Horse racing analysis: Charlie Appleby and his top-level winners in 2021

June 5

Adayar – Derby, Epsom

Adayar was seemingly the stable third string when he lined up in the Derby, but he ultimately ran out an authoritative winner under Adam Kirby, putting up a top-class performance as he powered clear in the final furlong to win by four and a half lengths. It was Appleby’s second triumph in the Epsom classic after that of Masar three years earlier and, for good measure, he also saddled the third in the shape of the Dante winner Hurricane Lane.

Althiqa – Just A Game Stakes, Belmont

Appleby was denied a runner in the Belmont Stakes when Rebel’s Romance was ruled out with a hind leg infection, but he gained compensation by saddling a one-two in this Grade 1 earlier on the card. The four-year-old Althiqa posted a career best to beat stablemate Summer Romance by three quarters of a length, doing so in comfortable fashion in the hands of veteran jockey Mike Smith.

June 26

Hurricane Lane – Irish Derby, Curragh

Appleby completed the Anglo-Irish Derby double but not with Adayar. In that horse’s absence at the Curragh, stablemate Hurricane Lane resumed his progress to make the breakthrough at the top level, only winning by a neck but looking value for extra having been caught further back than ideal. It was Appleby’s first win in the Irish Derby and Hurricane Lane became just the second British-trained horse to win the race this century.

July 14

Hurricane Lane – Grand Prix de Paris, Longchamp

Hurricane Lane came out of the Irish Derby so well that the decision was made to supplement him for this Group 1 less than three weeks later. The result was the widest winning margin in the Grand Prix de Paris for over 30 years as Hurricane Lane produced an impressive display to defeat Wordsworth by six lengths, showing very smart form and jumping to the forefront of the ante-post betting for the Arc in the process.

July 17

Althiqa – Diana Stakes, Saratoga

This Grade 1 was a carbon copy of the Just A Game Stakes six weeks earlier. Once again Althiqa beat Summer Romance by three quarters of a length, showing a good turn of foot to lead inside the final furlong and appearing to win with a bit in hand. Althiqa was credited with a bit more improvement given that she was conceding 2 lb to her stablemate this time.

July 24

Adayar – King George, Ascot

Adayar became the first Derby winner since Galileo – and just the sixth three-year-old this century – to win this middle-distance championship, once again showing speed, stamina and a willing attitude to land the spoils by a length and three quarters from Mishriff. It was another first for Appleby, his first King George success, and Adayar cemented his status as a top-class colt to ensure that his yard had two aces in the ante-post betting for the Arc.

September 11

Hurricane Lane – St Leger, Doncaster

Appleby continued his tremendous season with another European classic triumph as Hurricane Lane dismissed his rivals in the St Leger, completing a Group 1 hat-trick in doing so. He was always in control after being produced to lead two furlongs out, just needing to be kept up to his work to win by nearly three lengths. It was a high-class display which identified him as one of the best St Leger winners of recent times.

September 12

Native Trail – National Stakes, Curragh

Following earlier victories with Quorto (2018) and Pinatubo (2019), Appleby saddled another top two-year-old to land this prize for the third time in four years. The horse in question was Native Trail, who looked a high-class prospect as he lowered the colours of the hitherto unbeaten Point Lonsdale by three and a half lengths in dominant fashion. It put him in pole position in the battle for top honours amongst the juveniles.

September 18

Walton Street – Canadian International, Woodbine

Walton Street kicked off a memorable weekend in North America for Appleby, staying on strongly to win by nearly six lengths, his success coming barely 10 minutes before Yibir won the Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes at Belmont. Walton Street had a Timeform rating of just 121 and it was a fine advert for Appleby’s skills when it comes to placing horses to make him a Grade 1 winner.

September 19

Wild Beauty – Natalma Stakes, Woodbine

Rinse and repeat with the same statements made above. Wild Beauty had shown only fairly useful form in her first five starts in Britain, but she ran out an impressive winner when lining up in a weak Grade 1 in Canada, keeping going well to win by over two lengths. Back in Britain, her limitations were exposed once more when she finished fifth in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket on her final outing.

Albahr – Summer Stakes, Woodbine

Albahr brought up a Woodbine hat-trick for Appleby, as well as jockey Frankie Dettori, by running out a comfortable winner of this Grade 1. Again, it wasn’t a strong race and Albahr didn’t need to improve on the useful form he had shown to win a listed race at Salisbury on his previous start. He was due to run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf after that, but that plan went awry – more on which shortly.

October 3

Space Blues – Prix de la Foret, Longchamp

Hurricane Lane and Adayar were forced to settle for third and fourth, respectively, in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but Appleby didn’t leave Longchamp empty-handed as Space Blues registered a smooth success in the Prix de la Foret. He was the only previous Group 1 winner in the field and didn’t need to improve to justify favouritism by two lengths from Pearls Galore.

October 9

Native Trail – Dewhurst Stakes, Newmarket

Native Trail maintained his unbeaten record with another very smart performance, coming out on top by two lengths without needing to match the form of his win at the Curragh. He ended the campaign as Timeform’s highest-rated two-year-old in training, emulating the same stable’s Pinatubo in 2019. It was a landmark afternoon for Appleby, who also won the Zetland Stakes with Goldspur and Autumn Stake with Coroebus, leaping above Andrew Balding in the trainers’ championship in the process.

October 16

Creative Force – Champions Sprint Stakes, Ascot

Creative Force had come up short against the best sprinters around after landing the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot, but he finally put it all together on Champions Day, taking a big step forward to get the verdict by a length from Glen Shiel. It was the perfect way to get the ball rolling on Champions Day for Appleby who, remarkably, had never had a runner in the first 10 years of the meeting’s history.

November 5

Modern Games – Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Del Mar

It’s fair to say that the Breeders’ Cup got off to an inauspicious start for Appleby. Albahr was unruly in the stalls before this Grade 1 and had to be withdrawn, a fate which, amidst plenty of confusion, seemed to have befallen stablemate Modern Games in the neighbouring stall as well. After a lengthy delay Modern Games was eventually reinstated and he made no mistake in the race itself, quickly putting matters to bed in the straight to win by a length and a half in good style.

November 6

Space Blues – Breeders’ Cup Mile, Del Mar

Remarkably, Appleby also had one of his two runners in the Mile – Master of The Seas – withdrawn before the off after rearing in the stalls, but he still had the horse who counted running for him in the shape of Space Blues, who brought the curtain down on a fine career with another Group 1 success. He was always well placed and stayed on strongly in the straight to win by half a length.

Yibir – Breeders’ Cup Turf, Del Mar

Yibir must have tested Appleby’s patience at times this season, but he has proved a totally different proposition since being gelded during the summer, registering his fourth win from his last five starts with a high-class effort in the Turf. His barnstorming finish was one of the sights of the meeting and, along with Adayar and Hurricane Lane, he will give Appleby a strong hand in the top middle-distance races in 2022. This victory also took Appleby’s career record at the Breeders’ Cup to 6/11.

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