For so much of last year Charlie Appleby had to play the gracious loser in Europe. 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 May 4 Two Thousand Guineas (G1) at Newmarket.
It was a ballsy call on the face of it—a three-time all-weather winner who had not raced at 2 making his debut on grass in the year's first classic. What a decision it was. Notable Speech was electric.
So much talk during the winter had focused on City of Troy, the unbeaten champion 2-year-old who would conquer the world this year. Yet he performed terribly on his first test as a 3-year-old and was soundly defeated; no doubt Appleby could sympathize with the colt's 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 shootout 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.
"What he did on his last start really made us think there's a racehorse here for sure, it had a real 'wow factor'" Appleby said. "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 favorite 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 2-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."
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."
By Dubawi, Notable Speech is the first foal out of the winning Invincible Spirit mare Swift Rose, a half sister to Godolphin's 2021 Natalma Stakes (G1) winner Wild Beauty and group 3 winner Desert Wisdom, who is also by Dubawi.
Notable Speech was a second Two Thousand 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 Two Thousand 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 armory 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."
