'2,000 Guineas win was the highlight' - Charlie Appleby crowned champion trainer

After another stellar campaign, Charlie Appleby enjoyed more success off the track on Monday as he was crowned Britain's champion Flat trainer for the second year in a row at the 2022 Horserace Writers & Photographers Association Derby Awards in London.

The race to become champion ends officially on December 31, but Appleby, who has amassed £6,225,397 in prize-money for owners Godolphin, leads by £439,587 from nearest rival William Haggas, who has conceded the championship with less than a month to go.

Appleby's title completed a clean sweep for Godolphin in 2022, with the owners' title heading their way and retained jockey William Buick lifting his first jockeys' championship on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot.

"I'm hugely proud of what myself and the team have achieved in backing the trainers' championship up for a second consecutive year," Appleby said, speaking to Great British Racing.

"I'm very lucky to have the team at Moulton Paddocks and Godolphin and I'm extremely appreciative of their dedication. It was our aim at the start of the year to have the champion jockey, trainer and owner; for William to get his first title was very exciting for us all.

Coroebus: winner of the 2,000 Guineas at NewmarketCredit: Mark Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

"What we've achieved this year in cleaning up all these championships, I'm not sure if that has been done before. It's another feather in the cap for Godolphin and I'm very proud to be part of it."

Appleby was presented with his award at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, marking the end of a close battle with Haggas, and John and Thady Gosden, who finished second and third respectively.

"With William, and John and Thady, competing with you, you're always going to be pushed right until the very end," Appleby added.

"We enjoyed it, we had a bit of banter between ourselves, but most importantly from racing's point of view, hopefully people were interested to see it go on right until the end."

Appleby held the English (Coroebus), Irish (Native Trail) and French (Modern Games) 2,000 Guineas at the same time, but a first victory in the Newmarket version is what he treasured most.

"Winning the Qipco 2,000 Guineas was the highlight. It's something that personally I hadn't done before and it's one of those races that I was very keen to get on the board. That was a very proud day," Appleby said.

"Once Native Trail won the Irish Guineas, that bolstered the feeling even more, because we knew that achievement [holding three 2,000 Guineas at the same time] hadn't been done before. I imagine it will take a few years before it happens again!"

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