Talk of New York Brilliant in Queen Elizabeth Victory

Talk of New York (GB) came of age on British Champions day with a dominant win in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1) Oct. 17 at Ascot Racecourse. Godolphin's best 3-year-old colt pulled fiercely when third to Bow Echo (IRE) and Gstaad (GB) in the St James's Palace Stakes (G1) in June and was beaten as the 2-5 favorite when dropped to group 3 company at Goodwood Racecourse afterwards. On those occasions, it did not look certain that he would fulfil his potential but, this time, he returned to the Berkshire track a more complete athlete, with a comfortable win in the Joel Stakes (G2) at Newmarket Racecourse last month proving the perfect springboard to take on the established older milers. "I could write a list as long as your arm of who I need to thank," winning trainer Charlie Appleby said. "To come here on a day like today is great and what it's all about. It's great to have a winner here on Champions day—I don't have many runners here so it's nice to come and have one." William Buick attempted to extinguish his mount's early enthusiasm by smuggling him into the middle of the pack and the tactic paid off, as he peeled to the inside of Gstaad when the race took shape 3 furlongs out. Alarm bells sounded loudly for the 7-4 favorite shortly afterwards, leaving Talk of New York to turn away the late challenge of Ten Bob Tony (IRE) by 1 1/4 lengths. The Poule d'Essai des Poulains (French Two Thousand Guineas, G1) winner Rayif (IRE) ran on to finish third. Gstaad faded tamely to finish eighth under Ryan Moore, with trainer Aidan O'Brien believing he and stablemate Hawk Mountain (IRE) were showing signs of fatigue. "He's had a hard season and maybe it was just a race too far for him this year," he said. "He raced a little bit like a tired horse, he never really took Ryan and didn't pick up. 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." Talk of New York will not run again this season, but is expected to reappear next year, with Appleby already eyeing the 2027 Breeders' Cup at the recently revamped Belmont Park. "I've always thought about working back from there," he said. "It's all in the name!" For now at least, he is the talk of Ascot instead. Almeraq Wins Third Group 1 in Sprint Almeraq (GB) established himself as Europe's best sprinter as he became the shortest-priced winner of the British Champions Sprint Stakes (G1), giving trainer William Haggas a first winner of the race. Almeraq is the latest in a line of Shadwell heavyweights in this division. The 4-year-old had to dig deep as the Ed Bethell-trained Paborus (GB) proved a tough nut to crack under Daniel Tudhope, who almost stole the race from stall 1. After taking cover behind Coppull (GB) early in the race, jockey Tom Marquand found a gap between the two Amo Racing runners and Almeraq found the gears to close the gap on the runaway leader. Speaking to ITV after the race, Marquand said: "He's a phenomenal horse. He's got versatility in droves. He's won here before on good to firm, went to Haydock and destroyed them on heavy, and he's here on good ground and ran down a pretty tough target as Paborus got a bit of a slip up the fence. "On the last occasion at Haydock, he had him (Paborus) covered in two strides. Today, it took half a furlong but he's a different class." This crowns a stellar season for Almeraq, in which the colt has claimed three group 1s, including the Haydock Sprint Cup Stakes (G1) and the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (G1). The last sprinter to win three group 1s in a season was Muhaarar (GB) in 2015—also bred by Shadwell—while he is arguably the first horse to set a significant standard in this division since Battaash (IRE). It remains to be seen whether he will stay in training next season, but it has been a remarkable culmination of events since he suffered a nasty fall at York Racecourse last year, which proved career-ending for the evergreen Jim Crowley. MOUNT ATLAS PULLS UPSET IN LONG DISTANCE CUP If Andrew Balding ends up being crowned champion trainer for the first time at the expense of Aidan O'Brien come Dec. 31, he might well look back at Mount Atlas (GB) and P.J. McDonald weaving between the Ascot traffic to run down Queenstown (IRE) to spring a major shock in the British Champions Long Distance Cup Stakes (G1). Sent off at 33-1, Mount Atlas—bred by Balding's mother, Emma, and racing in the famous black and gold Mill Reef silks bequeathed to Kingsclere by the late Paul Mellon—triggered a swing of virtually £170,000 in the title race, taking Balding past the £9 million mark for the campaign. "He's a very talented horse and we were just taking a chance on the 2 miles," Balding said. "He loves Ascot and P.J. gave him an absolutely brilliant ride. I'm absolutely thrilled and it's so appropriate in those colors. "He's a homebred and he's been on it the whole season and a big contributor." After smuggling Mount Atlas into the race, McDonald looked to be in danger of finding himself behind a wall of horses but, having briefly explored switching outside to follow the St Leger Stakes (G1) winner Highwayman (FR), made the race-winning move a furlong out, cutting back to the inner before getting the better of the O'Brien-trained Queenstown close home. Highwayman stayed on to be third ahead of Gregory (GB), while Prix du Cadran (G1) winner Caballo de Mar (IRE)—who raced alongside Mount Atlas in the rear third of the field for much of the race—failed to pick up and finished a well-beaten eighth.