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PLENTY TO LOOK FORWARD TO FOR DUAL CHAMPION APPLEBY

PLENTY TO LOOK FORWARD TO FOR DUAL CHAMPION APPLEBY Dec 8, 2022

Godolphin handler Charlie Appleby has been officially crowned Britain’s Champion trainer for the second successive year and confirmed that two of Godolphin’s highest achievers, Modern Games and Native Trail, will stay in training in 2023. Appleby accepted the trophy at the Horserace Writers and Photographers Association Derby Awards lunch in London on Monday and immediately praised the hard work and dedication of Godolphin stable staff and all connected to the Moulton Paddocks operation.

TITANIC TUSSLE

“It has been a hard fought battle to hold on to the title,” the trainer said. “William Haggas is a formidable rival and the tussle for the championship went down to the wire, with the last major prize money meeting, British Champions Day at Ascot, basically deciding it. “I am pleased that we managed to pull it off again, and I must first thank His Highness Sheikh Mohammed for his support and backing every step of the way in what has been an eventful season.

He founded Godolphin three decades ago and remains its driving force and constant inspiration. “I would also like to thank my assistant trainers Marie Murphy and Alex Merriam, and in Dubai Sophie Chretien, all the stable staff, our jockeys William Buick and James Doyle, the work riders, as well as the travelling team, who spend endless hours on the road.

“Plus a big mention of all those at Sheikh Mohammed’s studs in England and Ireland, who work tirelessly on a daily basis to keep the Godolphin operation going. It is their skill and dedication that, of course, enabled us to enjoy another great season,” he added. Appleby cited the unique feat of winning the 2000 Guineas in England, France and Ireland with three different colts Cpreobus, Modern Games and Native Trail, respectively, as the stable’s highlight of 2022.

“It was the perfect start to the season,” he continued out. “I take a lot of pride that we were able to do that. We had been knocking on the door a few times trying to win the Guineas at Newmarket, and Coroebus was the colt who cracked it. He went on to back it up by then winning the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

HIGHLIGHTS GALORE

Touching on other highlights, Appleby said that the Festival meetings throughout the British season are always targeted by the stable. “I was very pleased at our team’s consistency at the Festival meetings. In fact, we were the leading stable at Newmarket and Goodwood, plus Ascot for the overall season, which was a big result.

“Naval Crown beating Creative Force in the Group 1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes in June was also a great moment for us. Naval Crown has been retired to stud, and as an incredibly fast and tough son of Dubawi, you can only be excited about the what the future holds for him as a stallion,” the trainer added.

Modern Games remains in training, mounting a 2023 campaign that could ultimately see him attempt to become a triple Breeders’ Cup winner. This follows a remarkable season, in which he won the French 2000 Guineas and the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile. The colt’s win in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile at Keeneland was one leg of a magnificent treble for the Moulton Paddocks team at the Kentucky meeting.

Rebel’s Romance won the Grade 1 Turf, while Mischief Magic was able to weave a passage through the field from well back to land the Grade 1 Juvenile Turf Sprint. Appleby was lavish in his praise of Modern Games and his achievements as a 3yo: “He is not only the ultimate international campaigner, he is the ultimate Dubawi.

He is his father. “He’s very genuine, we’ve seen him in all conditions, in England, France, Canada and America. He truly is the ultimate professional. We are very lucky to have a horse like him staying in training, and the aim will be to take him to Santa Anita at the back end of the season and try for another Breeders’ Cup Mile win,” he said.

Appleby said Native Trail is to first target the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes in the new season, while Adayar will be aimed at the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes, Creative Force will head towards the Group 1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes, New London goes for the Group 1 Coronation Cup and Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes, while Hurricane Lane will be confined to soft ground targets as he races on as a 5yo.


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