BoyleSports Lockinge Stakes |
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| Group 1, Newbury 14:35 £400,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 1m, Class 1  |
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1 Notable Speech 2/1F
2 More Thunder 9/1
3
Zeus Olympios 4/1
10 ran Distances: 2l, ¾l, nk
Time: 1m 36.27s (slow by 0.47s)
🏆NOTABLE SPEECH WINS THE BOYLE SPORTS LOCKINGE STAKES 🏆
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 16, 2026
A MASSIVE WINNER FOR GODOLPHIN! 🔵#ITVRacing | @WilliamBuickX | @godolphin pic.twitter.com/G9PgCqCgYe
Notable Speech appeared at the peak of his powers with a dazzling victory.
Charlie Appleby’s heavily-supported 2-1 favourite, partnered by William Buick, was returning to Europe after ending last season with success in the Breeders’ Cup Mile and suffering an unlucky defeat at Keeneland on his latest outing.
The 2000 Guineas winner travelled strongly throughout the Group One contest and Buick was able to ease his way into contention from the three-furlong pole before unleashing the colt’s trademark acceleration.
Notable Speech quickened smartly clear to beat William Haggas’ More Thunder by two lengths in a dominant display against a high-quality field.
Appleby, who enjoyed a double at Newmarket the previous day following a quieter spell for the yard, said: “He’s got some turn of foot. We were watching and thinking we were happy because not many horses can quicken like he can.
“If the race turned into a sprint in the final couple of furlongs then William was always going to be on the right horse.
“William knows him and rides him with confidence and I have complete confidence in both of them. I always joke with William that he’ll either look a hero or a villain because he sits and waits so long before finally letting him go.
“The team at home have done a fantastic job. Colm O’Donoghue rides him every day and told me he was in the form of his life, and he was absolutely right.
“I’m delighted for the horse because that was the sort of performance that enhances his stallion value.”
Appleby added: “He’ll head straight to the Queen Anne now. We were unlucky in that race last year and, knowing what we know now, I think we would have gone very close.
“Opera Ballo will also go there, so it’ll be a big race for us, but I head there far more relaxed now after seeing this performance.
“All I wanted him to do was win another Group One in Europe and he’s achieved that.”
Buick, celebrating another major success aboard the colt, said: “He has an explosive turn of foot and arrives on the scene very late. I thought he was exceptional today and he felt amazing underneath me.
“It’s a tremendous training performance from Charlie and the team to get him back here in this condition and it was a phenomenal display.
“We went to Keeneland expecting to win and never really got a clear run, which was frustrating. But we knew he was coming here in great shape and it’s satisfying to put that disappointment behind us.”
Boylesports Lockinge Stakes
(British Champions Series) (Group 1)
£400,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 1m, Class 1
10 ran
Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
