Charlie Appleby nominates horse 'they've all got to beat' in £1.4m Breeders' Cup Mile

Charlie Appleby reckons he trains the horse to beat in the £1.4 million Breeders’ Cup Mile at Del Mar on Saturday.

The Godolphin trainer has dominated the championship races in recent years, winning the prize three years on the bounce. In 2021 he won the race for the first time with Space Blues at this year’s venue, Del Mar in California.

He returned the following year to claim the prize with Classic winner Modern Game at Keeneland. Then last year Master of The Seas led home a Godolphin one-two at Santa Anita when he defeated the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained Mawj.

The 2024 Mile is arguably shaping up to be the most competitive race on the whole card with eight top level winners including other European stars Ramatuelle and Porta Fortuna.

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Yet Appleby is confident in the claims of this year’s contender Notable Speech at the Breeders’ Cup where the trainer boasts a 50 per cent strike race with ten wins from 20 starters.

“If he ticks all the boxes this week and gets a good draw, he’s going to be dangerous,” Appleby said. “That’s a word that I use and that’s a word that’s been documented, but I can’t get away from it.

“He’s a Guineas winner, he’s a Sussex winner and he’s probably one of the most high-profile horses to ever turn up at a Breeders’ Cup Mile in what he’s achieved in his three-year-old career.

“He deserves to be favourite, in my opinion, and has produced a tremendous turn-of-foot in his Group 1 wins.”

He continued: “He’s travelled well today to California, so the next few hours will be crucial to see how he’s adapted to it all.

“I’m pleased with his training. He had a racecourse gallop last week and I was delighted with it. He came out in good order and then on Thursday, he worked really well before he jumped on the plane.

“If you have a good draw, you ideally want a nice run around there and to be able to pounce. He travels so well in his races and we’ve always had this in the back of our minds that the Breeders’ Cup would suit him.”

Appleby is attempting to pull off the first four-peat for a trainer, owner and breeders in Breeders’ Cup history

“What more can I say about him,” he concluded. “He’s one of the top horses going into the meeting. Give this horse a good week and he’s the horse they’ve all got to beat.”