Betway Joel Stakes (G2)
Newmarket - 25th September 2026
“He continues to mature and having finished so strongly on the climb up to the line on Friday afternoon, another go at Group 1 company, with a possible supplementary entry to the QEII at Ascot catching the eye in his trainer’s post-race interviews, looks likely to be on the cards”.
At the start of the year, when the focus was very much on Dubai, I had an idea that Talk of New York may well be the 2,000 Guineas winner. Things didn’t quite work out that way, but his performance in Friday’s G2 Betway Joel Stakes and the data that supports it has restored my confidence that he is one of the best of this year’s 3-year-old crop. Having finished less than 2 lengths behind Bow Echo in the St James’ Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot in June, he was entitled to win this race on the strength of that form alone and his narrow defeat in a Group 3 at Glorious Goodwood can easily be forgiven. Having been over a second behind the leader with 3 furlongs to run, Talk of New York was given a lot to do and despite finishing with a race best late speed figure and a very quick 10.67s for the 6th furlong, he couldn’t quite get on terms with the more positively ridden winner Shayem. Whatever may have happened at Goodwood, Talk of New York quickly made amends on Friday afternoon on the Rowley Mile and his connections must surely now have Group 1 aspirations back on the agenda.
The Joel Stakes field split into 2 groups and coming towards the stands side rail may well have worked in Talk of New York’s favour given that he has been quite keen at times in the past. A strong early pace that saw the leaders cover the opening half a mile in under 49s helped and once brought forward to make his challenge under William Buick, Talk of New York was quickly able to assert as he ran out a 4 length winner with a late speed figure of 37.96 mph. This was an ideal setup for the son of Wootton Bassett, who recorded an average stride length figure that was more than a foot longer than the TPD expected figure for a winner of this race. A fast pace that ultimately led to the quickest average speed figure recorded by any horse over a mile at Newmarket this year, including Bow Echo, meant that Talk of New York had the ideal early conditions that he needs to settle and relax. The ground clearly played it’s part too and a winning time of 1:34.30 was the fastest renewal of the Joel Stakes in the last 20 years and more than 3s quicker than Zeus Olympios had been on Good to Firm ground 12-months ago. Under these conditions, Talk of New York looked to be completely at ease and left his 6 rivals toiling in the closing stages.
The opposition may not have been at the same standard that Bow Echo and Gstaad set earlier in the year, but Talk of New York was comfortably on top as they came out of the dip and looked very bit the Group 1 horse that he promised to be at the start of the year. He continues to mature and having finished so strongly on the climb up to the line on Friday afternoon, another go at Group 1 company, with a possible supplementary entry to the QEII at Ascot catching the eye in his trainer’s post-race interviews, looks likely to be on the cards.