year to savour.

Appleby said: “Losing the likes of Ghaiyyath and Pinatubo was always going to be a big hole in our armoury.

“We had the likes of Space Blues who I was confident would be a big player during the course of 2021, which he was in winning the Prix de la Foret and Breeders’ Cup Mile.

“As respect to those turning three we were hopeful that they had the pedigrees and physiques that there was going to be some good improvement over the course of the winter.

“We hit the ground running at the Craven Meeting with Creative World and Master Of The Seas turning up there and winning. Going into the Classic trials with the likes of Yibir, Hurricane Lane and Adayar they were horses that were all being very competitive in those races.

“Hurricane Lane won both his trials at Newbury and in the Dante and he had the best profile going into the Derby.

“For who I train for in Godolphin and Sheikh Mohammed we all know what the main targets of the year are going to be and the Derby is very much foremost of them.

“The question on everyone's minds through the winter and the spring is do we have a Derby horse and can we win a Derby.

“That three year old middle distance team were phenomenal during the course of the summer and into the autumn. Not one of them wavered at all.

“Full credit goes to everyone in helping maintain that level involved as they did not drop the ball at any stage and I think that showed within the horses.”

Though Hurricane Lane was expected to give both Appleby and Godolpin their second victory in the Epsom Classic on June 5, it was Adayar, Appleby’s supposed third string who stole the show to give jockey Adam Kirby his first win in the premier Classic.

He said: “What we achieved in 2018 with Masar in the Derby was the highest point of my career at the time but to go on and repeat the success we had enjoyed with Masar with Adayar was very special.

“It was Adam Kirby’s first Derby winner which was great for himself and the team as he has been a real team player.

“The whole day was exciting as having three runners in the Derby was something we had never had before, and they all looked very legitimate runners.

“We thought Hurricane Lane was our best chance but Adayar, as saw when following up in the King George, was not only the best on the day but was one of the best three year olds in the 2021 season.

“Winning the Derby for myself and the team’s point of view the highlight of the year. It doesn’t matter what you win around it.

“We have been fortunate to win some fantastic races but the Derby is the one everyone wants to win.”

A return to the scene of his most notable success appears to be cards for Adayar next year with Appleby nominating the Group One Coronation Cup over the Derby course and distance as a potential first port of call next season.

He added: “We saw Adayar win the Cazoo Derby before going on to do something we hadn’t seen for 20 years and win the King George (at Ascot) afterwards.

“Unfortunately ground conditions went against us in both the Arc and in the Champion Stakes although I do feel he started to show the signs of potentially having two runs quick enough on Champions Day.

“He is a horse that will probably go down the Coronation Cup route then work around that really. We can then look towards defending his crown in the King George back at Ascot.”

It wasn’t to be for Hurricane Lane at Epsom but the son of Frankel soon went from playing a supporting role to taking centre stage with Group One wins in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, Grand Prix de Paris and Cazoo St Leger.

A brave effort in defeat saw Hurricane Lane end his campaign finishing third in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Paris-Longchamp in October, a race Appleby hopes he can two places better in next year.

Appleby added: “Hurricane Lane coming out doing what he did shows we weren’t too far off the mark with him.

“He came out winning an Irish Derby, a Grand Prix de Paris a St Leger then running a very creditable third in the Arc as well. His performances were unbelievably solid throughout his three year old career.

“If you ask me now which route we go Hurricane Lane will be working back from an Arc and so therefore will be programmed from that point.”

Making the decision to give Yibir a gelding operation after Royal Ascot proved an inspired move with the son of Dubawi going on to achieve what Appleby described as the “icing on the cake” in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf at Del Mar.

He added: “We took the decision to geld Yibir after Ascot but he went on from there onwards winning the Bahrain Trophy, the Great Voltigeur before ending up with what is his career highlight to date in winning the Breeders’ Cup turf.

“Going into the Breeders’ Cup we felt like we were going in with a solid team of players but to walk away with three Breeders’ Cup winners all by our flagship sire in Dubawi and all being home breds was really great.

“Victory for Yibir though in the Breeders’ Cup Turf, which has a great roll of honour, was the icing on the cake.

“Yibir could go and travel to Dubai as we are looking something like the Sheema Classic for him. He has been gelded at the end of the day and he will be very much on his travels this season.”

Few could have predicted the emergence of Creative Force, who went from winning handicaps at both the Craven and Guineas meetings at Newmarket’s Rowley Mile before ending the season as a Group One winner at Ascot.

Appleby added: “Creative Force had the profile that grew differently to the others.

“They were thrown into the deep end early in their careers running in trials where as he was never going to be running in a Classic so therefore his programme was managed accordingly.

“He started his season winning handicaps at the Craven Meeting and Guineas Meeting before progressing on to win the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot and then taking his form to new levels by winning on Champions Day.

“Like Yibir, Creative Force will have Dubai on the agenda and we are very much looking towards the Al Quoz then working back from a Royal Ascot with him in the Diamond Jubilee.”

High on Appleby’s wish list is to train the winner of a QIPCO 2000 Guineas. And in the unbeaten Native Trail he has an outstanding candidate capable of giving him a breakthrough success in the opening colts Classic on the Rowley Mile on Saturday 30th April.

He added: “Native Trail crowned his unbeaten juvenile career with victory in the Dewhurst and is a justifiable favourite for the 2000 Guineas going into the winter.

“I always felt he was a man amongst the boys throughout his two year old career. I wouldn’t say he needs to grow anymore as he is soon going to be an imposing three year old.

“One bonus he will have, and something I’m a big believer in, is track experience. Surprisingly for a horse that is a big strong colt like he is, the quicker the ground the better.

“If it was good ground in the spring you would be absolutely delighted and have a job to make an excuse. It is very exciting when you have an unbeaten colt and he ticks a lot of boxes if we get a clear winter with him going into the Guineas.”

Although Native Trail is yet to tackle a mile Appleby is confident he will get that trip which he could attempt for the first time in the Group Three bet365 Craven Stakes earlier in the month.

He said: “He outstayed Dubawi Legend over seven furlongs and stepping up to the mile looks like it should see further improvement and if that is correct he will take all the beating in the Guineas.

“I think to be honest with you with the past experience we’ve had I’d like to think I would probably look towards a trial.

“Personally I’ve always been a fan of sticking closer to home and I think the Craven could be more for him.”

Appleby finds himself in the enviable position of having another leading QIPCO 2000 Guineas contender in Coroebus, who ended his year with an impressive success in the Group Three Emirates Autumn Stakes on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket.

He said: “He got beat in the Royal Lodge but he came out the race well and I was keen to run him on a sound surface rather than wait for the Verterm Futurity Trophy.

“It is never a bad thing to get beat. As with any sports person who goes into the pinnacle of their career it sometimes does them no harm to get beat as it puts an edge on to them when they know what to do when the going gets tough

“I felt running him in the Autumn Stakes on good ground would give him more experience and it wasn’t going to take anything out of him.

“I’m very much a Coroebus fan because I’m fortunate enough that he is by Dubawi and I feel I know how they can improve and what signs they need to show to suggest they have improved.

“I think if there was a Greenham horse it would be Coroebus as he has got a lot of pace and picks up well. We saw in the Autumn Stakes he travels for fun and he has got a serious gear change.”

After enjoying plenty of success in Europe this year Appleby could also be chasing early season Classic glory across the English Channel after earmarking the French 2000 Guineas for Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Modern Games.

He said: “For him to win a Breeders’ Cup after what happened at the start where showed his great mind set and ability on the day there.

“He has still come out and won in impressive style. He is proven over the mile and very much a Dubawi so we are very much looking forward to his three year old career.

“We could look down the French Guineas route with him. When you are trying to win a Guineas the more chances you have the better but they are three exciting colts that you don’t ideally want to butt heads throughout their Classic careers.”

Crowning all of Appleby’s domestic success this year was a first UK Trainers’ Championship, something he feels is testament to the hard work of his team of staff and the continued support he receives from his boss Sheikh Mohammed.

He said: “The Trainers’ Championship has never really been on my mind. My mind set has been trying to produce good horses but often one leads to another.

“To go and achieve it is obviously huge and it gives you a bit of pride and satisfaction of what has been achieved by everybody in the team behind the scenes.

“I’m very thankful to His Highness (Sheikh Mohammed) for putting me in this position and training winners is the only way I can repay him and thankfully we are doing the operation justice and achieving what everybody deserves.

“From my own point of view I now go down in history as being a champion trainer which is a huge honour but it also gives you confidence going into 2022 with some nice horses behind us.”

Outside of those in the sport Appleby is thankful to his wife of 14 years, and mother to his four children, Aisling for not only being a major supporter in helping him achieve his career goals but in helping to raise a ‘fantastic’ family.

He added: “Aisling has always been the pillar and strength of the family. She has supported me all along the way.

“With the four kids we have there what she has achieved in bringing them up and supporting me as well has been fantastic. It has been a huge part of the success as well.

“As we know in sport you have good days and bad days and it is on the bad days you need people close to you to say don’t worry better things are just around the corner.

“I’m lucky that I have been in the fortunate position where my family have been behind me as well.”

Since taking over at the helm of Moulton Paddock in 2013, Appleby has helped build Godolphin back into one of the most feared super powers in racing, a position which he now hopes he can help it maintain for years to come.

He said: “I’m a big stats man and it was there for all to see where Godolphin were pitching themselves back in 2013 and to see where we are now.

“To be champion owner and champion trainer and William (Buick) being two strides off being champion jockey that shows the strength and depth of the operation and long may that continue.

“I have to give all my applause to His Highness for supporting ourselves and putting so much passion into the sport.

“We were pretty low down the pecking order then but he showed his enthusiasm for the sport as he wanted to build it back up again.

“The hardest point now is to try keep maintain this level in 2022 but we have an exciting team going into the new year with an excellent team of older horses combined with some very smart soon to be three year olds.”

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