The horse racing broadcaster provides his four selections for the final day of the York Ebor Festival, including a pick from Saturday's racing at Chester.
The final day of York’s Ebor meeting with another five races from the Knavesmire being supported by a couple from Chester to provide seven races on ITV.
Ever since KLASSLEADER 13/2 (15:35 York) won here at the Dante meeting he has been my Ebor horse and I see no reason to desert him now. He has only run once since, when well held at Newmarket, but he has massive frame to grow into and a return to a flat track will be a big plus. The rain from earlier in the week will suit and has just taken any sting out of the ground, which may dry back by Saturday, and William Haggas given his Yorkshire pedigree targets this meeting. He has already proven his stamina at 1m 6f and has a nice middle draw to keep his options open, and William has judged it well so that he did not need another run in order to get into the field.
Haggas also has a decent chance in the three-year-old Ebor – the Melrose, where he saddles Goodwood winner Infraad, and the presence of Limestone gives him a perfect racing weight but he is quite short given the number of improvers in the field who may not have fully shown their hand. One of those is BAY OF STARS 11/1 (14:25 York) who has placed in handicaps at Leopardstown and Down Royal, giving the impression he will be suited by the extra two furlongs here. With Colin Keane unable to do 8st 4lb, Ray Dawson takes the mount, his first for Juddmonte since 2022 and his first for Dermot Weld. His sire New Bay is very versatile as regards ground and he can continue the owner’s success at a meeting which is so important to them.
The feature race is the City of York which is run as Group 1 for the second time and has attracted a strong field, but the ground and form of a couple of yards mean there are a few with questions to answer. Cut in the ground is a query for Lake Forest whilst Ed Walker and Eve Johnson-Houghton have just both hit quiet spells, though Ed did go very close with Almaqam in the Juddmonte International. Had the rain continued there might have been a case for a real shock but given the prices the vote has to go to the proven Group 1 horse in the field in NOTABLE SPEECH 3/1 (15:00 York). Charlie Appleby has been notable by his absence with runners this week and Notable Speech has such a potent turn of foot that deep ground would have been a concern, but he handled good to soft when second in the Jacques Le Marois in France last year and it is interesting connections have chosen this race rather than a repeat bid in France. Notable Speech was forced outside his comfort zone when dropped to sprinting in the July Cup last season but the tempo of 7f race looks ideal and he will no doubt be given time to find his feet and unleash the turn of foot which has saw him so impressive in the Lockinge earlier on in the season.
The last of the 20 races covered by ITV from York this week is the Constantine handicap over 6f where DANCE IN THE STORM 3/1 (16:10 York) can round off a great few days for Andrew Balding. It is a family the yard know well and it is slightly surprising that so far Jeff Smith’s horse has been campaigned exclusively around 7f when so many of the family have excelled at sprinting (her grand dam is Nunthorpe winner Lochsong). She is drawn nicely in stall 11 to cover the pace on either side and could still be ahead of the handicapper.
Away from York, YANIFER 15/2 (14:05 Chester) could get loose on the lead in the 7 1/2f handicap. He won at the track over this trip off a higher mark last August and Harriet Bethell is an under rated trainer (92/620 A/E 1.24).
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