Unbeaten colt Notable Speech became the first horse in 86 years to win the Gr1 2000 Guineas having not raced as a juvenile with a sensational performance in the Newmarket Classic on Saturday, 4 May.
The Dubawi homebred had only started his career for Charlie Appleby at the end of January and was making his Group-race debut on his first turf appearance following three impressive all-weather wins at Kempton Park.
Having broken on terms, Notable Speech found plenty of cover at the rear of the 11 runners as Inisherin and last year’s Champion Two-Year-Old City Of Troy made the early running.
William Buick appeared full of confidence on Notable Speech and the duo started to make eye-catching headway towards the far rail with three furlongs to race.
Notable Speech cruised up to hold every chance a furlong and a half out and forged clear of Blue Point colt Rosallion inside the final furlong, seeing out the mile well to score by a length and a half.
Charlie Appleby said: “You don’t see too many horses come from just all-weather success to winning a Guineas. We have given Notable Speech all the time, which he needed to become a racehorse. A few lads sat on him around August time and said that he was a nice horse. He was still weak and I’m in the very privileged position to be able to give horses the time they need, without any pressure.
“He came out on the all-weather and we all saw what he did. On that last start, he put a little bit of a wow factor into what he achieved with his acceleration. William [Buick] felt afterwards that he might be a French Guineas horse, so we were toying whether to go there and decided to see how the Guineas picture here was starting to formulate.
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“After the Craven, we made the decision to run here and brought him to Newmarket for a racecourse gallop. I think that was only to give ourselves a bit more confidence into running the horse, but he was exciting in what he did that morning.
“Full credit to Adrian McCarthy, who has ridden him throughout the winter. He’s gone to America for Nations Pride, so Paul Eddery has got on Notable Speech and he’s got plenty of experience. Paul sat on him last week and said that the favourite will have to be very good to beat him.
“I would imagine the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot will be next, but we will let the dust settle, let everyone enjoy themselves and speak to all connections before formulating a plan.
“To win this sort of race with a homebred son of Dubawi is immensely important. More importantly, it’s what His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, the royal family, and everyone at Godolphin deserve.”
William Buick added: “I’ve not known Notable Speech for that long, but I’ve not very often believed in a horse as much as this one. Sometimes you go home at night and wonder if you have lost the plot altogether because he finds things so easy. His change of gear is incredible.
“The race couldn’t have worked out any better and fair play to the team as the horse was in great form today. He’s done nothing but improve. I’ve gone close in the 2,000 Guineas a couple of times and I’m delighted.
“He’s an out-and-out miler, he’s all about speed. He has a great mindset and I really think that he is a horse who is going to keep on improving.”
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