Talk Of New York sparkles in Heron Stakes
Talk Of New York was the talk of Sandown with a sparkling display in the Star Sports Heron Stakes.
Surprisingly beaten first time out this year in Dubai, he put that record straight in a conditions race at the Newmarket Craven meeting and took this step up to Listed company very much in his stride.
The Charlie Appleby-trained winner’s stablemate Nation’s Hope ran too free for his own good in the early exchanges, tracked by Wise Prince, and as a result the runners were well strung out.
By the time they got to three out the field had closed right up and just as another Appleby representative, Time To Turn, got to the front, Talk Of New York (even-money favourite) rocketed into it under William Buick and powered clear from a furlong and a half out.
Appleby said: “There was no hiding place and it was an end-to-end gallop and you have to be impressed with the way the horse travelled into it and then picked up.
“It’s amazing to see how well he has done since being given some time after the Craven meeting and after his run there we were always confident we would skip the Guineas and come here, which was partly because we wanted to get him back on a turning track and teach him to get the mile well.
“Physically he has done so well for not being put in that Guineas picture where you are having to maintain that training basically and in that short time he had a little break has done well both physically and mentally.
“We came here with confidence and they have gone a good gallop out there and I was always confident Will was going to get there as one thing he does is quicken and sustain it.”
Talk Of New York will now add his name to an all-star line-up for the St James’s Palace Stakes on the first day of Royal Ascot, with Paddy Power and Coral going 6-1 and 7-1 respectively for a race that will also feature the likes of Bow Echo and Gstaad.
Appleby added: “The plan is to go to the St James’s Palace and with the three-year-old crop the way it is I feel he deserves his chance to have a crack at it and take on the likes of Bow Echo and Gstaad. Hopefully he can come out of this well, fill the tank up and get to Ascot.
“Of course going into Royal Ascot you would have maybe liked a slightly easier run, not in the way he won, but having to go through those fractions throughout the race, but I don’t see why he won’t take this race well as he has done so well from the Craven meeting until now.
“I see tonight as a real positive going forward and I think he will give the others something to think about at Royal Ascot.
“Full credit to Bow Echo who was a very impressive Guineas winner and Gstaad has backed it up and our horse Distant Storm jumped up from third to second at the Curragh, so the form is solid.
“But I do feel there is an opportunity for a slightly unexposed three-year-old to come and mix it with them at the end of the day and I feel at the moment it is potentially Talk Of New York and we have always felt he was above Distant Storm in our pecking order.”
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