Electric Notable Speech leaves rivals toiling in 2,000 Guineas to put smile back on Charlie Appleby's face

For so much of last year Charlie Appleby had to play the gracious loser. He would appear fleetingly in the winner’s enclosure to offer congratulations to the victorious connections, before disappearing to chew over performances that were underwhelming by his own high standards.

By the end of the season, Arabian Crown, Ancient Wisdom and Dance Sequence had emerged as potential Classic horses, but it was relatively unknown Notable Speech who was pitched into the Qipco 2,000 Guineas. 

It was the ballsy call on the face of it – a three-time all-weather winner who had not raced at two making his debut on grass in the year’s first Classic. Perhaps boldness was the only option for the trainer after last season’s disappointments, but what a decision it was.

Notable Speech was electric. So much talk during the winter had focused on City Of Troy, the unbeaten champion two-year-old who would conquer the world this year. Yet he performed terribly on his first test as a three-year-old and was soundly defeated; no doubt Appleby could sympathise with his trainer Aidan O’Brien having had many such days in 2023.

Notable Speech oozed class under jockey William Buick as the race boiled down to a straight shoot-out between himself and Rosallion in the final stages. Rosallion’s connections had shouted loudly in the build-up to the race about how fast their horse was, but even his scintillating speed was made to look ordinary by his opponent.

“I’m in a lucky position that I have no pressure on me and I just have to make sure I do the best I can,” Appleby said. “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear – last year showed that – but I think we have what we need to get back to the top table now.

“What he did on his last start really made us think there’s a racehorse here for sure, it had a real ‘wow factor’. From that point to when we galloped him here everything we were learning about him gave us confidence. Paul Eddery sat on him the other day and he got off him and said the favourite would have to be very good to beat him, and he's sat on a lot of good horses.

“Will said if he was a Pattern winner as a two-year-old you’d be delighted with what he did in that gallop and you’d be happy coming here to take on the world. Last year the lads who rode him said he was a nice horse and he just went weak, but he’s not looked back this year.”

Notable Speech won by a length and a halfCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Having offered the congratulations last year, Appleby was the recipient of them this time – including from Richard Hannon, the trainer of Rosallion and third-placed Haatem, who praised Appleby before saying: “I hate you,” with a smile as he left. 

In previous years, congratulations would also have been offered in the winner’s enclosure for Sheikh Mohammed. The Godolphin founder continues to be absent from British racecourses, but his pleasure at owning and breeding Notable Speech was palpable, according to Appleby.

“He said, ‘Namus, namus’, which means well done, and I know he’s delighted because he bred the horse as well. It means a lot to him and his family.”

Notable Speech was a second 2,000 Guineas winner for Appleby, whose previous winner Coroebus in 2022 was ridden by Godolphin’s then second-jockey James Doyle with Buick having selected the eventual runner-up Native Trail.

Given all the top-class horses he has ridden, it was striking to see how stunned Buick seemed to be by the performance of his first 2,000 Guineas winner.

“I’ve never ridden a horse with his acceleration – it was incredible really,” he said. “He’s got such a great mind and you can do what you want on him.

“Every time he ran at Kempton he improved but it was a significant gap he had to cross coming here. He was hard to measure up against a horse like City Of Troy and the rest, but I knew he had something in his armoury that they didn’t – that acceleration. 

“That turn of foot for a miler is incredible, I’ve never sat on a miler that has that sort of pace and speed. He went past them so easily that I could have sat there longer but when I asked him he just turned on. It’s the first time I’ve won this race and it’s such a great feeling and I’m delighted for the horse, for His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, for Charlie and the whole team.”

Guineas shock impacts Derby market

City Of Troy's eclipse in the 2,000 Guineas caused a big shake up in the market for the Betfred Derby and Arabian Crown is the new favourite.

Last season's champion two-year-old had been a best-priced 6-4 market leader for Epsom as the runners entered the stalls at Newmarket, having topped the betting even before his success in the Dewhurst Stakes last autumn.

But the Aidan O'Brien-trained colt's odds were pushed out dramatically after he could finish only ninth behind Notable Speech and he is now available at 8-1 in a place, quotes at a longer price than stablemate Henry Longfellow by some firms.

Unibet are perhaps mindful of the way that Ballydoyle's Auguste Rodin bounced back from a Guineas flop to win the Derby last year and offer City Of Troy at just 9-2.

Godolphin's Notable Speech appears to be bred for speed and is not entered in the Derby, or any race over further than a mile. 

But the owner's Arabian Crown looked a high-class middle-distance prospect when landing the Classic Trial at Sandown last month and is now universal favourite for Epsom at a best-priced 6-1. Futurity-winning stablemate Ancient Wisdom is quoted at no bigger than 10-1. 

Betfred Derby (Epsom, June 1)
Coral: 4 Arabian Crown, 6 City Of Troy, Henry Longfellow, 7 Ancient Wisdom, 12 bar

Read this next:

Confirmed runners and riders for the Qipco 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday 

'Fallen Angel deserves to be favourite' - Karl Burke hoping star filly can provide him with a first British Classic  

Sign up here. New customers only. First single & each-way bet only. 5p minimum stake. 3 x £10 bet tokens. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets exclude virtuals. Free bets are non-withdrawable. No free bet expiry. Eligibility restrictions and further T&Cs apply. 18+. begambleaware.org