Let's talk about... Charlie Appleby: Matt Brocklebank on the Godolphin trainer including Masar winning the Derby

What are your favourite Charlie Appleby-trained horses and who are you looking forward to seeing most from the yard in 2020? Share your thoughts with us via racingfeedback@sportinglife.com and they will appear at the foot of the article.

Appleby now among best of the best

We should have all seen it coming really, as the signs were there through 2017.

Polarisation won a Group One handicap in Australia, Wild Illusion landed the Marcel Boussac at Chantilly, Wuheida went to America and took the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf out in Del Mar and their trainer was about to burst into a whole new category on a global scale.

Charlie Appleby didn't have the easiest of tasks in helping to rebuild Godolphin's damaged reputation after taking over from Mahmood Al Zarooni at Moulton Paddocks, but he'd quietly served a strong apprenticeship having been around Newmarket as a teenager, and has quickly developed into a class act since being handed the licence - in every respect.

One suspects his life changed forever in June 2018, when winning the Investec Derby with Masar, but in reality the past two seasons have shown that individual victory to be anything but an anomaly.

The incredible success Appleby and his team enjoyed throughout 2018 was always going to be a hard act to follow.

Along with providing Sheikh Mohammed with that much sought-after moment of Epsom glory in the famous royal blue silks, the trainer also struck gold with Hawkbill in the Sheema Classic, Blue Point in the King's Stand, Old Persian at Royal Ascot and York, Wild Illusion in the Nassau and the Prix de l'Opera, Quorto in the National Stakes and Line Of Duty in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

And just when you half-considered his ammunition may have finally run out, then came the coup de grâce as Cross Counter motored home to win the Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

Polarisation - and Qewy no doubt as well in the 2016 Ladbrokes Sandown Cup - had evidently whet the trainer's appetite when it came to plundering major handicaps Down Under and Cross Counter was trained to the second for his big pay-day that November. It was a long-term plan executed to absolute perfection and, at the end of a fruitful campaign, came as a clear indication that the man in charge was elevating himself onto a higher plane.

And despite having to try and measure up to all this the following year, 2019 was another belting season for Appleby.

The top-class winners weren't quite on the same scale numerically, but there was a significant slice of Royal Ascot history through the marvellous exploits of Blue Point winning twice in the week, while we also witnessed the emergence of the best juvenile since Celtic Swing (1994) and Arazi (1991), according to the official handicappers.

One must tread carefully, of course - the most recent juvenile to draw close comparisons with Frankel was the John Gosden-trained Too Darn Hot, whose Classic campaign wasn't all sunshine and roses, admittedly through injury setbacks in part.

A razor-sharp juvenile of Pinatubo's ability tends not to last all that long at three and unless he's grown a couple of inches over the winter then there are going to be some big boys catching up to him when racing finally resumes.

With Blue Point retired to stud it's over to Cross Counter, Loxley, Barney Roy and Glorious Journey to help set the tone among the older horses in 2020.

A lot will be expected of star three-year-old Pinatubo, naturally, and it is hoped he at least makes the transition from two to three with all the bells and go-fast stripes intact.

He's not alone, though, backed up by a significant bunch of beautifully-bred stablemates who may yet progress to a similar sort of level.

Al Suhail stands out from the chasing pack based on what he showed last year, including a close-up third in the Solario Stakes at Sandown - a race used as a springboard for Masar - and Al Dabaran is another fine stamp of Dubawi who should get better and better with time and distance.

Path Of Thunder and Lazuli may have both been gelded, but neither lacks for natural ability if putting it all together and they too could have a say when it comes to keeping the Appleby ball rolling.

All that before we even get onto high-class fillies in the making; Spring Of Love, Summer Romance and Alpen Rose all likely to be vying for Group-race honours.

Should the Classic crop fail to live up to last year's promising groundwork, then stand by for the return of Pinatubo's predecessor, Quorto, the National Stakes-Dewhurst winner from 2018 who hasn't been since but is reported to be working away ahead of an eagerly-awaited comeback.

With all eyes on Pinatubo, perhaps it will be the forgotten horse who returns to steal the limelight. Not that we need any more reminders their mild-mannered trainer is adept when it comes to minding his Ps and Qs.

Send us your views

Send in your favourite Charlie Appleby moments and other contributions to racingfeedback@sportinglife.com while if you’ve any ideas for more topics you want covering over the coming days and weeks, please let us know.

Feedback from readers

Tim Williams: A trainer I think we all like to see succeed. But what he needs is a great 3 year old middle distance champion before he can join the likes of Stoute, Gosden et al. Massar won the Derby but was mediocre. Charlie Appleby has time on his side. One will come along soon, maybe it's Pinatubo. And a champion for Sheik Mohammed would be great. Putting aside his controversies, he is a fantastic supporter of not just British but World racing. I am a big fan.

Andrew Pelis: Charlie Appleby has been a breath of fresh air, not just for Godolphin, but for flat racing.

He inherited his current position at the most challenging of times and has quickly established himself as a new, elite trainer on the flat racing scene.

That is so impressive for someone in his first role as trainer. And he has continually shown that he can handle the pressure, both domestically and in Meydan, where his runners are perhaps more closely scrutinised. Appleby's success at the Dubai Carnival has becoming a dominating theme over the past two years.

It can be no coincidence that Godolphin's Group One challenge has significantly strengthened since Charlie took charge at Moulton Paddocks. Still maybe just short of where they were in the mid to late Nineties, but back to being a significant force again. Yes that is partly due to shrewd bloodstock investment and Farley boasts a formidable team of stallions and broodmares … but training is still a vital component of racecourse success.

Charlie is affable and approachable on the racecourse and whilst training for HH Sheikh Mohammed must carry pressure and is a serious business, there is a sense of fun to speak with him. Even the subject of his much-loved Plymouth Argyle has been breached!

The only thing missing just now is an English Guineas on his resume … perhaps Pinatubo might realise that. I thought Quorto had all the attributes last year and he is my favourite horse of those Charlie has trained, along with the much-lamented Brundtland, who could have been anything.

Dave: This fellow is a great trainer he really is and as a trainer of young 2yr olds its debatable as to if he is the best of the lot, if he isn’t then he sure is close. He obviously has a lot of ammo with the backing of one of the worlds wealthiest owners behind him, but he shows how good he is in that he regularly batters the Sheikhs other trainers -and you’ve got to think that the Sheikh would prefer his fellow countrymen to come out on top. He also seems to forge fantastic partnerships with his jockeys and to me it looks like they really enjoy riding for him and it is reciprocated in that he looks to back them to the hilt which must fill a jockey with great confidence.

Dave Youngman: Here at Newmarket we are all so proud of what Charlie Appleby has achieved in his time as a Godolphin trainer and this nice mild mannered man thoroughly deserve all the success that come his way, he has some fine staff, one in particular is Shane Fetherstonhaugh, Shane was with Henry Cecil in the Frankel days and did so much with Frankel to get him to settle in his work on the gallops here at Newmarket. Frankly, I have been disappointed from what I have seen of PINATUBO this year, he has never been an elaborate worker but having seen him all winter when ridden by Aaron Jones he has not looked a star to me, not all stat two-year-olds go on at three, I well remember a colt named BE MY CHIEF trained by Henry Cecil, it was unbeaten in all six races as a juvenile but had just the one race as a three - year - old at Ayr and finished last tailed off, it had not trained on and never ran again. PINATUBO for me judged on what I have seen of him will not be a shining star for Godolphin this year sadly.

Dave Parker: A very good trainer who has reached the top of the tree in recent years with some very good horses, Masar , Hawkbill , Blue Point just to name a fewand the rising star Pinatubo whose 3 year old career has been sadly affected by the Lockdown.

His career as a 2 year old was without fault going from strength to strength if he has trained on from 2 to 3 which is always question to be answered.

I would also wager there is another possible star in the stables waiting to appear when racing begins again .

For some reason Pinatubo reminds me of Nijinsky the way he has won his races as a 2 year old , could he be a Triple Crown Horse ?

Look forward to the Flat season starting and watching Charlie Appleby climb to the very top of the training tree a great talent and good luck to him for the future.

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