Charlie Appleby is considering switching targets with last year’s 2000 Guineas winner Notable Speech after leaving the door open for a return to a mile in the Aga Khan Studs Prix Jacques le Marois.
Following his defeat on sprinting debut in last month’s Al Basti Equiwold, Dubai July Cup Stakes, it had been expected that a first appearance at seven furlongs would be next up for the son of Dubawi in the Group One Sky Bet City Of York Stakes at York later this month.
However, while not ruling a trip to the Knavesmire out for the four-year-old, who also landed last year’s Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, the Newmarket handler is giving serious thought to the Group One at Deauville next Sunday.
Appleby said: "I’ve got Notable Speech in the City Of York, but I’m just going to keep an eye on the Prix Jacques le Marois.
"I just think we will keep an eye on what turns up in the Prix Jacques le Marois as it could be a small field.
"Rosallion is obviously potentially going to go there, and he could quite easily go off favourite, and we know with Rosallion that there is only a length or two between us and it is whichever horse gets the rub of the green on the day.
“He is in great order and he worked very well on Saturday. We know that a sound surface is his forte.
"We know he has won over a mile and the straight mile at Deauville could just be there for him.
"I’m not saying we are not going to go to York, but we are going to take a good look at France next weekend.”
Notable Speech is yet to win any of his three starts this season having finished fourth in both the Boylesports Lockinge Stakes on his return at Newbury and the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, ahead of his fifth in the July Cup.
However, the Classic-winning handler is confident that Notable Speech can score at the top table again and secure a victory he admits would rank alongside his achievements of last year.
He added: “I think he is one of those horses that has just got a bit wiser. When William (Buick) rides him he will either be a hero or a villain as he has to put him there on the line.
"I want to get another Group One under his belt again this year. He is a 2000 Guineas winner and a Sussex Stakes winner, so for him to put another Group One tag on his CV would be a career-defining moment in respect to him becoming a stallion.
“I’m confident he can get another Group One I’ve just got to find that right spot.”
But while Appleby believes Notable Speech can return to winning ways, he admits that giving him another go over six furlongs is unlikely despite holding entries in both the Group One Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock and the Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot.
He added: “In the July Cup, we thought there would be bags of pace on, as you would expect, and we thought he might be just be chasing the pace comfortably, but unfortunately they split into three groups.
“We faced a breeze the whole way through travelling as strongly as anything. I personally felt he just saw too much daylight for too long on that occasion.
“I think if we wait for Haydock Park the ground could be an issue and on Champions Day the ground will be gone.
“Those sprinting races, if you are going to go on what ground they have historically been run on, it is not going to be to his liking, so, needless to say, we will step back up to seven furlongs or go the mile again.”
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