Michael Appleby

The headline number from the last twelve months is 79 winners from 601 runners, which works out at roughly 1 in every 8 races. That sounds modest until you understand the context: most trainers are thrilled with 1 in 10, and Appleby has improved significantly from 1 in 11 just a year ago. That kind of upward trajectory in a yard still finding its feet is genuinely encouraging. It suggests things are getting better, not settling.

What really sets Appleby apart is his record at the top end of the sport. He has won 17 Class 1 races — the equivalent of reaching the Premier League — at some of the most prestigious venues in British racing: Ascot, Goodwood, and Haydock Park. Two of those came on the same afternoon at Ascot in October 2025, which is the sort of day that announces a trainer's arrival rather than confirming it. Winning once at Ascot is an achievement; winning twice in an afternoon is something else entirely.

His most important working relationship is with jockey Alistair Rawlinson, with whom he has shared 16 wins from 144 races together — roughly 1 in every 9. That level of consistency across such a large number of rides tells you this isn't a lucky pairing; it's a genuine understanding between two people who know how to get the best out of the same horses. On wet or muddy ground specifically, Appleby's runners win at a 25% rate — 4 from 16 — meaning roughly 1 in every 4, which is remarkable and suggests he knows exactly which horses to target when the heavens open. Newmarket is another happy hunting ground, with 5 winners from just 15 runners there, a return that any trainer at that demanding track would be delighted with.

One honest note: his partnership with Clover Time has produced 0 wins from 13 races together, which stands out as the one pairing that simply hasn't clicked yet. But in the context of everything else Appleby is building, that is very much the small print.