Talk Of New York is aiming to punch his ticket for the St James's Palace Stakes at Sandown on May 28 after working at Newmarket on Saturday morning.
The three-year-old son of Wootton Bassett impressed in victory at the Craven Meeting when winning a conditions race by three lengths (see free video replay, below) and he worked under William Buick over seven furlongs along with several stablemates under the watchful eye of trainer Charlie Appleby.
He's all set to go for the Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown on their Brigadier Gerard evening meeting next on Thursday May 28 and he could be joined in the race by a couple of stablemates.
Nations Hope and Time To Turn could also run in the Heron.
Appleby said: “He’s on for the Heron Stakes. We’re pleased with his work there, it was always the plan to go to the Heron after the Craven meeting. We want to step him up to a mile but more importantly we want to get him on a turn as well.
“It would be the plan to go for the St James’s Palace Stakes [at Royal Ascot] after that if all goes to plan in the Heron.
“It could be the hottest race of the year, so he’ll have to win the Heron with plenty of authority to pencil himself in as a serious contender.
“Highland Avenue led Nations Hope up there who we haven’t seen since last year. He’s done very well for the winter. He’s a Ghaiyyath that I wanted to give a bit of time to, he was a light-framed horse and he’s a half-brother to Nations Pride.
“I was pleased with that work. He could go to the Heron, as well.
“Time To Turn is a sharper individual, but again he needs to get out now and he could go to the Heron too, so we could have three in the race.
“It’s that time of year, you’ve got to get the runs into them and it’s tricky to place them."
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Also working over 10 furlongs at Newmarket on Saturday were Arabian Crown and Ancient Wisdom.
Arabian Crown was last seen racing at Windsor when winning a Listed race last August and is five now, while Ancient Wisdom is the same age and also hasn't been out this year.
Appleby said of the older duo: “Arabian Crown and Ancient Wisdom came up, they are a long way off yet, but it was nice of Newmarket to allow us to go a mile and a quarter, get some yardage into their legs.
“The thing with those pair is they need a bit of juice in the ground. They are two typical Dubawis with a knee action. You could look at Ascot for something like the Wolferton if the ground is right.
“They’re not ground dependent but you’d want to run them somewhere with a bit of juice in the ground, so they could be an option (going to France or Germany).”
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