ED CHAMBERLIN: All eyes on Chester as Military Order bids to end Charlie Appleby’s drought just a year after being hailed as the world’s best trainer

This time last year, we hailed Charlie Appleby as the world’s best trainer – and for good reason.

Everywhere you looked it looked like a horse in Godolphin blue rode off with another big prize: Coroebus won the 2,000 Guineas, followed by Royal Ascot; Modern Games won the French 2,000 Guineas and went on to conquer Canada and the United States.

To complete a unique hat-trick, Native Trail won the Irish 2,000 Guineas. There was more. Rebel’s Romance won two major prizes in Germany and Noble Style emerged as a promising youngster. Charlie’s glorious year concluded with him retaining his championship trainer crown.

So how big would you have been in April if Godolphin didn’t have a winner at the meetings that matter? I would say it wouldn’t have been far off Leicester’s prize to win the 2015/16 Premier League.

However, Epsom, Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and York all passed without success and in the last two meetings Charlie saddled only five runners. He’s one of the sport’s good guys and far too talented to stand still for long. But it’s been a torrid few months for the boys in blue and so we’ll be watching closely as he sends a military order – not seen since he finished last in the Derby – to Chester and Aablan heads to Sandown for the Solario Stakes .

Trainer Charlie Appleby (above) and Godolphin have had a torrid few months

Both races are on ITV4 on Saturday.

Military Order is regally bred – his big brother, Adayar, won the Derby and King George in 2021 – and a win in the Listed Chester Stakes (3.20) could signal a productive autumn for Charlie, who recently turned 10 fourth as Godolphin’s head coach.

However, with one of racing’s powerhouses out of shape, it has paved the way for the smaller activities of having days in the sun. This is something our sport desperately needs.

Take Shaquille, who has propelled Julie Camacho’s team to victory in the Royal Ascot’s Commonwealth Cup and then the July Cup.

Julie, who trains in Malton, said northern raiders normally get a slap on the nose when they travel south for big races.

Shaquille has thrown the punches this year though, and when the powerhouses head to Haydock next week for the Betfair Sprint Cup, he could hit them with another one. Bring it on.

You should never stop chasing dreams. That’s why I was stupid to say to Steve De’Lemos last week at York that I assumed he was just there for a good time with Live In The Dream, a 28-1 outsider, before the Nunthorpe Stakes. He promptly won Group One and Steve and wife Jolene’s celebrations lit up the Knavesmire.

I had never seen a trophy received in York in bare feet! Steve and Jolene are living their dream and that pursuit is so important to those who watch on television. Small owners and syndicates winning on the big stage can be very powerful indeed. Long may it continue.

Ed Chamberlin is an ambassador for Sky Bet

However, Shaquille has thrown the punches this year, and if the powerhouses go to Haydock, he could hit them with another one.