Charlie Appleby looks set to field a strong squad of seven horses at next weekend's Breeders' Cup meeting, spearheaded by this year's 2000 Guineas hero Notable Speech.
Having won the last three editions of the Breeders' Cup Turf Mile, there are few trainers better than Charlie Appleby when it comes to knowing what it takes, with the Godolphin maestro solely relying on his 2000 Guineas winner Notable Speech in this year's Grade 1 contest.
After three impressive victories on the all-weather at Kempton, Notable Speech made a sparkling debut on turf when spreadeagling the field in the Group 1 2000 Guineas at Newmarket in May.
Subsequent disappointments in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp occurred either side of his sparkling display in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood and although Appleby was quick to flag up his travel concerns, with quick ground almost a guarantee at the California venue next weekend, the Moulton Paddocks handler retains plenty of confidence behind his stable star.
"We've had this on our minds since he won at Kempton to be brutally honest," said Appleby when speaking about his Breeders' Cup squad at Newmarket on Wednesday. "When you pull him out of the stable in the morning he is as good as gold, but he challenges himself a little bit thereafter. We were pleased that when we took him to Longchamp, he travelled and settled in well. What we also learnt was that he doesn't like soft ground.
"It's always been the plan to go straight to the Breeders' Cup with him. If he gets a good draw and has a good week there, he's going to be dangerous, very dangerous."
Notable Speech will not be the only horse from Appleby's sparkling stable to contest Grade 1 honours at Del Mar next Saturday as Rebel's Romance bids to enhance his already illustrious international CV in the Breeders' Cup Turf.
The 2022 winner will attempt to regain his crown following an impressive campaign that features victories in the Dubai Sheema Classic, Hong Kong's Champions & Chater Cup and the Preis von Europa at Cologne.
"Rebel's Romance is an international star, as we know," said Appleby. "He's been rock solid all year, even in his defeat in the King George at Ascot he went down with a lot of credit,"
"We purposely gave him a little bit of a break. We toyed with the idea of going to America, but we decided to stay a little bit closer to home and go to Germany for a race he'd won before, and he spring-boarded from that into a Breeders' Cup win.
"We all know the draw is important around Del Mar or Santa Anita, but over a mile and a half, you're a little bit more relaxed about it because you're able to ride your race over that trip.
"If he goes there and ticks all the boxes whilst he's there, he's a big player."
There's little to separate Aomori City and Al Qudra in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf betting as it stands and Appleby, who confirmed both will take their chance at Del Mar next Friday, admitted he was struggling to split the duo.
He said: "I genuinely can't split them on what they've achieved on the racecourse, and it could come down to the draw.
"From William's (Buick) point of view, and we've spoken in depth over the few days, it's a hard one for him. He could go and pick either horse and get drawn 14, or if you're lucky and get drawn six you've got a chance.
"Looking at the field I think that's how it's going to play out, I don't think there's a standout horse in the race. Both have got plenty of experience and one has obviously got experience over there."
Appleby is also excited to launch a twin assault at the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf courtesy of Cinderellas Dream, who is a general 8/1 chance for the Grade 1 contest, and Beautiful Love.
"On Saturday we have Cinderella's Dream and Beautiful Love in the Filly & Mare Turf," said Godolphin's number one handler. "Both have experience over there, with Cinderella's Dream having the higher profile as a Grade 1 winner out there and a Grade 2 winner on her last outing.
"We missed Woodbine with her and had toyed with the idea of running in the QEII at Ascot, but we thought it better that she went there a fresh horse. I think she'll be a live player again with a good draw.
"Beautiful Love deserves to be in the line-up on what she has achieved out there. She's a Grade 3 winner and was perhaps slightly unlucky on her last start."
Elsewhere on the card, Star Of Mystery is set to tackle the likes of leading American turf sprinter Cogburn and this year's Nunthorpe Stakes winner Bradsell in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.
Of the 12/1 chance, Appleby said: "She was just touched off the other day when probably a bit unlucky. That was only a pipe-opener for this, and she deserves to have a crack."
