What a weekend it was for the Godolphin team at Newmarket and beyond. Sheikh Mohammed’s operation did the unthinkable: they landed the Kentucky Oaks-Derby double and the 1000-2000 Guineas double all on the same weekend.
Good Cheer remains unbeaten after winning the Oaks at Churchill Downs, while Sovereignty was trained beautifully by Bill Mott for his Derby win, leaving something to work on with the horse after his Florida Derby second. The team also landed a Grade 2 sprint on Saturday’s card.
As well as Ruling Court and Desert Flower’s Classic wins at Newmarket, Godolphin’s Tornado Alert (Saeed bin Suroor) ran a cracker to finish fourth in the 2000 Guineas.
The ownership group as a whole has laid down a very serious marker for the season ahead, but it’s the genius specifically of Charlie Appleby we really should be focussing on more.
Charlie and the Newmarket Success Factory
Despite the history of Saeed bin Suroor with Goldolphin, as well as John & Thady Gosden being part of the team these days, Charlie Appleby is obviously Godolphin’s main man in Britain.
The ever-honest trainer keeps punters well informed of what’s happening with his horses and his results are something else. These are the incredible results posted by the Moulton Paddocks handlers over Newmarket’s three-day Guineas Festival:
| Day | Race | Horse (Odds) | Position | Prize Money |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri | Maiden Fillies’ Stakes | Silent Love (10/3) | 3rd | £4,836 |
| Fri | Newmarket Stakes | Alpine Trail (10/11) | 1st | £31,190.50 |
| Fri | King Charles II Stakes | Symbol Of Honour | 6th | £742.50 |
| Fri | Betfred Handicap | Spectacular View (7/2) | 3rd | £4,836 |
| Fri | Betfred Handicap | Wild Nature (14/1) | 8th | £0 |
| Fri | Jockey Club Stakes | Silver Knott (10/11) | 2nd | £26,875 |
| Sat | Suffolk Stakes | Arabian Light (7/2) | 3rd | £12,090 |
| Sat | 2000 Guineas | Ruling Court (9/2) | 1st | £297,727.50 |
| Sat | 2000 Guineas | Shadow Of Light (6/1) | 3rd | £56,490 |
| Sat | Handicap | El Corodobes (4/1) | 1st | £25,770 |
| Sun | Dhalia Stakes | Cinderella’s Dream (11/8) | 1st | £70,887.50 |
| Sun | Dhalia Stakes | Beautiful Live (11/1) | 3rd | £13,450 |
| Sun | 1000 Guineas | Desert Flower (Evs) | 1st | £311,025.99 |
| Sun | Fillies’ Novice Stakes | Twilight Star (Evs) | 2nd | £9,668 |
| Sun | EBF Novice Stakes | Rising Power (3/1) | 1st | £20,616 |
| Sun | Nyetimber Handicap | Watching Stars (11/4) | 2nd | £7,251 |
That’s 6 winners, 3 seconds and 5 thirds from 16 runners across three days.
Appleby currently has 152 horses registered with the BHA. It is testament to him what a high percentage of them are capable of running and winning on the biggest days.
As of Tuesday, Charlie Appleby sits less than £10,000 behind Andrew Balding in second place in the trainers’ championship. He’s managed that from 78 runners versus his rival’s 266.
What Next from Moulton Paddocks?
With a £2 million bonus up for grabs for winning the Triple Crown, last achieved in 1970, and Ruling Court having always been thought of as a Derby horse, it’s Epsom next for the Guineas winner. Desert Flower also could be heading for the Oaks.
Guineas third Shadow Of Light stayed the mile well, with the Commonwealth Cup or more likely the St James’s Palace Stakes at Ascot next. Across France and now England, there are Group 1 seven-furlong races for him later too.
Last year’s 2000 Guineas hero Notable Speech is way too big to confirm his Newmarket form with Rosallion in the Lockinge. They clash at Newbury on May 17.
The stable should be represented also at York during the Dante meeting, while Appleby is already targeting Breeders’ Cup races in November. Cinderella’s Dream and Notable Speech being two booked for that. There’s lots of water to go under the Group 1 bridge before then.