Notable Speech

The Newmarket win came first, in early May, and then Charlie Appleby's yard sent Notable Speech to Goodwood in the summer heat — and the horse delivered again. That Goodwood win, on 31 July 2024, remains the most recent victory, and it was over eight months ago now. Notable Speech hasn't raced since, which means today marks a return from a significant break. Horses coming back from long absences can be rusty, or they can come back refreshed and ready to go — it's one of the genuine unknowns that makes racing interesting.

One thing worth noting: Notable Speech has a strong preference for wet or muddy ground. In three races on soft conditions, this horse has won twice — a win rate of 67%, or roughly 2 in 3. That's a striking number. On fast, dry ground the picture is murkier, so ground conditions on the day will matter. Kempton Park also brings out something extra: two wins from three races there, including the first career victory back in January 2024. Some horses just take to certain tracks, and Kempton appears to suit.

William Buick has been in the saddle for all four career wins, and the partnership across nine races together carries the same 44% win rate as the horse's overall record — which is another way of saying Buick hasn't been on the bench for any of the good days. At a yard that has sent out 122 winners already this season, Appleby clearly knows how to keep horses ticking over, and Notable Speech has been one of the stable's classier performers.

The recent form — two wins in the last six races, with a fifth and a fourth in the most recent outings — tells you this horse isn't consistently dominant at the top level. Winning 2 from 6 at Class 1 standard is still a decent return; very few horses manage any wins at that level. The question today is whether eight months off the track has dulled the edge — or simply sharpened it.