Talk Of New York and Fortitudine star on another good afternoon for Appleby

Always held in high regard and third in the St James’s Palace Stakes behind Bow Echo and Gstaad, the son of Wootton Bassett was the 4-9 favourite for the Betway Joel Stakes, despite blotting his copybook at Goodwood last time out.

Always prominent in the group racing on the stands side, he moved powerfully to the lead under William Buick inside the final furlong, galloping out to a commanding four-and-three-quarter-length success.

Appleby, who is continuing in red-hot form, said: “On what he achieved in the St James’s Palace you had to come here with confidence and you had to put a line through Goodwood, it was just one of those days and we’ve been there before.

“But his preparation coming into here looked good and it helped he won here in the spring. We always like to use the excuse of the dip if they get beat, but I would struggle to use that today!”

Connections will now consider supplementing Talk Of New York for one of the features of Qatar Racing British Champions Day, but it is next season where Appleby expects the colt to shine, when tasked with filling the lofty shoes of Notable Speech in the mile division.

“I’m not going to say yes to the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, but you could take a look at it and there’s the supplementary stage,” continued Appleby.

“William and I spoke last week and we could have waited to see what the ground was like in France for the Prix Daniel Wildenstein, but William was confident and said if we run in the Joel and win well, the QEII is then an option. We’ll see how he comes out of this.

“I think a bit of ease in the ground wouldn’t do him any harm as he’s a decent-sized horse who hits the ground hard. I’m not saying I will go to this year’s Breeders’ Cup with him, but I’m very much working back from next year’s Breeders’ Cup.

“There’s Notable Speech for this year and we’d love him to go over to Keeneland and have his moment of glory, but hopefully this lad will be there next year – I thought it would be quite apt to take Talk Of New York to Belmont!

“He’s got a lot to do to achieve what Notable Speech has, but he’s going the right way now.”

A little over half and hour later Appleby’s afternoon got even better as after being backed into 15-8 favouritism, Fortitudine made it three from three in the Betway Godolphin Stakes.

Having made all to enhance his growing reputation with a first Listed strike, he could now follow in the footsteps of his illustrious sibling and head to Dubai after a short break.

Appleby said: “It was always our plan to go out there and make it and what he’s happy doing is going out there and galloping.

“He learned to race at Kempton and we went out and made the running today and what I was impressed with was half a mile out you could see them coming at him and you could see him lower and quicken again, he might have even quickened twice actually.

“We’re all very relaxed with this horse and he keeps coming out and doing it for us. He’s down in a small little yard at home because he’s not the biggest and most robust and likes that individual care and attention.

“If there is one thing in his bag, he can gallop and maintain it. We’ll put him away for a bit now and maybe take him out to Dubai for the City of Gold over the slick mile and a half. William keeps reverting back to his brother and he enjoyed it out there so it might be something we look towards.”

He went on: “Rebel’s Romance was a proper mile-and-a-half horse who we tried over one-mile-six once and got away with it. I think this is a solid mile-and-a-half horse and I see no reason to change.

“He’s very slow at home and always has been and I can’t say anything different – I’d love to say we could see something there. The only reason we persevered with him is because of his brother and pedigree and we had to try.

“William galloped him one morning on the July course and said he isn’t quick but he tries so we went to Kempton and we were either going to get Rebel’s Romance’s brother beat or he’d win, and thankfully he won and has kept winning.”