'He looked the winner the whole way round' - Tabletalk shows quality of the Derby field with impressive Melrose win

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The Derby might just have been a good race this year. Punters at York this week will certainly think so.

They cheered the winner and the third home here on Wednesday and some of them will have been on the tenth when he scored readily on the final day of the meeting.

Tabletalk may not quite have the ability of City Of Troy or Los Angeles, and was beaten 19 lengths at Epsom, where he started at 100-1.

But he is certainly a progressive three-year-old and he took the £170,000 Sky Bet Melrose Handicap in good style by a length and a quarter under Rossa Ryan.

"That was extremely pleasing," said trainer Tom Clover. "He looked the winner the whole way round. He'd been shaping up nicely at home and he seems to be improving.

"I was thrilled to see him handle the ground so well, as that was a slight question mark for me, and he stayed on strong over the trip."

Clover, whose Al Nayyir was short-headed by Vauban in the Lonsdale Cup on Friday, added: "Tabletalk is a very exciting prospect. It's great for the whole team at home who've worked very hard.

"He ran in the Derby and that was a really tough experience, so we gave him a bit of time. He's a big horse and I think he'll make up into a lovely four-year-old.

"He has a very patient owner who let me train him where we wanted to go. He ran a very good race at Ascot last time and he's come to himself nicely."

See The Fire follows mother's footsteps

Like mother, like daughter. It was not the prestige of Arabian Queen's 2015 Juddmonte International win, but See The Fire picked up a deserved big-race success in the Strensall Stakes.

Owned by Jeff Smith, like Arabian Queen, the three-year-old was denied a neck by Opera Singer in the Nassau Stakes last time. Having had to wait for a gap on the inside rail until the final furlong, she thrived when the space opened, winning by a length and three-quarters under Oisin Murphy.

See The Fire (Oisin Murphy) wins the Strensall StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"She was very good at Goodwood and deserved to win a decent race," Murphy said. "Hopefully, she'll now go on to better things. We don't need to remind people who her dam was when winning the Juddmonte. We knew she was bred for the job.

"She actually likes not having space, although she's not overly big. She enjoys tracking on to the back of them like she did at Goodwood, but then when it opened up she was electric."

Betfair Sportsbook and Paddy Power cut See The Fire to 6-1 (from 10) for the Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket in October, although the Prix de l'Opera at Longchamp on the same weekend could also be a target.

Murphy added: "I'd say we'll definitely be going for a Group 1 next."

It was a second Group-race victory of the week for Murphy and trainer Andrew Balding, having landed Friday's Gimcrack Stakes with Cool Hoof Luke.

They doubled up later on the card when Tropical Storm landed the Listed Roses Stakes.

Bouncing back

Connections of Elmonjed hailed the bravery of Tom Marquand after he guided the three-year-old to victory in the 6f handicap.

Marquand was unseated when Crystal Delight suffered a fatal injury in the Ebor, but got the leg-up in the following race and struck on the Shadwell Estates-owned 7-2 favourite.

Shadwell's racing manager Angus Gold said: "Tom's unbelievably tough and his other helmet was in tatters.

"The horse has been tough since he's had headgear put on him. He was idling without it and needed it to make him concentrate. It's very much one step at a time, but he could be good enough for a bigger prize in time."

Marquand was subsequently stood down by the racecourse doctor after the win.

Busker brilliance

Sir Busker, who had not won since the 2022 York Stakes, bounced back to his best in the concluding 1m2½f handicap.

He headed a one-two for trainer William Knight and Kennett Valley Syndicates, who also had the runner-up Dual Identity.

Sam Hoskins, representing the syndicate, said: "This is unbelievable. What a great job William has done. I'm so pleased for the syndicate and for Sir Busker, who's such a legend."

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