It is safe to say that the 2026 season hasn't started in ideal fashion for the Charlie Appleby stable, but Saturday's G1 Lockinge Stakes offers the opportunity to turn things around as Notable Speech (Dubawi) flies the flag. Almost embodying the yard's recent struggles when luckless in the Maker's Mark Mile, Godolphin's brilliant 2,000 Guineas, Sussex and Breeders' Cup Mile hero needs to show his ruthless side to bring up a 10th renewal of the mile feature for the operation.“Notable Speech came out of the Maker's Mark Mile well, when things obviously didn't go to plan,” Appleby said. “I am hoping it can be the same situation as Modern Games, who was also beaten in the same Keeneland race before winning the Lockinge. We would like the rain to stay away, as the quicker the better for him, and he looks a leading contender.”This is a deep edition of Newbury's prestige contest, with Wathnan Racing's Damysus (Frankel) and Saeed Suhail's More Thunder (Night Of Thunder) prominent in the market despite trying the trip for the first time and proven Group 1 performers at a mile such as Jonquil (Lope De Vega), Cicero's Gift (Muhaarar) and Dancing Gemini (Camelot) trading at double figures.Appleby's other big runner at Newbury on Saturday is the Middle Park hero Wise Approach (Mehmas) in the Listed Carnarvon Stakes and he is another who has failed to shine on his spring return. Never a factor in the Pavilion last month, he should be sharper for the experience. “We felt there would be some improvement to come from Wise Approach following his run at Ascot and he has definitely come on for it,” his trainer said. “He has won over the course and distance and loves a sound surface, so we wouldn't want to see much rain. He still has to carry a penalty against some potentially smart sprinters, so will have to be on his A-game, but he should be a player with that run under his belt.”Also in the Carnarvon is Ballydoyle's Albert Einstein (Wootton Bassett), who will provide key clues as to the destination of next month's Commonwealth Cup as his reinvention as pure sprinter continues afoot. Now that the question of what he could do outside his comfort zone has been settled once and for all, it is a simple case of how he fares against the clock and that's where it could start getting exciting again.Albert Einstein's stablemate Charles Darwin (No Nay Never) is the main player on Naas's Sunday Royal Ascot Trials card, with the G3 Goffs Lacken Stakes his port of call en route to a potential Ballydoyle clash in the Commonwealth Cup. Aidan O'Brien supports the fixture throughout, with the exciting juvenile filly Victorious (Wootton Bassett) one of his leading lights tackling the First Flier winner Velozee (Sioux Nation) in the G3 Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes.Also appearing on a big weekend is the dual British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes heroine Kalpana (Study Of Man), who returns in Newbury's G3 Aston Park Stakes on Saturday. “It will be lovely to see her back, she's been a star for the last two seasons and Andrew actually thinks she's better this year–he thought she was a lot stronger this year than last year and she's training well,” Juddmonte's Barry Mahon said.“This very much is her first start of the year, she might need it, she has to give plenty of weight away and we're obviously working back from targets later in the season. She's ready to run and hopefully she's fit enough to do herself justice. It's a lovely starting point and we're looking forward to seeing her.”The prospect of a Royal runner in an Epsom Classic always adds something to the mix and after recording a double at York on Friday, The King and The Queen move on to Newbury on Saturday with their Oaks entry Golden Orbit (Sea The Stars) in the Listed Childwickbury Stud Fillies' Trial Stakes. This race has an illustrious honour roll with the likes of Warm Heart, Nashwa, Eshaada, Sea Of Class and Dancing Rain featuring in recent times and Ralph Beckett's homebred will attract plenty of attention as she is put to the test.BC Filly & Mare Turf Entry On The Line In Victoria MileDual Japanese Classic winner Embroidery (Admire Mars) came into her own as her three-year-old season progressed in 2025. A winner of both the G1 Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) and the G1 Shuka Sho (Japanese Fillies' St Leger), the four-year-old claimed the G2 Hanshin Himba Stakes earlier this year and goes favoured in the markets in the G1 Victoria Mile. The race is a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland this autumn.Trainer Kazutomo Mori said, “This week, I didn't want to push her too much, but last week she had a good hard workout with a training partner, and we'd made sure to have her finish strong. Her overall time and response in the final stage were good. She was a bit tired after that, but recovered quickly and we were riding her again two days later.“This week was just to breeze her and she matched her training partner's pace with ease. She was calm and walked at a steady pace afterward and her breathing was good too. She won the Queen Cup last year over the mile at Tokyo. It was a very strong race and I think the course suits her.”Second to Embroidery in the Hanshin Himba Stakes was Kamunyak (Black Tide), the 2025 G1 Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) heroine. She leaves from stall eight versus Embroidery in 12, as the pair clash yet again.Trainer Yasuo Tomomichi said, “It's 1600 meters again and at Tokyo with a nice, long stretch. If she can race like her most recent race, I think she'll be able to draw on her late speed.”Others to consider include the 2025 Victoria Mile second Queen's Walk (Kizuna), booked just inside of Kamunyak, while G3 Fukushima Kinen winner Nishino Ti Amo (Duramente) leaves from stall 16.The post Appleby Looks To Notable Runner To Shift The Gauge appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.