Charlie Appleby latest on Notable Speech, Ancient Truth, Desert Flower and Anno Domini

This year’s QIPCO 2000 Guineas winner stepped up his preparations for a tilt at the mile prize on September 8 with a spin at Newmarket’s July Course on Friday alongside stablemate Highland Avenue.

Working over a mile under Paul Eddery, the son of Dubawi, who bounced back from defeat in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot with victory in the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, moved easily past his work companion before hitting the line strongly.

And following the exercise Appleby insisted that all roads now lead to a trip to Paris for the three-year-old next month.

Appleby said: “As it was nice ground we thought we would bring him up here for a spin. I was very pleased with how he came out of the Sussex Stakes and the plan is to head to the Prix du Moulin.

“This fitted in timing wise to come up here. He has enjoyed himself on an away day without going to the sword.

“Paul (Eddery) knows him inside out and was delighted with him and I was pleased with the way he picked up so it was job done.”

While there was no re-match for Notable Speech with his St James’s Palace Stakes conqueror Rosallion, who he had previously beaten in the 2000 Guineas, at Goodwood last time out, Appleby was nonetheless pleased to see his star miler get his career back on track.

Appleby added: “We were confident going into Goodwood. Everyone likes to see the 2000 Guineas winner go and win again at Group One level during their three year old career, which he has gone and done.

“It keeps the three year olds up on their levels as we all know when you see the 2000 Guineas winner get beaten afterwards you are always disappointed so I was pleased with the horse.”

It will be the first time that Notable Speech has run outside of Britain when he crosses the English Channel, but Appleby feels he should take the trip over to France in his stride.

The trainer said: “At the end of the day there is nothing left for him over here over a mile unless we wait for Champions Day. This is a logical step for him, but this is his first trip abroad, and until they have done that trip you don’t really know how they are going to accept those conditions.

“However, he has become more professional and he has now got six runs under his belt. As you saw out there today he is a professional horse and not too much has phased him on what he has done so far.”

Irish mission for Truth

Also in action on the July Course was Ancient Truth, who will bid to give Appleby a fourth success in the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh on September 15.

Working around seven furlongs the son of Dubawi, who extended his unbeaten record in last month's Group Two bet365 Superlative Stakes at the track, picked up smartly under William Buick before passing the post comfortably on top.

Appleby added: “Ancient Truth we saw win the Superlative up here last time and we decided to bring him up here three weeks out from a potential look at the National Stakes.

“It is a long gap from the Superlative Stakes to the National Stakes so it was a matter of bringing him up here and getting a bit of gas out of him.

"William was very pleased with him. He travelled well, and he is a typical Dubawi in that he is doing well.”

Having won the Group One prize with the likes of Native Trail and Pinatubo in recent years Appleby believes the seven furlong test should be right up the street of Ancient Truth.

He added: “He is a horse that I feel will appreciate a bit of juice in the ground, which he should get over there. What he has done to date you can’t fault. He is a typical Dubawi and he has got the right profile to be aimed where he is being aimed for.

“Native Trail, Pinatubo and Quorto were all unbeaten going into the National Stakes so he is ticking the same boxes as they say."

And Appleby also issued updates as to potential targets for fellow unbeaten two year-olds Anno Domini, who is a general 20/1 chance for the Betfred 2000 Guineas, and Desert Flower, who is as short as 12/1 for the Betfred 1000 Guineas.

He added: “Anno Domini we are looking at something like the Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket opposed to the Champagne Stakes up at Doncaster. He was a breeze-up horse and we got those couple of runs into him and we just thought he needed a bit of time afterwards.

“As for Desert Flower she has done nothing wrong in both her starts so far and all being well we will look towards the May Hill up at Doncaster with her.”

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