Charlie Appleby’s stock has risen massively in the last few years. After 15 years of working at Godolphin, Appleby was appointed head trainer at their esteemed Moulton Paddocks in Newmarket in 2013 and he has sent records tumbling ever since — most notably becoming the first Godolphin handler to win the Epsom Derby in 2018, a tally he doubled thanks to Adayar’s victory last year.
Named both World Trainer and British flat racing Champion Trainer in 2021, Appleby just keeps continuing to impress and he’s carried that fine form into the 2022 season — becoming the first ever trainer to win the English, French and Irish editions of the 2,000 Guineas in the same season with three different colts.
It is quite the remarkable feat and further proof of just how incredibly strong the Godolphin fleet at Moulton Paddocks is; that three different one-milers have gone on to win three of the biggest three-year-old races in Europe within a matter of mere weeks.
That said, let’s take a look back at how the unmistakable blue silks of the Maktoum family dominated Newmarket, Longchamp and the Curragh. Read on to find out more!
2,000 Guineas: Coroebus
Appleby had a fantastic hand in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket at the end of April, with Native Trail, who was unbeaten in his four outings before the Rowley Mile Classic, a favourite with those who bet on horses at a general 5/4, while Coroebus was the third favourite behind Aidan O’Brien’s highly-rated Luxembourg.
But it was Coroebus who came out on top in the first British Classic of the 2022 flat season. The 5/1 shot pushed along for the lead over one furlong out and he kept on well in the closing stages to hold off his stablemate Native Trail by three-quarters of a length.
It was a first Classic victory for Appleby’s second-string rider James Doyle, while it was also a maiden win in the 2,000 Guineas for the Godolphin handler.
Poule d’Essai Des Poulains: Modern Games
There were to be no similar surprises in the Poule d’Essai des Poulians — the French equivalent of the 2,000 Guineas — as Moulton Paddocks’ No.1 jockey William Buick delivered the victory for Godolphin and Appleby aboard 2/1 favourite Modern Games at Paris Longchamp.
It wasn’t the best of starts from the three-year-old, as he stumbled out of the stalls, but he soon settled in behind the leader and began to make headway when shaken up two furlongs out. Quickly into the lead, Modern Games asserted himself in the final furlong to win by a length and quarter clear of Texas.
Fellow Godolphin horse Tribalist, trained by André Fabre at the Thoroughbred’s French stables, was third.
Irish 2,000 Guineas: Native Trail
Heavily tipped to bounce back from that shock defeat at Newmarket in the Curragh Classic late last month, Native Trail did exactly what was expected of him — as Buick drove him to victory in what was a relatively weak renewal of the Irish 2,000 Guineas.
It never looked like Native Trail was going to be beaten by the sub-par field in Ireland, and the three-year-old justified why he was the odds-on favourite; as Buick rode him into the lead over a furlong out before he ran on inside the final 110 yards to win by almost two lengths clear of 40/1 outsider New Energy.
