Notable Speech bounces back with stunning G1 Sussex Stakes win

Notable Speech confirmed the brilliance of his 2,000 Guineas victory with a scintillating display in the G1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, UK, on Wednesday, 31 July.

The Dubawi homebred had showcased his electric turn of foot to deny subsequent Irish 2,000 Guineas scorer Rosallion in the Newmarket Classic but could only finish seventh behind the same horse in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

After breaking well, Notable Speech raced in a clear third behind Henry Longfellow and Sonny Liston before settling on the inside rail as all five runners bunched with five furlongs to race.

Notable Speech continued to track the leading duo and travelled ominously well for William Buick before being asked for his effort at the cutaway a furlong and a half out.

The Charlie Appleby-trained colt darted down the inside to dispute the lead passing the furlong-pole and put the race to bed in a matter of strides, readily going clear to beat Maljoom by a length and a half.

Notable Speech becomes the first horse since Frankel to capture both the 2,000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes in the same season, while his Goodwood success provided a landmark 50th Godolphin G1 win for his sire Dubawi.

Charlie Appleby said: “When you have an unbeaten Classic winner going into a St James’s Palace Stakes and you’re beaten the way we were, of course you walk away disappointed. But I was happier to be beaten the way we were than to finish second or third and say we weren’t good enough. He just didn’t turn up, simple as that. The question will probably always be asked, and I will probably never have the answer to it, unfortunately.

“Coming into today, his preparation was faultless. He got a great trip round there. I was wondering whether they had taken the cutaway away – I was waiting for it to turn up – but once the cutaway arrived, William had plenty of horse underneath him to go and make use of it.

“What I love about him is that he hasn’t got great stride length, but he turns those legs over quick, and that’s why you see that acceleration. You’ll see plenty of horses in the morning that have great stride length and everyone will be very excited about it, but I like it when they turn them over quicker. It’s normally a sign that they can quicken up.

“Someone asked me yesterday, where was Notable Speech this time last year? I said he’d only just turned up in the yard and was probably doing one canter up our short canter of five furlongs, no more than that. Everyone who sat on him liked him, but he just wasn't strong enough to do what was expected of him at that time in his career. Therefore, I was in a very fortunate position to be able to give a horse like him the time, and hopefully bring the best out of them, and in his case it certainly has.

“We haven’t really made a plan – we just wanted to make sure we nailed today. What I am very happy with is that he is maturing – not in the paddock, we’ve seen him in the paddock before Ascot, before the Guineas, before his Kempton run, and you couldn’t get a more horizontal horse walking round the paddock. But what he’s learnt is coming to the races and in the stable yard, where he has shown immaturity in the past. All credit to Emily who looks after him and all the team back home who have done a fantastic job. In the actual race you couldn’t get a more mature horse, considering the lack of experience he has, but the rest of it is all starting to click into place now, and I feel that is hopefully going to keep him where he is at the top table.

“Of course, we’d love to go to America for the Breeders’ Cup Mile. He’s learning week on week and maturing, so I wouldn’t rule it out of the equation.”

William Buick said: “Notable Speech was firing on all cylinders coming in here today. He was a brilliant Guineas winner, with a very rare turn of foot that you very rarely see, and we saw that again today.

“I am delighted. Full credit to the team. They’ve done such a fantastic job to get him back after a disappointing run in the St James’s Palace Stakes, when we knew it was too bad to be true. Whichever way I looked at it, I could not get away from what he did at Newmarket in the Guineas. That gave me plenty of confidence.

“He is such an uncomplicated horse and takes everything in his stride. A horse with his ability and turn of foot is rare to see. He’s a horse that really excites you and it’s a real privilege to ride him. When you have a horse with the kick that he has, it makes the job a lot easier. He is a brilliant horse.”