Top Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby is often a man to follow at this week’s Newmarket July Festival, having fired in four winners last season. Plus, he’s already hit the ground running this week at HQ – with three day-one winners.
However, did you know he’s still to win the two BIG races of the week – the Falmouth Stakes and July Cup?
Plus, what is interesting this year is, Appleby is expected to have big fancies for BOTH these races this Friday and Saturday.
So, can Godolphin’s main stable finally break their duck in these two big Group One contests?
Charlie Appleby Looks To End Newmarket July Festival Group One Drought
There are not many stables heading into this week’s three-day Newmarket July Festival in better form than Charlie Appleby.
At the time of writing the Charlie Appleby runners are operating at a strike-rate of 32% and their track stats at Newmarket make good reading too.
Recent Charlie Appleby Newmarket Track Stats 📈
- Overall: 36% (67-185)
- 2 Year-Olds: 37% (32-87)
- 3 Year-Olds: 37% (26-70)
- 4+ Year-Olds: 32% (9-28)
Note: Stats correct as 11th July 2025
Last year at the Newmarket July Festival the Charlie Appleby also fired in four winners. Which included this season’s 1000 Guineas heroine Desert Flower winning a nice fillies’ maiden.
Plus, Ancient Truth landing the 2024 Superlative Stakes (watch below).
However, despite these impressive Newmarket stats at their home track, the Appleby camp are still to win the two big Group One prizes at the meeting.
Being winless in Friday’s Falmouth Stakes and Saturday’s July Cup.
But, could this drought end in 2025 – with Appleby having the favourites for BOTH races?
Charlie Appleby Newmarket July Festival Winners 2024
- Ancient Wisdom – Bahrain Trophy Stakes
- Desert Flower – Rossdales British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes
- First Conquest – bet365 Mile Handicap
- Ancient Truth – bet365 Superlative Stakes
WATCH: Ancient Truth Winning The Superlative Stakes at the 2024 Newmarket July Festival
Cinderella’s Dream Heads Betting For 2025 Falmouth Stakes
Okay, it’s time to come clean.
In Charlie Appleby’s defensive – he’s only had two Falmouth Stakes runners since 2014.
Wuheida finished second to a Aidan O’Brien Newmarket runner Roly Poly in 2017 and Certify was 7th back in 2014.
That said, it’s still worth pointing out that this race has also eluded the ‘boys in blue’ of Godolphin – full stop.
Like Appleby, they are yet to win the Falmouth – having had nine tries since 2014 for various trainers (Appleby, Gosden, Bin Suroor and Fabre).
With the already mentioned Wuheida (2nd) and Very Special (2nd) their best finishers.
However, that could all change in 2025 as the pair have a leading fancy with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK in CINDERELLA’S DREAM.
This 4 year-old filly is topping the market with most firms and is the joint top-rated in the field with Crimson Advocate. Who finished ahead of the Appleby horse when winning the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot last month (watch below).
Cinderella’s Dream meets her conqueror on 3lbs better terms here though and many feel that will be enough to turn the tables and give Appleby and Godolphin their breakthrough win in the Falmouth.
Falmouth Stakes 2025 Race Details
See below the details for the 2025 Falmouth Stakes, with the Newmarket Group One being shown live on ITV Racing schedule.
📅Date: Friday 11th July 2025
⌚Time: 3:35pm
🏃Trip: 1m
🏆Grade: Group One
🏇Racecourse: Newmarket
💷Winner: £155,953
📺 TV: RacingTV / ITV Racing
WATCH: Cinderella’s Dream Finishing Second To Crimson Advocate at Royal Ascot
Notable Speech and Symbol Of Honour Looking To Give Appleby First July Cup Success
Unlike the Falmouth Stakes, trainer Charlie Appleby has had slightly more tries at winning the July Cup in recent years.
Since 2015, the Newmarket handler has sent five horses to post. But has so far failed to hit the bullseye.
His best finish was with Naval Crown, when second in 2022 to Alcohol Free. While his former Royal Ascot scorer Blue Point was only 7th in 2018 as the 5/2 favourite.
Godolphin only have one win in the race too – this came with the Clive Cox-trained Harry Angel in 2017. And since 2015 the ‘boys in blue’ have eight runners in the July Cup.
Appleby (and Godolphin) look to have a strong hand in the 2025 renewal though. With NOTABLE SPEECH supplemented for the July Cup on Monday for £36k.
They also added Jersey Stakes runner-up SPY CHIEF (Gosden) earlier in the week.
Plus, Charlie Appleby still has his recent G2 Haydock Sandy Lane Stakes winner SYMBOL OF HONOUR in the race.
Notable Speech was installed as favourite with most firms after his inclusion on Monday. But the big unknown for his backers will be the drop back in trip.
Last year’s 2000 Guineas winner has done all his running over a mile to date – but is down to 6f here for the first time.
On a plus, his dam’s sire is Invincible Sprint, who did all his winning over 6f. Including winning the 2002 Haydock G1 Sprint Cup.
Notable Speech was last seen running 4th to Docklands in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot in June (watch below).
July Cup 2025 Race Details
📅Date: Saturday 12th July 2025
⌚Time: 4:35pm
🏃Trip: 6f
🏆Grade: Group One
🏇Racecourse: Newmarket
💷Winner: £372,585
📺 TV: RacingTV / ITV Racing
