British-bred Talking About You followed up her Listed Aintree win in great style at Taunton on Wednesday with a similarly game effort to win the Listed Byerley Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle.
Again partnered by Harry Bannister, the Sean Curran-trained mare seized control from the outset to make every yard a winning one. Favourite Perfect Myth tried to make a race of it under Bryony Frost but was unable to head a determined Talking About You, who raced clear for a two-and-a-quarter length success despite making a mistake at the last.
Will Victory stayed on to take second, five-and-a-half lengths clear of Perfect Myth in third.
The tough Talking About You was one of only two three-year-olds in the race and was winning for the fourth time in nine starts over hurdles. She is clearly thriving on racing, however, and jockey Harry Bannister was quick to pay credit to the handling of her connections.
“It’s great,” he told Racing TV. “I was very fortunate to pick the ride up at Aintree. She’s been on the go a while and it seems now that she’s a bit more tractable at the start – I think she’s really now got the hang of it.
“I didn’t feel she was as good today as she was Aintree. The ground is much more testing and obviously she does everything off the front end. She hasn’t jumped as fluently today – she’s given a flick after the last but gone away again.
“She isn’t necessarily the most straightforward. But credit to Sean, he’s got her in a really good place and long may it continue.”
Talking About You was bred by her former trainer Mick Channon out of the Mastercraftsman mare Ificaniwill, an unraced relation to Irish St Leger winner Septimus. She is the latest feather in the cap for Sixties Icon, a very effective stallion on the Flat, particularly for Channon, at Norman Court Stud in Wiltshire whose previous successful jumpers include another classy mare in Buildmeupbuttercup.
Sixties Icon will stand for £1,000 in 2021.
