Notable Speech ‘looks a million dollars’ ahead of Sussex test

Charlie Appleby is expecting Notable Speech to return to his brilliant best in Wednesday’s Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

The Godolphin colt looked set to be the star miler of his generation when maintaining his unbeaten record in the 2000 Guineas, with runner-up Rosallion subsequently going one better in the Irish equivalent.

However, when they met again at Royal Ascot in the St James’s Palace Stakes, Rosallion came out on top as Notable Speech proved bitterly disappointing.

With Rosallion declared a non-runner on Tuesday morning due to a respiratory infection, round three of the rivalry will not take place at Goodwood as hoped, meaning Notable Speech has an even better opportunity to get his career back on track.

“I’m looking forward to it. Nothing came out in the wash after Ascot, the vet did all the checks and nothing came of it,” said Appleby.

“It was one of those strange races to watch to be fair, and I’m still not going to use it as an excuse as to why we couldn’t finish third or fourth, but the way the race was run, it was always going to be very hard from where we were.

“You can spot horses lengths in maidens and handicaps, but you can’t spot Group One horses lengths round Ascot at that level and we were always having to chase.

“The disappointing thing from our part on that day was I wouldn’t have minded getting beat if he had run through the line, but he didn’t and that was the bit I took from it, to be honest.

“We gave him a bit of a break and from there on he hasn’t missed a beat. I think he looks a million dollars and I will be disappointed if you don’t like the way he looks on Wednesday.”

He went on: “I couldn’t have faulted him the way he went into Ascot, but his work has been very good at home again and he is showing all the right signs.

“He’s showing the signs of what we see on the racetrack – his speed, he’s got an electric turn of foot and he’s been showing us that over the last few weeks. I’m looking forward to it.”

In the absence of Rosallion, the biggest threat to Notable speech appears to be Aidan O’Brien’s St James’s Palace Stakes runner-up Henry Longfellow.

The Dubawi colt pushed Richard Hannon’s star to a neck at the royal meeting and O’Brien feels his charge has plenty of scope for improvement, given how his first run of the season in the French Guineas did not really pan out very well for him.

“We always thought he was a special horse and we were over the moon with his run at Royal Ascot,” said O’Brien.

“If we’d got a clearer run in France, we would have known more going into Ascot, so we went into Ascot just learning about him. There’s every chance he’ll progress.

“We think, as he’s only really had the one proper run this season, that there is more to come. Hopefully he’ll run well.”

Two years ago, William Haggas’ Maljoom looked a potential star and while it has been far from plain sailing since then with injuries, he ran a good race when a five-length third in the Queen Anne at the Royal meeting and now sports headgear for the first time.

Ahead of the latest British Champions Series event, Haggas said: “We are putting a pair of half-cup blinkers on him. He worked in them last week and he impressed me. They are not there to frighten him, but they will help his concentration.

“He’s going to find it tough against the three-year-olds, but he’s getting his confidence back and he’s in really good shape. I hope the ground continues to dry out, as the faster the better for him. I think he’ll be competitive.”

The field is completed by French raider Facteur Cheval, this year’s Dubai Turf winner before charting the wrong path in the Queen Anne, and Royal Hunt Cup runner-up Sonny Liston, who wasn’t disgraced when stepping up to Group Two company against Quddwah last time.