Day three at York centres around opposite ends of the trip spectrum with the top races featuring the country's best stayers followed by the best sprinters serving up a fantastic Friday on the Knavesmire.
A heritage handicap over a mile and half kicks off day three.
Kevin Ryan took Wednesday's opener and he has good claims of doing the same today courtesy of THUNDERING. Despite receiving plenty of weight, he made subsequent Ascot winner Pride of Priory pull out all the stops to hold him by a head at Newcastle four weeks ago. THUNDERING has gone up 5lb but the winner is up 11lb so there are reasons to think this 3yo has plenty more left to give. His previous win over this trip at Newcastle had subsequent winners in second, fourth and fifth too and at a double figure price under Josephine Gordon and the 9lb weight for age allowance, he can’t go unbacked.
Newmarket raiders Juan De Montalban, who impressed in victory at Ascot, and William Haggas’ Mahrajaan will be popular, while Cormier is well treated on the flat on his hurdles mark and took advantage of that at Chester recently. Up 8lb, he may still have room for manoeuvre back on the level.
Stradivarius will be the star turn of the day in the Lonsdale Cup with his great Goodwood effort still fresh in the memory. Pending retirement talk has now been put on the backburner by owner Bjorn Nielsen as he bids for a fourth success in this staying contest.
He is six from six at York and you could argue is unlucky not to be unbeaten this season with things not panning out his way at Royal Ascot, but I’m happy to swerve him at cramped odds.
Likewise, Trueshan, who we know is much better with cut in the ground and ran a stormer at Goodwood in the circumstances. He was well beaten on his only start here at York in the 2020 Ebor, and despite being clear top rated, that has come on his favoured conditions which he is unlikely to get, and I can overlook him too.
Behind this pair at Goodwood was COLTRANE, who looked a fast-improving stayer when winning the Ascot Stakes and then a ten-length success at Sandown last month. He made a big move between three and two out at Goodwood but couldn’t sustain it as the leading contenders quickened again. If Rob Hornby can bide his time a little more, he can get a lot closer to the main pair and we know he likes York having won the Melrose here as a 3yo in 2020. He also had an entry in the Ebor on Saturday, but connections clearly feel they have great claims of taking this Group 2 prize.
The Gimcrack is one of the leading juvenile races of the season and many will latch onto Royal Scotsman here on the back of his triumph in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood. He made it two from two at that track and the form of the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot is very solid, but he is asked to carry a 3lb penalty here against promising rivals.
Noble Style impressed at Ascot back in May but was off until winning at Newmarket three weeks ago suggesting not all has been well. He did it nicely at HQ, but that form was let down a little in the Acomb Stakes on Wednesday by Mill Stream.
The one to be on for me is the Nick Bradley owned, Karl Burke trained MARSHMAN. Wins at Ayr and Thirsk are a long way from Gimcrack standard, but the handicapper has given him a mark of 100 on account of his eight-length win at the latter track last Thursday.
Usually, the form of those contests is questionable, but he had rivals who had shown promise in northern maidens way back in his wake. He doesn’t have the group form of many in this line up but his rating after just two starts entitles him to take his place here and he could upset the lot of them.
3.35 YORK – THE PLATINUM QUEEN*
The fastest horses in the country will fly down the flying five furlongs of the Knavesmire in the Nunthorpe stakes.
Royal Acclaim has been the talking horse since her course and distance win here six weeks ago. She progressed from a pair of novice wins and took the step up in her stride. Now she is at the top level on just her fourth start but prices of around 7/4 look far too short in a stellar field. She had last year's winner Winter Power well beaten last month but she hasn’t been at her best since winning this contest and the time of that listed contest wasn’t great, with generally handicappers just behind her.
Highfield Princess comes here two weeks after her Prix Maurice De Gheest success, where she dominated off a slow pace and sprinted away. She won the Duke Of York Stakes here in May too, proving she handles the track but was beaten on her only start at the minimum trip and some may just have too much toe for her.
One of those may be the juvenile THE PLATINUM QUEEN who has been supplemented sportingly by connections for £40,000. She is bidding to emulate Kingsgate Native who was the last juvenile to win this group one back in 2007. She gets a massive weight and sex allowance (22lb from Royal Aclaim and 27lb off most of the rest of the field) and Hollie Doyle could be in the fastest ride of her life.
Her only defeat came at Royal Ascot behind Dramatised when held up. On her next start here at York, she blasted from the stalls and won by almost four lengths in a quick time, less than a second outside standard. Next up she headed to Goodwood and broke the juvenile track record, recording a time of 10.05 seconds for one of her five furlongs. The clock doesn’t lie and having already proved herself at the track, she could take plenty of pegging back in receipt of so much weight.
Flotus and Khaadem come here on the back of good last time out wins and have claims while at a price, Group 1 winning juvenile Ebro River could go well on the back of his listed Chester win three weeks ago.
Regular readers of this column will know I have a sweet spot for BOLTHOLE and we will be ploughing back in with him in the ‘lucky last’ on Friday.
Connections reach for the tongue tie, suggesting his breathing may have prevented him from finishing strongly at Goodwood last time where he burst through on the inner but couldn’t quite sustain the run. There was no disgrace in going down to Ajero (runs Sandown on Saturday) and the fourth home has gone and won since. He has gone up 3lb and Jamie Spencer returns in the saddle. Coming off a quick pace at a mile could be his forte and the Cambridgeshire could be his ideal target, and victory here should ensure a run for him in that cavalry charge.
Operating seeks a hat-trick for Coolmore, the Gosden’s and Ryan Moore and is up 8lb for his recent Nottingham success while Godolphin and William Haggas also house leading contenders in Bay Of Honour and Golden Voice, but the faith is kept in BOLTHOLE.
*18+ | BeGambleAware
