William Buick believes the experience gained by Notable Speech at Del Mar will stand him in good stead on his return to the track in the FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Last year’s Qipco 2000 Guineas and Qatar Sussex Stakes winner finished a close up third in the $2 million contest when sent off the 23/10 favourite to register a Group One win number three of the campaign.
However, despite the Charlie Appleby-trained son of Dubawi, who registered his first win of the year in last month’s Grade One Rogers Woodbine Mile, tasting defeat on previous visit to the meeting, Buick feels he can better that effort, granted a good draw, on November 1st.
Buick said: “The Breeders’ Cup is a massive highlight and Charlie likes to target it, and he always does. Charlie’s record at the Breeders’ Cup is very good.
“Notable Speech was very brave in Canada when he won as he had to fight for his position early. He was unlucky in the Jacques le Marois and he should have won that day.
“He ran well in the Mile last year and that experience will stand him in good stead this year.
"You always need a good bit of fortune with the two turn mile around Del Mar, and in particular a good draw would be helpful.”
The meeting will also see Buick reunited with Rebel’s Romance in his bid to secure a record breaking third victory in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Turf.
It will be the first time that the 37-year-old has partnered the gelded son of Dubawi since finishing third aboard him in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
In two runs since that defeat the evergreen seven-year-old has posted wins in the Group One Westminster 135th Grosser Preis von Berlin at Hoppegarten and the Grade One Joe Hirsch Turf Classic at Belmont At The Big A.
Buick said: “We have got Rebel’s Romance going over there and I’m looking forward to getting back on him as I’ve not been on him for the last couple of times because logistically it hasn’t worked.
“We think Rebel’s Romance goes there in great form, but you can never expect anything when you go over there, but he always turns up and puts his best foot forward.”
Although Notable Speech and Rebel’s Romance are two stand out rides Buick admits he is excited about the meeting on the whole and putting his skills in the saddle amongst the best America has to offer.
He added: “They (Notable Speech and Rebel’s Romance) are the two main ones at this stage, but there is Cinderella’s Dream and Diamond Rain possibly in the Filly & Mare Turf going out there as well.
“It is a great meeting and I always look forward to it. It is a massive test as the American jockeys don’t give anything away and you have to earn it.
“It is very competitive and you can never take anything for granted there as you have to work for it, and you need a bit of luck on your side, but it is one of the great meetings on the calendar.”
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