Notable Speech has secured his place in history as he claims the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood; he is the first three-year-old to win the 2000 Guineas double since Frankel
Notable Speech bounced back to his brilliant best in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
Having run a long way below his 2000 Guineas form at Royal Ascot in the St James’s Palace Stakes, the Charlie Appleby-trained colt had questions to answer.
Even without Rosallion in the field Notable Speech was still not favourite, with that honour going to Henry Longfellow. But having attempted to make all, Aidan O’Brien’s Ascot runner-up looked a sitting duck at the cutaway.
William Buick was sat with a double handful on Notable Speech and just like he had shown at Newmarket, the Dubawi colt quickened up in an instant and put the race to bed in a matter of strides.
In doing so the 3-1 chance emulated Frankel, who was the last Guineas winner to win the Sussex Stakes in the same season.
The William Haggas-trained Maljoom stayed on to finish second, a length and a half away, with last year’s second Facteur Cheval close-up in third for Jerome Reynier.
A delighted Buick said: “He was just firing on all cylinders coming in here today. He was a brilliant Guineas winner with a very rare turn of foot, one you very rarely see, and we saw that again today.
“I’m delighted. Full credit to the team. They’ve done such a fantastic job to get him back after a disappointing run in the St James’s Palace Stakes, where we knew it was too bad to be true.
“He’s such a brilliant horse. He’s a horse that really excites you and it’s a real privilege to ride him.”
Jabaara and Raqiya had the results revised in a Stewards’ Enquiry
Raqiya gets Oak Tree prize in the stewards’ room
Raqiya got the verdict over Jabaara in the stewards’ room following a dramatic running of the Visit Qatar Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood.
Breege and Kathmandu had disputed the lead for the majority of the Group Three contest, with Roger Varian’s favourite Jabaara racing wide.
The 5-2 market leader showed a real turn of foot when asked by James Doyle, bursting to the front. But in doing so she did go to her right and towards the rail, meaning Jim Crowley had to check on the Owen Burrows-trained Raqiya.
Raqiya (7-1) finished strongly, but was a head down on Jabaara at the line. The stewards subsequently interviewed both riders and took the view that the result had been impacted.
Burrows said: “Roger is one of my best mates and it is never nice to win one like that.
“Jim felt if we had had a clear run, we would have won and watching it a few times on the big screen, we probably felt we would have been an unlucky loser. But that is the way it goes here sometimes.
“It was there for all to see. It would have been a bit gutting not to get it.
“The most positive thing, even if we didn’t get it, is that we learned seven furlongs on fast ground is her bag. That was a big positive to take out of it.”
Varian accepted the ruling graciously and commented: “She travelled strongly, she moved into it comfortably. I thought she put the race to bed.
“I’ve only seen the race once and I don’t want to comment on the interference or the stewards’ decision – they have had the luxury of watching it many more times and from more angles than we have and they have come to that decision and we have to congratulate the winner.
“It’s a shame, I think our filly was on top for most of the race, and maybe she just threw it away. I don’t know what else to say – she ran well.”
Big Mojo strikes in style
Big result again for Mick Appleby in Molecomb
Big Mojo showed a smart turn of pace to come out on top in the Jaeger-Lecoultre Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood.
His stablemate Mr Lightside carried the Group Three field through the early stages as they raced down the centre of the course, with Arran in isolation alongside the near-side rail.
The Mick Appleby-trained Big Mojo – representing last year’s winning connections of Big Evs – raced in cover in midfield before being asked to challenge as they approached the final furlong.
Big Mojo put on the jets to pull clear of Mr Lightside and win by three-quarters of a length in the hands of Silvestre de Sousa at 25-1, with the fast-finishing 2-1 favourite Aesterius getting up to claim second on the line by a head.
Appleby said: “I do hold him in the same regard as Big Evs, but I couldn’t split him and Mr Lightside. They’re two very, very good two-year-olds. It’s great for the owner to have another good horse and it’s great for us, too.
“I did say he could be as good as Big Evs, he’s a good horse, a very good horse.
“Him and Mr Lightside, I couldn’t split them as I think they’re both very good. I worked them together the other day and I couldn’t pick between them. He’s run a blinder as well. They’re both very good two-year-olds.
“They wouldn’t be far behind Big Evs either as two-year-olds. They could both go to America for the Breeders’ Cup, but Big Mojo will go to the Gimcrack (at York) first.
“The owner wants his wife to do the speech as the winning owner at the Gimcrack dinner. To be fair this was our main target with him.”
Winning owner Paul Teasdale added: “We bought him just after the Breeders’ Cup last year. He went to Beverley first time out, he was a little bit green but he ran really well.
“He’s made such an improvement, we were going to put him in the maiden but we said to Mick ‘put him in the Molecomb, he’s good enough’.”
Asked whether there would now be a temptation to cash in on Big Mojo, he insisted: “We’re in racing to win, we’re not in it to sell horses on. We’re here to win and that’s what we’ve done today.”