Talk Of New York the toast of Ascot with QEII victory

Talk Of New York spoke loudest at Ascot as he graduated to the highest level with a sublime Queen Elizabeth II Stakes performance.

Charlie Appleby’s son of Wootton Bassett has been something of a work in progress throughout the campaign, giving a glimpse of his potential when third behind the now-retired Bow Echo and Gstaad in the St James’s Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting.

The colt left connections with little choice but to supplement for this Group One feature after dazzling in the Joel Stakes late last month and he was given a supremely confident ride by William Buick, who waited before unleashing his challenge inside the final quarter-mile.

Hitting the front with a furlong to go, Talk Of New York (3-1) stayed on strongly to see off Queen Anne scorer Ten Bob Tony by a length and a quarter, with French 2000 Guineas winner Rayif running on from the rear for third.

Appleby said: “I’m delighted, it’s been a big team effort and I’ve a list as long as your arm of people to thank.

“To come here on a day like today, it’s great, it’s what it’s all about. We came here on good ground which is what everyone wants to see. Good horses like good ground, I don’t care what they say!

“He travelled into the race, we knew the pace was there and he’s maturing, mentally he is taking things better. He got a lovely draft in and I could see when Will drafted out he had plenty of horse there so it’s great.

“Once he hit the front I was confident he would keep on galloping out, even though he’d ideally like it firmer. He’s a horse who came in with a lot of natural ability and the team have done a fantastic job in nurturing him.

“As always, I can only thank His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and Team Godolphin for giving us the opportunity to take our time with him and thankfully he’s repaid everybody.

“It’s exciting, he’s a three-year-old, he’s not done too much wrong in his career apart from that immaturity early on, but thankfully that looks like it has been ironed out and he’s progressing with age.

“That will be him finished for this year, he’ll head into winter quarters and you’ll see him again next spring.”

Gstaad went off the heavily-backed 7-4 favourite, but the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt never looked that happy and finished down the field in eighth place.

O’Brien said: “He’s had a hard season and he had to go through all that (an infection) like all the others and maybe it was just a race too far for him this year.

“He raced a little bit like a tired horse, he never really took Ryan and didn’t pick up.

“Obviously, we didn’t think that was there but we weren’t overworking him because he was very fit after having a hard season, so maybe it was just a race too much for him this season and he needs a bit of time now maybe.

“I’m not sure what the Lads will do, he’s obviously a very valuable horse to go to stud and he’s a Starspangledbanner and he’s done a lot this year.

“If he stays in training I’ll be delighted, but if he goes to stud he’s going to have a lot of mares to cover. He’s a very important horse.”