Burke eyes American trip for Shayem after Thoroughbred success

Karl Burke is eyeing a trip to America with Shayem after he denied the fast-finishing favourite Talk Of New York in the HKJC World Pool Thoroughbred Stakes.

Having finished third behind Wednesday’s Sussex Stakes one-two Bow Echo and Gstaad in the St James’s Palace at Royal Ascot, this Group Three contest looked a gilt-edged opportunity for Charlie Appleby’s Talk Of New York to get back on the winning trail and he was priced up accordingly as the 2-5 market leader.

But while his stablemate Catullus was deployed in a pacemaking role in an attempt to ensure a sound gallop, the favourite was still keen during the early exchanges under William Buick and it then took him a while to find top gear once asked to close the gap.

Karl Burke’s Shayem – winner of the Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket three weeks ago – was always in the prime position behind Catullus and after grabbing the lead racing inside the final half-furlong, he had enough in hand to keep Talk Of New York at bay by half a length in the hands of Clifford Lee.

“We don’t have to lead, but we knew Billy (Loughnane, riding Catullus) was going to go off a nice gallop and Cliff was the only one really to keep tabs on the leader,” said Burke.

“Last year, you would have said that he was a soft ground horse but he has proven otherwise this year. We had no qualms about the ground or the track as he handled the undulations at Newmarket well.

“Cliff is very good with his fractions. It was a great performance and Abdulrazaq (Mohamdi, owner) will be delighted as he’s a homebred horse as well. He’s a great supporter of ours from Dubai.

“There is a nice race at Kentucky Downs for him in September and one at Colonial Downs as well. I don’t think they are Grade Ones but they are very valuable races and if if we don’t go there, we could come back for the Celebration Mile.”

Appleby will let the dust settle on Talk Of New York’s disappointing defeat before considering his next move.

He said: “At the top of the hill I thought they’d have to go a bit to go past the lead horse because he’s no mug and he likes the track. Stretching to the mile was always going to be the undoing of Catullus – stop the clock a furlong out and we were a comfortable winner.

“William said himself, the front two stole a good march on him and they’re two sensible horses. We knew that Catullus was not going to see the mile out eventually but Will said ‘I was only just getting rolling there the last furlong’

“I’m not using the track as an excuse, I think the winner is sensible and is improving, he’s done everything right, got a nice lead from us and used it, and we’ve gone and finished the race off.

“You could say do we need to step up in trip? Possibly. But he has got to learn to settle a little bit as well – that first furlong he does want to be a little bit aggressive, but I don’t think that was really the undoing of the race to be fair. The pace was on and they weren’t coming back at the end of the day.”