Appleby eager to take Sussex test with Notable Speech

Nick Robson
July 14, 2024 2:57 pm

2000 Guineas winner in line for Goodwood after Royal Ascot disappointment.

Charlie Appleby is looking forward to seeing Notable Speech get back on track in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.

The impressive 2000 Guineas winner ran no sort of race in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, meeting with the first defeat of his career.

However, he came through his latest piece of work with flying colours and his trainer expects him to bounce back after a thorough examination failed to reveal any issues.

“He worked on Saturday and I was pleased with him. It was on soft ground which was testing for him but he worked well,” said Appleby.

“It’s all systems go towards the Sussex now.

“I sat in the office the other morning with William (Buick) and we spoke in depth about him. We’ve been through him with a fine toothcomb and we’ve not found anything.

“Horses that campaign at that level, you often find something that needs a little bit of work because those at that level try harder but he was as clean as a whistle.

“We’ve just got to put a line through it and we’ll see where we are come the Sussex but he pleased in his work and we’re looking towards the Sussex.

“It’s a track that we feel would suit our fella, he’s a traveller. We’ve seen him at Kempton, we’ve seen him at Newmarket but I thought Ascot’s turning mile would suit him as well but we’ll probably never get to the bottom of it and now we move forward.

“If he’d finished third you just say ‘that’s as good as he is’ but we’ve just not turned up. All the form, as we know, is rock solid.”