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THREE-YEAR-OLD’S attempting to win the Ebor Handicap (York, 3.35) has long since been a thing of the past, as with so much prize money up for grabs, the older horses have ruled the roost since way back to 2002.
This time around this big field, the extended 13.5f handicap will once again go to an “older” horse with the top weight set to be carried by Relentless Voyager off a mark of 108 and no less than 13 horses set to try to defy marks of 100 plus and another three off 99.
Queenstown represents the best of the Irish staying form having twice finished behind the Ascot Gold Cup winner and stable mate Kyprios this season, and a rating of 107 probably represents that form accurately, but it will be surprising if an up and coming stayer cannot take his number and that of the Andrew Balding-trained top weight as well.
The Henry De Bromhead-trained Magical Zoe is the entry most open to improvement on the level having run just the three times and achieved a high level of form over hurdles, rated as high as 144. I am not so sure that her Group Three third in the Challenge Stakes is all that hot though, and the majority of her best runs have come with some give in the ground and plenty more to boot.
So, I am going to hang my hat on the relatively unexposed EPIC POET (nap) who has made steady progress through 13 career starts and looked as though he was crying out for a test at this trip when running on late two and a half lengths second to Crystal Black in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot, and then finishing off nicely behind Enfjaar in the Cup here over an extended 10 furlongs last month.
He has been kept back since that run on July 13 by David O’Meara and off a 3lbs higher mark of 100, he still looks nicely treated and looks sure to come on for this extra quarter of a mile. Anything in the region of 8/1 looks a fair representation of his chance here with plenty more to come out of his staying locker.
Of his other rivals, I have the most regard for Kihavah, further behind in the Cup, but way better over a staying trip, and Sea King who wasn’t seen to best effect over the Ripon undulations and will surely be seen to way better effect over this flat galloping mile and three-quarters. Sir Mark Prescott’s charge could well be worth a back up play in the region of 33/1 which with the enhanced place terms with most of the bookmakers smacks you between the eye balls as a solid piece of each-way value.
The aforementioned Enfjaar tries to make it three from four this season in the opening Group Three Strensall Stakes, and 6/1 will be viewed by many to be an each-way play to nothing. However, I fancy connections will be praying for a drop of rain and more as his as his only run on fast ground resulted in a moderate run when 11th of 15 in the Jersey Stakes.
The nod goes to ALYANAABI who ran a solid race when fifth in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket and then simply didn’t stay 10 furlongs in the Steventon Stakes last time out at Newbury. This return to a bigger field, fast ground and faster end-to-end gallop will be much more up his street and he is hardly a huge price. I fancy he will improve again before the season is out and have the legs of the disappointing Task Force (7th in the 2,000 Guineas) and game Goodwood winner Haunted Dream.
The three-year-old Ebor, the Melrose Handicap at 2.25, looks just as competitive as the main event with most bookmakers offering 7/1 the field. Sun God is a nicely handicapped stayer at the bottom of the weights for Hughie Morrison but I’m not sure he is crying out so much for this test of trip, and an equally each-way value play could well come in the form of the very lightly raced MASTER BUILDER.
David Menuisier’s charge seems to be a grand stayer in the making and looked a nice sort when out battling Andrew Balding’s Subsequent at Salisbury in a mile-and-a-quarter novice event. The runner-up has since gone on to win of novice at Haydock, and a handicap off 84 and then looked unlucky in a tough race at Glorious Goodwood.
Of course Balding will have a good line to that form through his two entries, Tactician and Wild Waves, but the bigger threat to the selection could be Imperial Sovereign, who lost a shoe when down the field in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot.
Later on, LAKE FOREST is taken to run down Audience in the City of York Stakes at 3.00, while ADMIRAL D could go well at a huge price when he lines up in the 19-runner Constantine Handicap at 4.10. He was given a short break by Richard Fahey to freshen him up for this contest and came back with a promising sixth of 15 behind Trilby at Haydock Park, which should have put him spot on for this. Great St Wilfrid fourth Summerghand and Dark Thirty (far from disgraced in the Stewards Cup) should both run well in a wickedly competitive event at the back end of the card.
There is also a superb meeting at Goodwood with the feature being the Celebration Mile Stakes in which LEAD ARTIST may well be able to back up his game success in the Thoroughbred Stakes at the Glorious meeting.
On a card with plenty of competitive events, the best of the bigger priced horses has to be ALLIGATOR ALLEY in the five furlong handicap due off at 4.55. He returned to winning form off a career low mark at Thirsk of 79 and then didn’t have the race run to suit when a close up sixth at Windsor last time out.
GOOLOOGONG (4.25) is simply too well handicapped in the mile and six handicap having recently fallen from a mark of 95 to 76. He only backed out of contention at the three furlong pole in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap stakes here at the beginning of the month and this set-up over a shorter trip looks much more his cup of tea.
