Talk Of New York was the chatter of Newmarket as he stared alongside Rebel’s Romance’s brother Fortitudine in a big-race double for Charlie Appleby on the Rowley Mile.
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.
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"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."
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."
Pensando A Te sparks Classic dreams for Marco Botti
Pensando A Te got up in the very last stride for Marco Botti and Silvestre de Sousa to deny Light Of Dawn victory in the Betway Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket.
The Karl Burke-trained Light Of Dawn was the 5-2 favourite for the Group Two contest after winning the Group Three Prestige Stakes at Goodwood last month, with John and Thady Gosden's previously unbeaten filly Spirited Gesture rated her biggest threat.
Pensando A Te, who finished second to the reopposing Speed Of Sound on her Yarmouth debut before going one better at Ascot, was sent off at 15-2 in the hands of De Sousa, who after a slow start settled his mount at the rear of the nine-runner field, seemingly intent to keep his powder dry for a late run.
The front-running Speed Of Sound and Light Of Dawn were the two vying for the lead hitting the rising ground heading inside the last of seven furlongs, but no sooner had Light Of Dawn won that protracted battle to grab the lead, Pensando A Te came with a flying late run to get up by a short head.
Botti said: "It's always nice when you have a two-year-old who does well at the back-end of the season. I thought we were maybe rushing her on a little bit, but we always thought we had a nice filly.
"We were confident when she ran first time out and she ran a good race and she's progressed nicely since then. At Ascot I thought she did it nicely in a small field and today stepping up to seven furlongs the plan was to get her settled and come with a late run.
"I didn't think she had got there and my first impression was we got beat. She's a nice filly for next year."
The Newmarket-based Italian will spend the winter months dreaming of a 1000 Guineas bid with his new star filly, quoted at 20-1 shot by Coral for Classic glory.
Light Of Dawn, who carries the Wathnan Racing colours, just held on for second from the fast-finishing Ruby Moon.
Wathnan's racing adviser Richard Brown said: "She's run a blinder and James [Doyle] said she wasn't enjoying the ground, so all credit to her for nearly pulling it off and it was a big run.
"We'll put her away now and there's a chance she gets the mile next year without it being certain. That's the road we'll go down and in my mind I would maybe be thinking France [Guineas]."
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