By JA McGrath
Charlie Appleby is set to lead a five-strong team to the Breeders’ Cup meeting at Santa Anita on November 3-4 as he celebrates the 10th anniversary of the most significant win in his dazzling career as a Godolphin trainer. It was at Santa Anita, on November 1, 2013 that Outstrip, carrying the famous royal blue colours, came weaving through the field with a storming finish to win the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith in the saddle.
That moment when the Exceed And Excel colt crossed the line in triumph has never left Appleby, who reckoned it was the first step in repaying His Highness Sheikh Mohammed for the faith shown in promoting him from assistant trainer to licence holder at Moulton Paddocks.
“When you are stood there with the magnificent backdrop of the San Gabriel Mountains, having just chalked up your first Grade/Group 1 winner, having taken over the licence only a few months before . . . that will go down as my greatest moment at the Breeders’ Cup,” Appleby says.
One senses it was also perhaps the most memorable moment of his career so far, full stop, this despite the four English Classics and impressive collection of international trophies the Godolphin horses in his care have managed to win over the past decade. “But also to walk away with three winners at each of the last two Breeders’ Cup; it does bring a lot of satisfaction,” the trainer reflects. “Just to have a winner at that meeting is something. As I always say to the team, getting the horses there in good shape at the end of a long season in Europe is an
achievement - to walk away with a winner is the icing on the cake.”
Master Of The Seas, runner-up in the Group 1 2,000 Guineas two years ago, heads the line-up in Appleby’s quest to continue his fantastic success at the American showcase meeting.
The five-year-old won the Grade 1 Shadwell Mile at Woodbine on September 16, a ‘win and you’re in’ race for the Breeders’ Cup Mile. He bids to complete a hat-trick of Breeders’ Cup Mile wins for the trainer, who also saddled winners Space Blues (2021) and Modern Games (2022).
“I believe Master Of The Seas has a nice profile for the Mile,” Appleby continues. “He obliged in good style in Canada, booking a guaranteed slot at the Breeders’ Cup. We then shipped him down to Keeneland for the Grade 1 Coolmore Mile, in which he put up one of his career best performances in finishing second (to the Todd Pletcher- trained Up To The Mark).
“He was just touched off but lost nothing in defeat. He’s come out of the race well. We left him at Keeneland to give him time to show his full wellness, which he has shown. And, if he gets a good draw, we feel he’s going to be very competitive.
“He’s adapted to the tracks in North America, which he showed us recently. He brings a lot of experience with him. Also, we all know that you’ve got to ship well to Los Angeles and then adapt to the local style of training when you get there. He’s already been in Keeneland for six weeks and he will have a relatively short hop across the country compared to those travelling from Europe so that’s a couple of boxes ticked.”
The draw is all-important at Santa Anita but that is nothing that connections of any horse have control over. It’s a tight track, especially for the Europeans, who also tend to be slower out of the gates than the Americans. But again, Master Of The Seas has got experience and with the level of ability he’s shown, he goes there as a big player,” points out Appleby.
The supporting cast from Moulton Paddocks is headed by With The Moonlight, wh o will be travelling to Santa Anita for her swan song in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Another who has acquitted herself well in the States, the Frankel filly won last year’s Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational while her most recent outing resulted in a solid second in the Grade 1 EP Taylor Stakes at Woodbine. “She’s always been a fast ground type and she’s showing all the right signs at present. Like all the others, we would like a good
draw,” he says. Also likely to line up at the meeting is the twice-raced Haydock winner Legend Of Time in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, while others on the under card are Siskany in the Marathon, over 2800m on dirt, and Silver Knott in the 1800m Twilight Derby on turf.
The final word from Appleby on this year’s challenge: “It’s a championship meeting, which makes it special.
"It’s one of the rare occasions on the international stage where you get true Internationals - the Japanese come over, you get England and Ireland and the Europeans, plus the Americans on home soil. “It’s the end of a long season for our horses, who it must be said enjoy getting the sun on their backs. There’s a feel good factor all round to this meeting, a bit of the party atmosphere about it. We love going there but above all, you want to walk away a winner,” he concludes.
.jpg)
