IMMORTAL BLISS AND TALKANCO TO FIGHT OUT THE GROUP 3 PRINCE OF WALES STAKES AT ASCOT

By Graham Potter | Thursday, October 29, 2026

Immortal Bliss, a two-time Listed race winner, will be looking to take the next step up the ladder and claim a Group 3 win when he contests the $200 000 Prince Of Wales Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.

The Daniel Morton trained son of I Am Immortal won both of those Listed races … in the Beaufine Stakes over 1000m and in the Belmont Newmarket over 1200m … in his last, three race preparation. (He finished fifth, but less than a length off the winner in the other start, the Listed HG Bolton over 1200m).

He was then freshened up and returned as a beaten favourite in the $1 million Golden Saddle at Kalgoorlie, finishing a well beaten third behind the runaway winner Want A Winner. He was held wide for much of the running and was left with too much ground to make up turning for home, but he also seemed to peak on his run late which suggests he was possibly was in need of the run after an eight week break from race action.

Interestingly enough, the eight time winner has only raced on three occasions from twenty-two starts at Ascot, where he has scored a win (over 1200m) and two third places (over 1000m and 1200m).

Lucy Fiore, who has ridden Immortal Bliss in all six starts since the five-year-old gelding transferred to the Morton yard earlier in the year, will again be in the saddle on Saturday. The six starts under Fiore has brought three wins and two third places.

Immortal Bliss is currently quoted as the second favourite at $3.70, being edged out in the betting by the Daniel and Ben Pearce trained Talkanco, a four time winning mare.

Talkanco certainly has winning credentials. She hit a hot spot of form in 2025 running up a very impressive, progressive hat trick of wins in the Group 3 Gimcrack over 1100m, the Group 2 Karrakatta over 1200m and the Max Simmonds Stakes over 1000m.

Only a well above average horse can do that.

Since then, Talkanco has raced eight times with her next win proving to be so near, yet so far. The daughter of I’m All The Talk has finished second on four occasions … three times in Listed races in the Burgess Queens Stakes, the WA Breeders’ Classic and the Pinjarra Classic … and once in a Group 3 in the WA Champion Fillies Stakes, never finishing more than 0.20 lengths behind the winner.

Throw in another third place in no less a contest then the $5 million Quokka, where Talkanco was only beaten home by Jigsaw and Ray Magnerio, and you arguably have as strong a form-line that you could have over this eight race period without landing a win.

Big runs, but no cigar.

Talkanco has also had a crack at Group 1 company where, while he did finish unplaced in the Goodwood at Morphettville, he was only two lengths off the winner.

With Lucy Fiore, who rode Talkanco in her last two starts, staying aboard Immortal Bliss, Brad Parnham, who last rode Talkanco five runs back in the WA Breeders in February, will reunite with the Pearce trained runner on Saturday.

Talkanco is clearly a very capable horse and, while there is no disputing the merit of those runs, the fact remains that it has been twelve months since he last saluted compared to his market rival Immortal Bliss who has won twice since July.

Food for thought.

It could be a close call between these two main fancies.