It’s been a less-than-stellar season in Europe for Godolphin’s former world #1 trainer – but he unearthed another potential leading contender for Santa Anita in the million-dollar Woodbine Mile
Languishing only tenth in the table in defence of his UK trainers’ title, several big names retired after failing to shine, and down to #3 from top spot in the Thoroughbred Racing Commentary Global Rankings for trainers.
So let’s be honest: after several years of massive achievement, it has been a proper annus horribilis for Charlie Appleby, who hasn’t won a G1 event at home since dual Breeders’ Cup scorer Modern Games won the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May. There have been no Classic successes; no wins at Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood or York’s Ebor meeting.
On the other hand, at least the Godolphin trainer can usually count on his foreign policy – especially with the Breeders’ Cup looming.
Appleby’s record there is second to none in recent seasons – and he’s following a tried-and-tested path with Master Of The Seas, who produced a totally dominant performance to win the Ricoh-sponsored Woodbine Mile on Saturday [Sept 16] to put himself in line for a trip to Santa Anita.
This was a much-needed G1 success for the Godolphin team, and the five-year-old took the Can$1 million event like the odds-on shot he was to secure a fees-paid start in the Breeders’ Cup Mile – won 12 months ago by Modern Games, who had also claimed the Toronto highlight.
Indeed, Appleby will be attempting to complete a hat-trick in the Mile, a sequence started by Space Blues in 2021. With nine wins from 18 starters altogether – and six victories in the last two seasons alone – Appleby can boast an extraordinary record at the Breeders’ Cup.
He certainly appears to have another likely suspect in Master Of The Seas, a Classic runner-up in the 2,000 Guineas as a three-year-old in 2021 who seems to be making up for lost time now after missing nearly the whole of last season following a setback.
The five-year-old son of Dubawi may well not have been the easiest individual to deal with – headstrong in the past, he wears a hood, and he is a gelding, which tells its own story.
However, in July he won easily after a break in G2 company at Ascot, and he could hardly have been more impressive under champion jockey William Buick at Woodbine (albeit in a weak-enough race for the purse and status).
Given an admirable record fresh, it would be no surprise if Master Of The Seas were to go straight to Santa Anita without another run, although there are also options in Europe.
“He’s a horse that is pretty lightly raced and he’s not the most straightforward, but the team over here has done a great job with him,” said assistant trainer Alex Merriam. “He has won very easily and probably deserves a crack at the Breeders’ Cup Mile, but we will see what Charlie wants to do.”
Master Of The Seas is 8-1 (from 14-1) for the Breeders’ Cup Mile by British bookmakers Coral, whose betting is headed by Aidan O’Brien’s multiple G1 winner Paddington, the 3-1 favourite.
Appleby’s North American record as a whole is worthy of note, and he also landed the G3 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational with Eternal Hope on the ‘Belmont at the Big A’ card.
But he couldn’t make it eight G1 wins in a row at Woodbine as his first runner on the card, Dazzling Star could finish only third in the Natalma Stakes as She Feels Pretty claimed the ‘Win and You’re In’ slot for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf.
A first G1 winner for trainer Cherie de Vaux, She Feels Pretty closed down the middle of the track for a 4¼-length score – impressing jockey John Velazquez in the process. “When we turned for home, I moved her to the clear and her ears went up and I said, ‘Wow, look at this!’” he said. “I went after her and she instantly responded. The way she did it was very impressive.”
Carson's Run, trained by Christophe Clement, captured the other Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series race, the Summer Stakes, on the Woodbine card.
While Charlie Appleby has been struggling this summer, it’s been another Appleby who has been enjoying the odd share of the limelight. Mick Appleby (no relation) outscored his more exalted namesake at both Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood – and the horse responsible may also take his trainer on a trip to California.
Appleby, who trains in Nottinghamshire, is the perennial champion trainer of the All-Weather Championships, the synthetic racing programme staged between turf seasons in Britain.
But he is no one-trick pony and his two-year-old Big Evs, who had found the challenge of racing against older horses too tough in the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes, bounced back in the G2 Flying Childers Stakes at Doncaster on Friday [Sept 15] to stamp himself as Britain’s leading sprint juvenile.
Now connections are eyeing the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. “It’s five furlongs at Santa Anita which should be ideal,” said Appleby. “If he can get the rail he could be difficult to peg back.
“He’s been an amazing horse, the owners have turned down some big bids and there’ll be more now, but luckily he’s not for sale.”
Meanwhile, Nunthorpe winner Live In The Dream is to head to the US early to get a taste of the challenge he will face at Santa Anita, by running in the Woodford Stakes at Keeneland on October 7 under his young rider Sean Kirrane.
“I imagine we’ll be taking on the American favourites and they may have an advantage in the Woodford over 5½ furlongs but we’d be happy to take them on again at Santa Anita over five,” said Epsom-based trainer Adam West.
Live In The Dream is one of the potential underdog stories of this year’s Breeders’ Cup and West has been getting up for the challenge by watching the Rocky movies.
“I watched Rocky again last night and Rocky 2 and we are definitely coming up against Apollo [Creed] in a few of those Americans," West told Mirror Online. "But it would be great to duke it out with them."
Live In The Dream won’t be the only British challenger having his Breeders’ Cup warm-up on US soil as Dubai World Cup runner-up Algiers is set to try US dirt next month.
“He will more likely go for the Woodward at Aqueduct,” said Ed Crisford of the likely Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile challenger. “There is the Ack Ack at Churchill Downs the same day. The tracks are quite different to Meydan so we will see how he copes to see if he is a Breeders’ Cup candidate or not.”
In other news, Connections of German Derby winner Fantastic Moon have ruled out the Arc in favour of the Breeders’ Cup Turf or Japan Cup, while connections of outstanding Argentine mare Belleza De Arteaga appear to have overcome customs hitches ahead of a crack at the Distaff.
Two attempts to export the six-year-old, who is on a nine race win streak with the latest at San Isidro in June, were halted by officials due to the “laughable” values of $50,000 and $120,000 declared on her behalf in the export applications.
Local reports suggest the issues have been ironed out. Argentine-bred mares have won the Distaff four times after being exported to the US: Bayakoa (twice), Paseana and Blue Prize.
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Watch out world! Aidan’s already after the Breeders’ Cup Turf with dual Derby hero Auguste Rodin
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