Has Charlie just won a big race? Appleby gets reality check after Derby triumph with Masar

Andy Stephens went to Godolphin's Moulton Paddocks where Masar paraded on Monday and spoke to Charlie and Aisling Appleby, while Rupert Bell discussed Godolphin's finest hour with managing director Hugh Anderson, assistant trainer Marie Murphy, jockey Brett Doyle and farrier Derek Popard.

If Charlie Appleby needed a reality check after ending Sheikh Mohammed’s long quest for an Investec Derby winner in the blue of Godolphin then it was provided by his mother-in-law.

In the aftermath of Masar beating Dee Ex Bee and Roaring Lion at Epsom, not to mention the Ballydoyle battalions, his wife, Aisling, received an unexpected call from her mother in County Limerick.

“My mum doesn’t really follow racing at all and she rang and said ‘has Charlie just won some big race?’,” Aisling revealed at Moulton Paddocks on the outskirts of Newmarket on Monday morning.

“She lives in a tiny village and said the number of people who had been ringing the house had been incredible.

“The past couple of days have been surreal. Even driving the kids to school today there was no end of people congratulating us.”

Aisling Appleby with her husband Charlie at Epsom on Saturday (Racingfotos)

The Applebys have four young children and the build-up to the Derby did lead to a school project getting overlooked. As a consequence, one of their youngsters ended up taking in their Dad’s winning Derby trophy and a racecard this morning to try and appease the teaching staff.

“Kids were coming in with tropical rainforests in shoe boxes and I was like ‘oh my God’. Our project was more last minute - ‘we’ve got a trophy, beat that’.”

Godolphin have spent much of the past two decades chasing the tail of Coolmore and for a time Mrs Appleby helped the opposition.

“Charlie was travelling head lad when I met him and I was working for a company in Ireland, transporting Ballydoyle horses. We did all their shipping,” Aisling said. “I met Charlie at the loading ramp at York at the Dante meeting 15 years ago.

“I messaged my sister (in Spain) just before the Derby and said ‘I hate racing,’ because I was so nervous for him. Then it was just amazing - the amount of people who rang to congratulate was incredible. We couldn’t believe it.

“I was an emotional wreck. I was just so proud of him and everybody - it’s such a great team here. It was more relief than anything else.

“He usually has a favourite spot (to watch) but after Friday (and the Oaks defeat of Wild Illusion) he didn’t have one. He was so disappointed driving home in the car and on the way to the races on Saturday he forgot his top hat. We were stuck on the side of the A14 and waited for about half an hour. I thought it was a bad omen.”

Moulton Paddocks was a sea of blue wreathed with wide smiles on Monday as Masar was paraded at the multi-million pound facility.

The colt behaved impeccably as Appleby and about 100 of his staff, all bedecked in Godolphin blue, posed for a proud picture.

Appleby has has had little time to dwell on his famous triumph and the following morning suggested the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby would be Masar’s likely next race.

However, dropping back in distance for the Coral-Eclipse a week later, for which he would have to be supplemented, remains a distinct possibility. He is a best-priced 3-1 with Betfair and Paddy Power for the latter contest.

“He’s not in the Eclipse but it’s there,” he said.

“The Irish Derby is a route we’d like to look down but it would not phase me dropping back to ten furlongs.

“In this game everybody immediately wants to know what next and we (trainers) are the same but we will let the dust settle and assess Masar and where the competition is.

“He’s come out of the race well and had a jog out this morning after being hand walked yesterday. Not many horses would stand there like he did today with 100 people around them. He’s got a great head on him and I always thought his temperament was his strength going into the Derby.”

He added: “We want to end up in an Arc or a Champion Stakes - and will be guided by the horse as to how we get there.”

Aidan O’Brien has saddled a dozen Irish Derby winners and taking him and Coolmore on in their own backward would be possibly a braver shout than going to Sandown and getting lumps of weight from older rivals.

However, after preventing O’Brien achieving a record-equalling seventh Derby winner at the weekend you get the sense that Appleby and Godolphin are up for any challenge over the months ahead.

Does Masar’s victory herald the start of a new chapter for them?

“One hopes it is,” Appleby said. “Five years ago I was young into this job and probably bold in saying what we we were out to achieve. It’s taken five years to get that Classic winner but we’ve built along the way.

“Ballydoyle and Coolmore have been our competition for many years but unfortunately we haven’t been competitive enough.

“You can flower it up as much as you want, but that’s the honest answer. I know what people are saying outside these gates, but that just gives us more determination and drive.”

Appleby and Sheikh Mohammed usually talk twice a week, from January onwards when the ruler of Dubai's focus is already on the Guineas.

“The relationship I have with his Highness has always been very good and very strong,” Appleby said. “We communicate regularly and the support I receive from him is phenomenal.

“In my first season here I had two runners in the Derby and they trailed out the back. Subsequently, I’d not had one.

“I’ll never forget a couple of years ago when everyone jumped on the choppers to go to the Derby and I stayed behind. He put his arm around me he said ‘don’t worry Charlie, there’s a Derby next year for you’. That’s the person he is.”

Masar was a case of mission accomplished. But if the Appleby children are going to continue impressing their schoolmates, then plenty more trophies will need winning.