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BREEDERS' CUP WORLD THOROUGHBRED CHAMPIONSHIPSNovember 1, 2013Charlie ApplebySimon CrisfordARCADIA, CALIFORNIA THE MODERATOR:  Ladies and gentlemen, we are very proud to have down here the winners of the Juvenile Turf, with Outstrip. We've got Charlie Appleby, the trainer on my right, as well as Simon Crisford, racing manager for Godolphin. I want to ask first about the decision to come and race here off three weeks' rest. Can you talk about wheeling back in three weeks? CHARLIE APPLEBY: As I say, going into the Dewhurst, we were confident we were going to run a big race there. And unfortunately, we finished third that day. We put it down to the ground, and just the ground and the undulating conditions at Newmarket on that occasion, because he's always shown as a turn of foot, which thankfully he's reproduced a day. After the Dewhurst, well, going into the Dewhurst, I should say, we didn't have a future plan this year because we were probably a bit too hopeful that we were going to run a better race than we did and we were going to put him away for the winter and head towards the guineas, but we finished third. During the course of the following week, Crisford and Sheikh Mohammed spoke and asked me about the well being of the horse, and we basically all got together and made the decision that we were going to come out here with a quick ground and try our luck. Since the day the horse arrived, we've been very happy. He's traveled well and settled in very well. We got a little bit more confident as the week went on when we put him on the turf track, because like I say, we haven't experienced quicker conditions than what we've experienced today back home. So the horse handled the conditions very well. The jockey got off that morning and was very happy the way he handled the turns, which, again, we haven't experienced in England with him. So without being overconfident, we didn't have any excuses going into the race if we were going to run a big race today, so... THE MODERATOR: It looked like those leaders might get away. Were you worried there? And can you talk about the run through the lane? CHARLIE APPLEBY: I was concerned. We broke a bit slower than we'd probably like to have done. Thankfully we went a good clip early on. When you're going down the far side, I knew we were making ground, but we had a lot of ground to make. Once Ryan made his move, I just thought Ryan might have put it to bed there because it was a bold move and it was a good move. In hindsight, it wasn't a bad move for us because this horse likes to have something to run at, and Mike said when he came down to the last furlong there, he was always confident he was going to get there. He felt like once he got there, he could have gone away a little bit longer. But it was a great ride, and he's a brave horse. I'd just like, again, to thank everybody for all their support, shake Mohammed and Godolphin for giving me this opportunity. THE MODERATOR: Speaking of that great ride, can you talk about getting Mike Smith, especially when Mickael Barzalona might have been available or has ridden this horse for his first four starts. CHARLIE APPLEBY: As you know, Mickael has rode the horse, but Mickael has made a commitment to going to Japan and wanted to fulfill that commitment. So once the choice was made, and, again, Simon and Sheikh Mohammed advised me that we should perhaps look towards an American jockey. At the moment, especially in my book and opinion, there is no better man than Mike Smith. THE MODERATOR: Right now it certainly seems that way. Charlie, can you talk about getting this win in your name? You've traveled around the world with a lot of these great horses, but now these wins are coming in your name now and what it means to you? CHARLIE APPLEBY: It means a huge amount to me, but you it means a huge amount to the team. Team Godolphin, that's what we're all about. I say being given this opportunity was an amazing opportunity for me. But most importantly, when I sat down and was spoken to by Simon Crisford and Sheikh Mohammed, the main thing was to get the team and go forward and that's what we've achieved is going forward and finding winners and nice horses. In fact, this horse today has done the job for us. THE MODERATOR: Simon, can you talk about this horse's talent as well as the expectations coming out of a very expensive dame in Asi Siempre and just what your impressions are of this very talented horse? SIMON CRISFORD: Well, I think that his form is very proven, and when he was second at Goodwood it was a tremendous run and he showed a really good turn of foot on that occasion, good acceleration. He was top rated coming into the race today, so anything less than a win we might have been scratching our heads a little bit, although obviously when you travel to California from Newmarket, it's very different set of circumstances. But we felt he belonged in the race for certain. We're probably a favorite chance, and he proved that today. He's a very good horse. And certainly when he was disappointing in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, we were disappointed too, because we felt that he was better than what we saw that day, and he proved it today. So hopefully he's a genuine contender for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas. THE MODERATOR: That was my next question. What is the timetable for him after this and future schedule? SIMON CRISFORD: Well, the plan at the moment would be he would winter in Newmarket and be prepared for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas, and then all of the features sort of champion mile races throughout the European campaign, including the St. James Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. But he is by Exceed and Excel who is a really top, top stallion of Sheikh Mohammed's and he's a homebred horse. So it's a big moment for everyone who works in the thoroughbred business of Sheikh Mohammed, because he supports the industry with so much passion and commitment. He's such a dedicated owner who loves his racing so much that big days like this really do matter. Unfortunately, he couldn't be here today because he's got prior commitments in Dubai, but I know that he would have been watching the race and he would have been so excited about it. Q. Mr.Crisford, Godolphin had a very difficult year in 2013. Now you've won a Group 1 in Santa Anita on the world's biggest stage. What kind of redeeming is this, and what kind of a boost does this give to the Godolphin reputation? SIMON CRISFORD: Well, I think that we've had a fantastic year, really, because we're a champion owner in England, we were a champion owner in Dubai. We were successful in the QIPCO Champion Stakes with a very good horse called Farrh who is now retired as a stud. We've won a Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf race, and we're about to win more races than we've ever won before in a calendar year. So it's been a fantastic year. Every single one of our horses is always trying its hardest, and the public know that and they support our horses because they know that every single horse is doing his best always to win. Q. I want to know what consideration goes into what kind of horse you bring from England over here to the Breeders' Cup? SIMON CRISFORD: Well, obviously it's horses for course and it very much depends. But this particular horse, his profile was right because we thought he'd be good enough to be very competitive in the race. Charlie was very happy with his training and Sheikh Mohammed was keen to let him take his chance. And we felt the ground would probably suit him well, and as we said, he is by Exceed and Excel. He's got a lot of stamina for a mile and he's got the turn of foot and a good burst of speed, and he needed it today as you saw. He just seemed to be the right horse and had the right profile. Q. Godolphin had said they were putting this horse away after the last start, what made you guys change your mind? SIMON CRISFORD: We changed our minds because the horse came out of the race so well, and as I said, Charlie was really, really happy with him. Mickael Barzalona felt that after he rode him in the Dewhurst, he just felt there was more to come, and we just weren't really happy to let him sit back after a disappointing run in the Dewhurst because we knew he was better than that. And he bounced out of the race so well that the opportunity was here, and as we said, he was top rated coming into the race, so it was a good opportunity. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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