William Buick celebrates as Notable Speech wins the Sussex Stakes

Notable Speech ready for Rosallion clash in Lockinge Stakes

By Graham Clark

Horse Racing

Mon May 05, 2025 · 8M ago

Charlie Appleby is backing Notable Speech to continue his fine start to the season by edging ahead in his rivalry with Rosallion in the Boylesports Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday week.

The Newmarket handler enjoyed a weekend to remember after saddling Ruling Court to glory in the Betfred 2000 Guineas and Desert Flower to win the 1000 24 hours later.

And now he will be on the search for more Group One success with last year's 2000 Guineas hero, who remains on course to make his seasonal return in the mile prize on Saturday week.

After getting the better of Rosallion in the 2000 Guineas, the son of Dubawi trailed home in seventh behind the same rival in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

With the scores level between the pair, Appleby believes that Notable Speech is peaking at the right time after taking a step forward following a racecourse gallop on the Rowley Mile last month as part of his build-up to his return to action.

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Appleby said: “The plan is still the Lockinge and I’m pleased with how he has come out of the gallop. He has improved for the gallop at Newmarket. He did a nice bit of work the other morning, and it is all systems go towards the Lockinge as long as it is a sound surface. We won’t run him on soft ground as we tried that once before and it didn’t work. He is a strong individual that has done well.

“We are one-all with Rosallion as we beat him at Newmarket and he beat us at Ascot. It will be a good little match-up. He has home advantage for sure, but I think the slick track at Newbury will suit us as well."

And although Notable Speech suffered several defeats either side of his Classic success and impressive victory in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, Appleby believes there are valid excuses for two of those reversals.

Appleby added: “He had the one miss day at Ascot, that was our only blip. Longchamp, in the Prix du Moulin, was one of those moments where we tried him on soft ground to see if it was going to happen on that ground, but it didn’t.

“I can forgive him his defeat in the Breeders’ Cup Mile as it is tough to go to America without any experience. I’m looking forward to him.”

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