Breeders' Cup preview: Charlie Appleby on his team
Check out Charlie Appleby's horse-by-horse guide to his team for this weekend's Breeders' Cup.
Charlie Appleby will be looking to add to his three career Breeders’ Cup winners this weekend at Del Mar.
Outstrip was Appleby’s first ever runner at the meeting back in 2013 and under an ice-cool Mike Smith delivered Appleby a first ever winner in the Juvenile Turf. Four years later, Wuheida and William Buick claimed the Filly and Mare Turf at Del Mar. In 2018, Line Of Duty claimed the Juvenile Turf under William Buick. This weekend Appleby returns to California with a a six-strong team of horses that includes Space Blues and Yibir.
Juvenile Turf – Albahr & Modern Games
Albahr and Modern Games are Charlie Appleby’s two runners on Friday, with the pair both running in the Juvenile Turf (at Del Mar. Successful in the “Win And You’re In” Summer Stakes at Woodbine in September, Albahr will be ridden by Frankie Dettori, with Tattersalls Stakes victor Modern Games the choice of William Buick.
Charlie Appleby on Albahr: “Albahr got his “Win and You’re In” slot in Canada last time, but had a nice progressive profile going into that race. He’s a gelded son of Dubawi (and conditions will suit him. He’s been to Canada, so he ticks a few boxes in that he’s travelled and done track training. Some people don’t realise jumping from the gates and having the bell ring just helps them get used to it. He might not be the best horse in the race, but he’s one of those horses with experience. If it gets a bit rough around those turns, he’ll be able to handle himself.”
Appleby on Modern Games: “Modern Games is our second runner in the race and another son of Dubawi. He won the Tattersalls Stakes in good style. I feel he takes enough experience into the race, but he’s got a bit of class about him as well. He can travel very well so he won’t lack the pace to go round Del Mar. I’m always a big believer in that you’ve got to be able to travel around there.”
When asked to compare the two, Appleby said: “They’re two different types. I’d say Modern Games would be more like Outstrip where he’s raised his level. If anything you’d say Modern Games would be just in front (of Albahr). I’d put Albahr in the Line Of Duty bracket, in that he’ll go there with experience under his belt. The rougher it gets on those turns, the more he’ll enjoy it.”
FanDuel Mile presented by PDJF – Master Of The Seas & Space Blues
Charlie Appleby will also be doubly represented in Saturday’s FanDuel Mile presented by PDJF. QIPCO 2000 Guineas runner-up Master Of The Seas and Qatar Prix de la Foret winner Space Blues line up in the 1-mile contest on Saturday evening. William Buick will once again ride Space Blues, with Godolphin’s second choice jockey James Doyle partnering Master Of The Seas.
Charlie Appleby on Space Blues: “We’ve been delighted with his last two starts when winning both the York Stakes and then the Foret. This will be the last run of his career; I’d imagine we’ll be retiring him after this. He’s done us proud.
“I feel a sharp mile round Del Mar will suit him. As we’ve all seen he’s a great traveller. It’ll be quicker ground than he’s ran on in his last two starts, but it doesn’t worry me as he won in Saudi Arabia on quick ground, and at Deauville. He’s a very versatile horse. He’ll travel for fun around there, and if the gaps appear, he’s got the acceleration.”
Appleby on Master Of The Seas: “We probably saw him at his best when he was just touched off in the Guineas on quick ground. He won the Bet365 Craven Stakes before that Guineas second, then met with a setback.
“I was delighted with his comeback run in the Joel Stakes. He’s most definitely come forward from it fitness-wise. At Champions Day the ground was just too soft for him. I was keen though to get another run into him because he’d missed a large chunk of the summer. He’s come out of that race well and I think back at 1-mile on quick ground will suit him.”
Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf – Yibir & Walton Street
Godolphin has won this race three times in the shape of Daylami in 1999, Fantastic Light in 2001 and Talismanic in 2017. This year they are represented by two leading contenders with both Yibir and Walton Street set to line up in Saturday’s US$4 million contest.
SkyBet Great Voltigeur Stakes scorer Yibir was last seen when winning the Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes at Belmont Park, a “Win And You’re In” for the Longines Turf. The three-year-old the chosen mount of William Buick.
He is joined by stablemate Walton Street. Third behind Alpinista and subsequent Arc hero Torquator Tasso in the Longines 131st Grosser Preis von Berlin earlier this season, Walton Street went on to win the Pattison Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine last time out. The seven-year-old gelded son of Cape Cross will be partnered by James Doyle.
Charlie Appleby on Walton Street: “Walton Street is at the grand age of seven now and he’s one of the yard favourites. We saw his profile rise in Dubai and he was then given a deserved break after that. He put up a good performance in Germany on his first start after a break, finishing just behind the eventual Arc winner Torquator Tasso. He then headed to Canada for the International where he put up a dominant performance.
“He is maturing with age very well. He’s a very straightforward horse in that you can go up and lead with him or he can sit just off the pace. He deserves to be there; he might not be good enough to win it but he won’t look out of place.”
Appleby continued: “On what he achieved in Canada he probably does need to step up but there’s bits of his form you could argue he’s a live player. I know we keep going back to it, but you can’t get any more rock-solid form than what he achieved in Germany. If any of those two who finished in front of him that day were to turn up, they’d be likely to go off favourite.”
Appleby on Yibir: “Yibir will be joining Walton Street, so we’ve got one of the youngsters joining one of the veterans of the stable. He’s a gelded son of Dubawi and has been frustrating throughout his three-year-old career. He started his season running in the Classic trials, and running well, but not running the most straightforward races that you’d like to see.
“He was gelded before the summer and came out and won the Bahrain Trophy. He then went and disappointed us again at Goodwood. We changed some of our tactics on him and we left the hood on at York where he ran out a good winner of the Great Voltigeur. The plan after that was always to head to New York for the Jockey Club Derby as it’s a race which we felt would suit him. He picked up in the straight and won it well.
“That was a “Win and You’re In” race to the Breeders’ Cup Turf. He goes there as one of the youngsters but if he brings his A game, he’s going to be very competitive. I’m not going to be as bold to say he’s as good as Hurricane Lane or Adayar who are both Derby and multiple Group One winners, but he was put in those classic trials for a reason. We liked him and we still do like him.”