Appleby makes his mark as Newmarket kicks off its premier weekend
Talk Of New York shone in the Joel Stakes (G2) and Fortitudine, a full brother to Rebel’s Romance, kept his unbeaten record intact; Pensando A Te snatched the Rockfel Stakes (G2) in the final stride ahead of Saturday’s Grade 1 double feature
NEWMARKET, England (Special for Turf Diario).— Dominance from Charlie Appleby and a thrilling, nail-biting finish among the fillies defined Friday's card on the Rowley Mile, where the prelude to Saturday's Grade 1 double feature delivered high-caliber drama in its own right. Talk Of New York (Wootton Bassett) and Fortitudine(Dubawi) provided a stakes double for the Godolphin trainer, while Pensando A Te (Blackbeard) ignited Classic dreams with a last-gasp victory in the Rockfel Stakes (G2).
The most emphatic performance belonged to Talk Of New York, who put a disappointing effort at Goodwood behind him and reclaimed the impressive form he showed when finishing third behind Bow Echo (Night of Thunder) and Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) in the St James’s Palace Stakes (G1). Sent off as the 4-9 favorite in the Joel Stakes(G2), the son of Wootton Bassett delivered a performance of unquestioned superiority.
Always positioned handy to the pace within the stand-side group, he found clear running under William Buick and took command inside the final 200 meters, drawing off to secure a dominant 4 3/4-length victory. It was a performance that firmly re-established him among his barn's most compelling mile prospects.
"Based on what he did in the St James’s Palace, we had to come here with confidence and forget Goodwood," Appleby explained. Consideration will now be given to a potential supplementation into the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (G1), though the main focus points toward 2027: his trainer envisions him inheriting the mantle from Notable Speech (Dubawi), targeting the Breeders’ Cup. "He has a lot to do to match what Notable Speech achieved, but he is heading in the right direction," he added.
Just over half an hour later, Fortitudine completed the barn's double by capturing the Godolphin Stakes (L) to maintain a perfect record of three wins from as many starts. The full brother to Rebel’s Romance took charge early and displayed a quality that inspires confidence: whenever rivals challenged, he proved capable of re-breaking and finding another gear.
Appleby noted that the colt is not a flashy morning worker, but his lineage called for patience—a policy that continues to pay off on race day. Following a freshening, he could travel to Dubai for the City of Gold (G2) over 2,400 meters, a distance his trainer believes will suit him ideally.
The afternoon's highest suspense was reserved for the Rockfel Stakes, where Pensando A Te arrived in the final stride to snatch victory by a nose from Light Of Dawn (Showcasing). The Marco Botti trainee, ridden by Silvestre de Sousa, broke slowly and settled at the rear of the nine-runner field, patiently biding her time over the 1,400 meters.
Up front, Speed Of Sound (Sioux Nation) and Light Of Dawn engaged in a prolonged duel. Just as the favorite looked to have secured the upper hand, Pensando A Te launched a sweeping late run to change the entire picture right at the wire. Ruby Moon (No Nay Never), who also closed stoutly, finished third, narrowly missed by the runner-up.
Second on debut at Yarmouth before winning at Ascot, the filly took another significant leap in class. "My initial impression was that we had lost," admitted Botti, who is already eyeing the 1000 Guineas (G1). The plan is to grant her a winter rest before preparing her return in a spring prep race. While her family carries plenty of sprint speed, the composure she exhibited coming from off the pace feeds optimism about her ability to stretch out to a mile.
The Princess Royal Stakes (G3) also delivered a tight finish, with 4-year-old Coedana (King of Change) prevailing by half a length under Connor Beasley. Conditioned by Ed Bethell, the mare rallied from the back of the field and held firm in a four-way drive. Inis Mor (Galiway) took second, just ahead of Venetia (Lope de Vega). Her next target could be the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes (G1) at Ascot.
Earlier on the card, Alobayyah (Ghaiyyath) kicked off the stakes action with a 1 1/2-length victory in the Rosemary Stakes (L) under Tom Marquand for trainer William Haggas. A winner at Royal Ascot, she confirmed her affinity for straight courses, capping off a day filled with notable performances ahead of Saturday's feature event.
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