Woodbine Mile (Group 1)

GODOLPHIN and trainer Charlie Appleby are headed to the Breeders’ Cup Mile for the third time in four years, as Notable Speech overcame an inauspicious start to win the Woodbine Mile last Saturday.

They completed that “double” in 2022 with Modern Games and again in 2023 with Master Of The Seas.

Notable Speech had also finished third, beaten just three-quarters of a length, in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile without the benefit of a North American warm-up heat.

At Woodbine the four-year-old Dubawi colt broke a little slowly and had the South African import One Stripe swerve in front of him but William Buick soon found a ground-saving spot behind the early leaders.

Last year’s 2000 Guineas winner came outside rivals while negotiating the second turn on the tight inner turf course, quickened when asked and won by a length and a quarter.

“The normal outer turf track here is beautiful, a European style of racing,” Buick said of the E.P. Taylor course. “Now, obviously, we’re on the inside track for these races, so it changes the dynamics a lot and our horses find it challenging.

“I was not going to give up my position on Notable Speech. He’s an experienced horse so I could do that with him. And once he got into that position, he relaxed beautifully and he got into a nice rhythm. He was winning from there.”

My Boy Prince was second, Gas Me Up third. One Stripe settled for fifth on his North American debut for trainer Graham Motion.

Notable Speech also won the Sussex Stakes at three and started 2025 with a fourth-place finish in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury. He was fourth again in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot and fifth back at six furlongs in the July Cup at Newmarket, before losing out narrowly in the French Group 1 last time.

Put it right

“It was very frustrating in the Jacques le Marois. He should have won that day, and he deserved to win. It was very frustrating. It was a hard pill to swallow. He’s put it right today. So, fingers crossed, we go to Del Mar for the Mile with every chance,” Buick said.

Charlie Appleby’s assistant Alex Merriam was quoted afterwards: “Any horse that wins a Guineas becomes a special horse and he’s a special horse for everyone at Godolphin, from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed on down. He’s had an unfortunate season. It’s nice to get a win by his name.

“I think things just probably haven’t quite worked out for him this season. I don’t see any reason why he’s not as good as last year.”

On the next step to the Breeders’ Cup, he said: “I think the experience of going there and coming here again will help him sharpen up for the two turns.”

Appleby and Buick were out of luck in the two Grade 1 two-year-old races.

The US-trained Argos denied them their third Summer Stakes in the last five years, when prevailing over Godolphin’s Wild Desert in a thrilling photo-finish.

Argos was giving trainer Riley Mott, son of Bill Mott, the second Grade 1 win. Mott had landed his first Grade 1 win when World Beater won the Saratoga Derby Invitational.

Argos benefited from a ground-saving rail trip while tracking front-running Marcus J.

Wild Desert was slowly away and trailed the field most of the race, his wide run just failed and he was a length in front of Two Out Hero at the line.

His cause was again not helped with the turf races run on the sharper inner track.

Fozzy Stack’s Thesecretadversary and Frankie Dettori stayed on in fifth place.

It was a similar case in the fillies Grade 1, the Natalma Stakes, Godolphin’s race favourite Dance To The Music only managing fourth after having to come wide into the straight.

Up front, Corsia Veloce remained unbeaten, the two-year-old Practical Joke filly improved her record to a perfect 3-for-3 with her victory in the ‘Win and You’re In’ Natalma Stakes.

Fraser Aebly, one of the rising stars among Woobine’s jockeys, captured his first Grade 1 win with Corsia Veloce, delivering a textbook ride aboard the Josie Carroll-trained filly in the Natalma.

He settled Corsia Veloce off a moderate early tempo before driving the filly through daylight when the pacesetters gave way on the bend.