Talk Of New York Bursts Into The St James's Palace Picture

If it weren't for messrs Bow Echo and Gstaad, Talk Of New York may have been the talk of Royal Ascot if the way the son of Wootton Bassett went through Sandown's Listed Heron Stakes is a guide.

So impressive was Godolphin's much-vaunted son of the high-class Usherette (Shamardal) on Thursday evening, he may even be able to upset the big two or at least get in the argument in the St James's Palace Stakes for which this race is always a key guide. Produced to storm clear of his Horris Hill-winning stablemate Time To Turn (Dark Angel), the even-money favourite romped to a 5 1/2-length success, with a head back to useful yardstick Andab (Saxon Warrior) in third.

“He's improved in everything he's done and he picked up well and sustained it off that fast pace,” William Buick said of the TDN Rising Star. “He's more mature now and this is what he's been showing at home.”

Charlie Appleby added, “He's been given time and physically he's done so well for the break, mentally and physically. They went a good gallop and Will was always confident he was going to get there. The plan was always to miss the Guineas and go to the St James's Palace and I feel he deserves a chance to take on the Gstaads and Bow Echos of the world now.”

Talk Of New York 💨

All class in the @StarSports_Bet Heron Stakes! @Sandownpark pic.twitter.com/KDqZe0JHYy

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 28, 2026

Talk Of New York is the latest of four foals out of the aforementioned G2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes and G2 Dahlia Stakes winner and G1 Prix d'Ispahan third Usherette, with her filly Star Guest (Dubawi) having placed in Stakes company in Britain and the States.

Usherette is a full-sister to the Stakes winner and G3 Premio Elena E Sergio Cumani third Show Day and a half to the Stakes-winning GII Canadian Stakes runner-up Magnetic Charm (Exceed And Excel), herself the dam of the G3 Prestige Stakes third Hard To Resist (Dubawi). The family includes the Grand Prix de Paris-winning sire Vespone.

Thursday, Sandown, Britain
STAR SPORTS HERON STAKES-Listed, £60,000, Sandown, 5-28, 3yo, 8fT, 1:40.37, gd.
1–TALK OF NEW YORK (GB), 128, c, 3, by Wootton Bassett (GB)
                1st Dam: Usherette (Ire) (MGSW-Eng, SW & G1SP-Fr), by Shamardal
                2nd Dam: Monday Show, by Maria's Mon
                3rd Dam: La Sylphide (Swi), by Barathea (Ire)
TDN Rising Star. 1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O/B-Godolphin; T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £34,026. Lifetime Record: SP-UAE, 4-3-0-1, $94,110. *1/2 to Star Guest (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), SP-Eng & US.
2–Time To Turn (GB), 133, c, 3, Dark Angel (Ire)–Highland Dancer (Ire), by Galileo (Ire). O/B-Godolphin; T-Charlie Appleby. £12,900.
3–Andab (Ire), 131, g, 3, Saxon Warrior (Jpn)–Tickled Pink (Ire), by Invincible Spirit (Ire). (290,000gns Ylg '24 TATOCT). O-Al Shaqab Racing & Trevor Stewart; B-Trevor Stewart; T-Joseph O'Brien. £6,456.
Margins: 5HF, HD, 3 1/4. Odds: 1.00, 7.50, 8.00.
Also Ran: Wise Prince (Ire), Nation's Hope (Ire), Golden Knight (Ire), Maximized (GB), Yazin (GB). Scratched: Padraig Dawn (Ire).