For many years Newbury’s G1 Lockinge Stakes (1600m) has been early-season rendezvous for the best older milers in Great Britain.

Last year Audience – admired as a specialist 1400m horse beforehand – sprang a surprise when never headed, but it is the top-drawer specialist 1600m horses who have by far the strongest historical record.

Such a fact will be especially encouraging to supporters of Notable Speech and Rosallion on Saturday (17 May) at Newbury.

This pair – who have both been ridden by their respective jockeys, William Buick and Sean Levey, throughout their careers – last year collectively plundered England’s G1 2000 Guineas (1600m), Ireland’s G1 2000 Guineas (1600m) as well as two of Great Britain’s other most prestigious encounters, Royal Ascot’s G1 St James’s Palace Stakes (1594m) and Goodwood’s G1 Sussex Stakes (1600m).

Notable Speech’s trainer Charlie Appleby – whose achievements this month already include winning both Newmarket’s G1 1000 Guineas (1600m) and 2000 Guineas (1600m) – reflects on this clash between Godolphin-owned son of Dubawi and fellow four-year-old Rosallion.

“It will be a good little match-up. We are one-all with Rosallion as we beat him at Newmarket and he beat us at Ascot,” Appleby said. “He has home advantage for sure (Richard Hannon-trained Rosallion is based near Newbury in Marlborough and also won his maiden at the course) but the slick track at Newbury should suit Notable Speech nicely, plus I think he is peaking now. The expected quick ground is also what we want.”

Quality fillies and mares have a respectable Lockinge Stakes record and David Menuisier-trained Tamfana, paired with in-form jockey Rossa Ryan, also has Group 1 winning credentials over 1600m with her decisive acceleration resulting in victory in last October’s G1 Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket.

She had a lovely 2025 return when second in the G2 Sandown Mile Stakes (1600m) at Sandown in April, hitting top gear late on without being given a hard race. Her conqueror that day was Dancing Gemini, who will be ridden by Ryan Moore for the first time in Saturday’s Lockinge Stakes.

Now unbeaten in two 2025 starts, the Roger Teal-trained colt appears much improved, but those preferring to look in the direction of Tamfana will focus on the fact that Dancing Gemini had already had that earlier 2025 start and also that the filly has a five-pound swing in the weights this weekend at Newbury compared to Sandown.

Plenty of other excitement features on Newbury’s eight-race World Pool card, including the clash of several leading sprinters in The Hong Kong Jockey Club Handicap (1200m). They are Completely Random (Trevor Whelan), who is protecting an unbeaten record this season and Aramram who, by contrast, has finished second in all four starts this year. Similar to Dancing Gemini’s profile in the Lockinge Stakes, Ryan Moore will be riding Aramram for the first time.