Guineas Upset – Shock Result

Tara Madgwick - Sunday May 5

An unbeaten colt by a champion sire won the Group I Newmarket The Two Thousand Guineas (1m) overnight, but it wasn’t the one most people thought.

Much hyped race favourite City of Troy was looking to keep his unbeaten record intact in his seasonal return following a stellar juvenile year that ended with victory in the Group I Dewhurst Stakes at 7f and Champion 2YO honours..

The Aidan O’Brien trained son of Justify was a hot favourite, but failed to muster a challenge and it was left to Godolphin 16-1 shot Notable Speech to forge clear of Blue Point’s Group I winning son Rosallion to win by a length and a half.

Advertisement

City of Troy finished in ninth place.

Trained by Charlie Appleby and ridden by William Buick, Notable Speech had won three previous starts this year at Kempton on the all weather track over a mile, but had never been tested in Black Type company so took the proverbial quantum leap with this brilliant win.

William Buick has been on the Dubawi colt for all of his wins and is his biggest fan.

“He really was impressive. He's the kind of horse who I've not known for that long. I came back from Dubai and rode him in February and here we are… I've not very often believed in a horse as much as this guy. I've had that much belief in him and sometimes you go home at night and think 'have I lost the plot all together?' because that's how he does things, he does it so easily and his change of gear is incredible,” said Buick.

“The race couldn't have worked out any better, fair play to the team he was in great form today. He's done nothing but improve. He's an out-and-out miler, he's all about speed. He's got a strong mind, I really think he's a horse who is going to keep improving.”

A homebred for Godolphin, Notable Speech has been a work in progress for the stable.

“I’m in a lucky position that I have no pressure on me and I just have to make sure I do the best I can,” Charlie Appleby said.

“You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear – last year showed that – but I think we have what we need to get back to the top table now.

“What he did on his last start really made us think there’s a racehorse here for sure, it had a real ‘wow factor’. From that point to when we galloped him here everything we were learning about him gave us confidence. Paul Eddery sat on him the other day and he got off him and said the favourite would have to be very good to beat him, and he's sat on a lot of good horses.

“Will said if he was a Pattern winner as a two-year-old you’d be delighted with what he did in that gallop and you’d be happy coming here to take on the world. Last year the lads who rode him said he was a nice horse and he just went weak, but he’s not looked back this year.”

Notable Speech is the first winner for Group III placed Invincible Spirit mare Swift Rose, a half-sister to Group I winner Wild Beauty and Group III winner Desert Wisdom, who is also by Dubawi.

His pedigree traces back to fourth dam Cherokee Rose, a brilliant dual Group I winning sprinter, who has spawned an impressive dynasty of stakes-winners that includes Group I winners Kirklees, Mastery, Mukhadram and this season's Group I placed Australian juvenile Linebacker.

Notable Speech is the 58th Group I winner for Dubawi and is the sixth for Invincible Spirit as a broodmare sire. He is the best of three stakes-winners bred on this nick which has had 18 winners from 23 starters. so 78% winner to runner and 13% SW to runner.

Advertisment
More Reading...
One to Watch – Scone
Kris Lees often sends a talented horse to the country to cast off maiden status and a two year-old Exceedance gelding did just that on debut at Scone on Monday.
One to Watch – Wyong
The juvenile maiden at Wyong on Tuesday had some interesting runners including the highest price yearling by Maurice (Jpn) sold in 2024 and he did take the win, but it was not without drama.
G1 Tatts Tiara – Where Are They Now?
The last Group I race of the Australian racing season, the $700,000 Tatts Tiara (1400m) will be run this Saturday and as a fillies and mares feature the winner is often headed straight to stud, so we’re taking a look at where these girls are at.
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 21
Here is the full list of 101 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Aussie Golden Eagle Form Delivers Royal Ascot G1 Finale
There were a couple of Aussie elements to the brilliant victory of Lazzat in the Group I Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (6f) at Royal Ascot overnight as he came to our shores last year and very nearly won the $10million Golden Eagle.
One to Watch – Cranbourne
Second in the Group III VRC Maribyrnong Plate last year to Tycoon Star, this Cosmic Force colt made light work of a maiden at Cranbourne on Sunday when bolting away to win as he pleased.
Royal Ascot Day 5 – Runaway, Rising Empire and My Best Friend
After five spectacular days of racing, Royal Ascot is over with the finale overnight producing high drama with a runaway G1 winner, the rise of a racing empire and the first stakes horse for St Mark’s Basilica.
Aussie Bred HK G3 Double
A pair of Group III races were run at Sha Tin on Sunday with victory in the two last stakes races of the HK season both going to Aussie bred geldings Beauty Joy and Copartner Prance, who is a half-brother to Aquis based sire Kobayashi.
Ardrossan Supporters Rewarded with Taken
The emergence of the Victorian-based Taken is another winning story for a New Zealand breeding and ownership group established to support the three-year-old’s young sire.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Canterbury
There were a whopping 10 heats won by juveniles at the Canterbury trials on Monday morning that included some interesting unraced youngsters by Zoustar, Zousain and Trapeze Artist, plus a good looking youngster that may see the benefit of gelding.