Appleby putting faith in tried and tested route with Notable Speech

By Racing TV

Last Updated: Fri 18 Sep 2026

Charlie Appleby is banking on history repeating itself for Notable Speech at the Breeders’ Cup.

This time last year the five-year-old won the Woodbine Mile before running out an impressive winner of the Breeders’ Cup Mile, a year on from being beaten into third when favourite for the same race, both times at Del Mar.

The big meeting is in Keeneland this time, but having won the Woodbine Mile in style again, Appleby hopes his tried and tested method will bear fruit once more.

“He went and won at York, came out of it well and then we’ve used our usual stepping stone on to the Breeders’ Cup hopefully, by winning the Woodbine Mile,” said Appleby.

Opera Balo is another who has been running in the big mile races but he might just drop in trip before the season is out.

“Opera Balo, there’s a small chance I might just take a look at the (Prix de la) Foret with him,” he said.

The St Leger passed without an Appleby runner, but that was not for the want of trying, with Del Maro, who has plenty of good form to his name, ruled out close to the race.

He said: “It was annoying with Del Maro because two and a half weeks out from the St Leger he’d put in some great work and then he started coughing.

“We’ll put him away and I might just introduce him out in Dubai and give him a run on Super Saturday.”

Talk Of New York, beaten at very short odds at Goodwood when last seen, could run in the Joel Stakes next week while Rebel’s Romance’s brother Fortitudine could potentially appear in the Godolphin Stakes.

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