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1.55 York – Symphony Group Stakes (Handicap)
As ever, The Ebor Festival gets underway with a devilishly difficult cavalry charge where most of the field have a realistic chance. Boom The Groom is likely to have a raft of followers after landing a big gamble at Goodwood last month. Tony Carroll’s charge has proven to be a much better proposition on the all-weather throughout his career but he looked to be well at home on turf last time despite that being his first win on grass since landing a Fairyhouse maiden on his racecourse debut for David Marnane over three years ago. A 4lb rise for his latest success seems relatively fair but following up in a race as competitive as this off a career-high mark will be no mean feat.
Bowson Fred finished third behind him that day and has been most consistent all season. His improvement as a four-year-old has been notable and although he now finds himself on a mark 22lb higher than when starting the campaign, he has proven the last twice that he can still be competitive. He is a perennial front runner and sees his races out really well but does have the tendency to get a bit wound up on the way to the start and has blown his chances with tardy breaks in the past.
His stablemate Hoofalong has found life tough the last twice but if recapturing the form that saw him land the Scottish Sprint Cup at Musselburgh back in June, he could have a role to play. However, he is another that turns out to be his own worst enemy at times and may just be handicapped to the hilt at present.
Duke of Firenze ran a blinder to finish third behind the Mick Easterby inmate on that occasion and bounced back from a couple of lacklustre efforts when a close up fifth in the Stewards’ Cup last time out. That was especially impressive given that five furlongs has always been his trip and the half a furlong drop back here will be in his favour. The assessor may still have him in his grip though.
Paul Midgley often pops up with one in the valuable sprint handicaps and he has a couple of chances here. Line of Reason looks to hold the strongest claims having stayed on well into second in the Shergar Cup Dash earlier in the month. That was his first run back in a handicap for over a year and the six-year-old proved that a mark of 105 doesn’t look insurmountable. His stablemate Ninjago was way back in ninth that day and although he continues to tumble down the handicap, he looks particularly out of form and can only be watched until showing signs of a revival.
Union Rose finished eighth in the same Ascot heat but as has been all too frequent an occurrence, Ron Harris’ charge damaged his chances before the start. If on a going day, he is a real contender, but does prove to be a particularly risky proposition given temperament seems to be getting the better of him.
Kevin Ryan landed back-to-back renewals of this in 2013 & 2014 and has only a sole representative this time around with Lexington Abbey. The five-year-old has remained in form since bagging a Nottingham conditions event on his seasonal bow back in April and was a decent fifth over a furlong further in the Sky Bet Dash. His four career wins have all been at Nottingham though so although he could well finish in the frame, that may be the best we could expect from him.
Two starts back he finished a close up third in a valuable handicap at Ascot and that race could prove to be a good marker here. ROYAL BIRTH just came out on top that day, taking advantage of his much lower turf mark. He proved that to be no fluke though when finishing a good third in a similar contest next time out and has been dropped 1lb on the back of that effort. His all-weather mark is 6lb higher than the 94 he races off here and given that he has now proven his effectiveness on turf, he is a major player.
Robot Boy split the two in the aforementioned Ascot race and showed his best form for some time in the process. He has lined up in this contest for each of the last two years and was fourth off 6lb higher back in 2014. He has won off a much higher mark in the past and I think there will be a big race to be won with him sooner rather than later.
Another that had been knocking on the door bagging a valuable pot was Harry Hurricane prior to his win over course and distance in the Spring Sprint back in May. He had excuses the next twice, when drawn on the wrong side in the Epsom Dash and stumbling at the start at Ascot, and showed that he remained in top form when fifth behind Boom The Groom last time out. He was slowly away that day and wasn’t beaten all that far in the end so a 1lb drop in the handicap looks pretty generous. He is a big danger.
My Advice
ROYAL BIRTH– 0.75pt e/w @ 10/1 (Bet365, William Hill, Paddy Power)
2.30 York – Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (Group 3)
This race often throws up a smart performer and this year’s race looks to have the same potential with a number of interesting colts taking their chance.
The likely market leader is Hugo Palmer’s Best Of Days who may have been slowly away from the stalls at Sandown on his debut, but there was nothing slow about the way he came home. He cruised into the lead on the bridle under Jim Crowley and once he was shaken up inside the final furlong, he stretched clear to win by six lengths at the line. He has since been purchased by Godolphin so will wear the familiar royal blue silks for the first time here and he has entries in the Champagne Stakes and the Royal Lodge later in the campaign. The form of his maiden win hasn’t worked out too well in recent weeks and for all he was well on top at the line, I personally think he is short enough at around the 7/4 mark.
Aidan O’Brien hasn’t won this race since 2000 and that is largely due to the fact that he tends not to send his best juveniles over for it. This year he is represented by Courage Under Fire who turned in a career best when second to stablemate Caravaggio in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh. The quicker ground made all the difference on that occasion and he should relish similar conditions here, however he failed to get home over 7f on his penultimate start and 6f might be as far as he wants to go at the moment.
On official ratings, the highest-rated member of the field is Mark Johnston’s Bear Valley who defied a sizeable weight to win a valuable nursery at Goodwood’s Glorious meeting a few weeks ago. The colt appears to be improving with racing and he beat two useful stablemates in pretty ready fashion on that occasion. This step into Group company promises to be a different kettle of fish and for all he sets a pretty high standard, I think he will find one or two too good on the day.
Richard Hannon’s Majeste has been well-supported on both of his starts to date and he got off the mark at the second attempt when winning at Newbury in July. The Acclamation colt only got into top gear in the last half furlong and he shaped as though a step up to seven furlongs would suit him. He is another with a number of lofty entries but the Hannon team don’t have the greatest of records in this so it might be best to look elsewhere.
The one that stands out is LOCKHEED who ran very well on his debut at Ascot but just bumped into the smart Frankel colt Seven Heavens. He made no mistake when winning at Goodwood last time and although he only won by half a length, I’m not entirely convinced he handled the track at Goodwood too well. He showed a good turn of foot once he got out into the clear and I think a more conventional track like York should suit him a bit better. His trainer William Haggas has won this race twice in the last five years so he knows what sort of horse it takes and with further improvement to come from this colt, he gets the nod in what looks an open race.
We should also mention the two Kevin Ryan colts in the line-up Syphax and Tommy Taylor as the yard like to have winners here on the Knavesmire. The latter won over course and distance in July before being narrowly beaten in a handicap a couple of weeks ago and will need to step forward to contend here. However, the first named did almost everything wrong on his debut at Musselburgh but still managed to win in cosy fashion at the line. He cost 100,000 euros at the sales and he appeals most of those at bigger prices.
My Advice
LOCKHEED – 1pt win @ 5/1 (Paddy Power)
As ever, The Ebor Festival gets underway with a devilishly difficult cavalry charge where most of the field have a realistic chance. Boom The Groom is likely to have a raft of followers after landing a big gamble at Goodwood last month. Tony Carroll’s charge has proven to be a much better proposition on the all-weather throughout his career but he looked to be well at home on turf last time despite that being his first win on grass since landing a Fairyhouse maiden on his racecourse debut for David Marnane over three years ago. A 4lb rise for his latest success seems relatively fair but following up in a race as competitive as this off a career-high mark will be no mean feat.
Bowson Fred finished third behind him that day and has been most consistent all season. His improvement as a four-year-old has been notable and although he now finds himself on a mark 22lb higher than when starting the campaign, he has proven the last twice that he can still be competitive. He is a perennial front runner and sees his races out really well but does have the tendency to get a bit wound up on the way to the start and has blown his chances with tardy breaks in the past.
His stablemate Hoofalong has found life tough the last twice but if recapturing the form that saw him land the Scottish Sprint Cup at Musselburgh back in June, he could have a role to play. However, he is another that turns out to be his own worst enemy at times and may just be handicapped to the hilt at present.
Duke of Firenze ran a blinder to finish third behind the Mick Easterby inmate on that occasion and bounced back from a couple of lacklustre efforts when a close up fifth in the Stewards’ Cup last time out. That was especially impressive given that five furlongs has always been his trip and the half a furlong drop back here will be in his favour. The assessor may still have him in his grip though.
Paul Midgley often pops up with one in the valuable sprint handicaps and he has a couple of chances here. Line of Reason looks to hold the strongest claims having stayed on well into second in the Shergar Cup Dash earlier in the month. That was his first run back in a handicap for over a year and the six-year-old proved that a mark of 105 doesn’t look insurmountable. His stablemate Ninjago was way back in ninth that day and although he continues to tumble down the handicap, he looks particularly out of form and can only be watched until showing signs of a revival.
Union Rose finished eighth in the same Ascot heat but as has been all too frequent an occurrence, Ron Harris’ charge damaged his chances before the start. If on a going day, he is a real contender, but does prove to be a particularly risky proposition given temperament seems to be getting the better of him.
Kevin Ryan landed back-to-back renewals of this in 2013 & 2014 and has only a sole representative this time around with Lexington Abbey. The five-year-old has remained in form since bagging a Nottingham conditions event on his seasonal bow back in April and was a decent fifth over a furlong further in the Sky Bet Dash. His four career wins have all been at Nottingham though so although he could well finish in the frame, that may be the best we could expect from him.
Two starts back he finished a close up third in a valuable handicap at Ascot and that race could prove to be a good marker here. ROYAL BIRTH just came out on top that day, taking advantage of his much lower turf mark. He proved that to be no fluke though when finishing a good third in a similar contest next time out and has been dropped 1lb on the back of that effort. His all-weather mark is 6lb higher than the 94 he races off here and given that he has now proven his effectiveness on turf, he is a major player.
Robot Boy split the two in the aforementioned Ascot race and showed his best form for some time in the process. He has lined up in this contest for each of the last two years and was fourth off 6lb higher back in 2014. He has won off a much higher mark in the past and I think there will be a big race to be won with him sooner rather than later.
Another that had been knocking on the door bagging a valuable pot was Harry Hurricane prior to his win over course and distance in the Spring Sprint back in May. He had excuses the next twice, when drawn on the wrong side in the Epsom Dash and stumbling at the start at Ascot, and showed that he remained in top form when fifth behind Boom The Groom last time out. He was slowly away that day and wasn’t beaten all that far in the end so a 1lb drop in the handicap looks pretty generous. He is a big danger.
My Advice
ROYAL BIRTH– 0.75pt e/w @ 10/1 (Bet365, William Hill, Paddy Power)
2.30 York – Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (Group 3)
This race often throws up a smart performer and this year’s race looks to have the same potential with a number of interesting colts taking their chance.
The likely market leader is Hugo Palmer’s Best Of Days who may have been slowly away from the stalls at Sandown on his debut, but there was nothing slow about the way he came home. He cruised into the lead on the bridle under Jim Crowley and once he was shaken up inside the final furlong, he stretched clear to win by six lengths at the line. He has since been purchased by Godolphin so will wear the familiar royal blue silks for the first time here and he has entries in the Champagne Stakes and the Royal Lodge later in the campaign. The form of his maiden win hasn’t worked out too well in recent weeks and for all he was well on top at the line, I personally think he is short enough at around the 7/4 mark.
Aidan O’Brien hasn’t won this race since 2000 and that is largely due to the fact that he tends not to send his best juveniles over for it. This year he is represented by Courage Under Fire who turned in a career best when second to stablemate Caravaggio in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh. The quicker ground made all the difference on that occasion and he should relish similar conditions here, however he failed to get home over 7f on his penultimate start and 6f might be as far as he wants to go at the moment.
On official ratings, the highest-rated member of the field is Mark Johnston’s Bear Valley who defied a sizeable weight to win a valuable nursery at Goodwood’s Glorious meeting a few weeks ago. The colt appears to be improving with racing and he beat two useful stablemates in pretty ready fashion on that occasion. This step into Group company promises to be a different kettle of fish and for all he sets a pretty high standard, I think he will find one or two too good on the day.
Richard Hannon’s Majeste has been well-supported on both of his starts to date and he got off the mark at the second attempt when winning at Newbury in July. The Acclamation colt only got into top gear in the last half furlong and he shaped as though a step up to seven furlongs would suit him. He is another with a number of lofty entries but the Hannon team don’t have the greatest of records in this so it might be best to look elsewhere.
The one that stands out is LOCKHEED who ran very well on his debut at Ascot but just bumped into the smart Frankel colt Seven Heavens. He made no mistake when winning at Goodwood last time and although he only won by half a length, I’m not entirely convinced he handled the track at Goodwood too well. He showed a good turn of foot once he got out into the clear and I think a more conventional track like York should suit him a bit better. His trainer William Haggas has won this race twice in the last five years so he knows what sort of horse it takes and with further improvement to come from this colt, he gets the nod in what looks an open race.
We should also mention the two Kevin Ryan colts in the line-up Syphax and Tommy Taylor as the yard like to have winners here on the Knavesmire. The latter won over course and distance in July before being narrowly beaten in a handicap a couple of weeks ago and will need to step forward to contend here. However, the first named did almost everything wrong on his debut at Musselburgh but still managed to win in cosy fashion at the line. He cost 100,000 euros at the sales and he appeals most of those at bigger prices.
My Advice
LOCKHEED – 1pt win @ 5/1 (Paddy Power)
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