Notable Speech & Rosallion face off again in G1 Lockinge Stakes

Top milers Notable Speech and Rosallion clash for a third time in a blockbuster renewal of the G1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, UK, on Saturday, 17 May.

The score between the four-year-olds currently stands at one win apiece. Notable Speech beat Rosallion by a length and a half in last season’s G1 2,000 Guineas, with the Charlie Appleby-trained son of Dubawi becoming the first colt since 1938 to win the Classic having not raced at two.

Blue Point colt Rosallion turned the tables with victory in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot, a race in which Notable Speech failed to give his true running back in seventh.

Notable Speech bounced back to his best with a scintillating win in the G1 Sussex Stakes, making him the first 2,000 Guineas winner since Frankel to capture the Goodwood highlight in the same year.

After finding soft ground against him when fifth behind Tribalist in the G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp, Notable Speech ended his campaign in California as he went down by less than a length in third in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile.

Charlie Appleby said: “We have been delighted with Notable Speech heading into the Lockinge. We took him to Newmarket for a day out at the Craven meeting and he has ticked every box ahead of his seasonal return. We are taking on Rosallion again and it looks a very strong renewal, as we expected. It’s an exciting race to be part of and we couldn’t be any happier with our horse.”

The trainer is represented in Saturday’s supporting races, with El Cordobes aiming to build on an impressive handicap success at Newmarket’s Guineas festival in the G3 Aston Park Stakes.

Three-year-old sprinter Symbol Of Honour returns to six furlongs for the Listed Carnarvon Stakes, having scored over the distance in the AL Wasl Stakes and Dubai Trophy at Meydan earlier this year.

Winter’s Song, a full-sister to Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf winner Wuheida, steps up to Listed level for the Fillies’ Trial. The daughter of Dubawi made a winning introduction at Yarmouth in early April before finishing second under a penalty in a Sandown Park novice.

Charlie Appleby said: “El Cordobes has come forward since his win earlier in the month and looks ready to test himself at this level. This will hopefully guide us for the rest of the campaign and I have been very pleased with him at home.

“I think Symbol Of Honour will be happier back over six furlongs here. We tried him over seven in the King Charles II Stakes, but Newmarket didn’t really suit him. He’s come on for that run and should be competitive based on his Dubai form.

“Winter’s Song had a penalty at Sandown and didn’t enjoy the slow ground there. A sounder surface and a course that might suit her better will hopefully put her in the mix.”