A mouth-watering card at York this afternoon will sign off another remarkable Ebor meeting. Our hearts were warmed as local father and daughter, Kevin and Amy Ryan, opened their account in the very first race. We’ve witnessed another dominant display from the brilliantly versatile Australia in the Juddmonte. Tiggy Wiggy showed both class and determination when making all in Lowther Stakes. Then, we were left gobsmacked, when Taghrooda failed to fend off a late challenge from Tapestry in the Yorkshire Oaks. Finally, we saw Richard Hughes produce one of the finest examples of jockeyship you’re ever likely to see as he weaved through the Nunthorpe Stakes field on Sole Power yesterday. With the final chapter still to be written, I can comfortably say that this year’s Ebor meeting will remain one of my fondest memories of the sport. 

Given that 22 line up in the Ebor Handicap, it will hardly come as a surprise to you that I’ve chosen to preview the Gimrack Stakes instead! With The Great War sadly missing out, 10 juveniles go to post in for the Group 2 contest over 6f.   

Tommy Stack doesn’t usually come across the Irish Sea just for a holiday, so he must be expecting big things from his unbeaten raider, Accepted (13/2). Having won on debut at The Currugh, he showed a most willing attitude to take a Listed contest at Tipparary last time over 5f. This longer trip will suit, but he simply hasn’t shown the level of form that some of these have as yet. The other two contenders looking to maintain their unbeaten records are Fendale (9/1) and Glenalmond (20/1), and whilst they have shown clear promise, similar comments can be applied. 

Jungle Cat (8/1) has been a model of consistency for Mark Johnson in his career to date, and since winning his maiden in good style at Goodwood, has placed in Group 2 company on three occasions. He has to be the each way bet of the race at that price, though he may yet again be following home one, or two, of Richard Hannon’s inmates.  

The Wiltshite trainer is a man whose opinion I’m sure you’d love to hear. He saddles both Baitha Alga (3/1) and Beacon (7/2).  With such little disparity in their price, and the fact that Frankie Dettori is retained for Al Shaqab Racing – meaning Richard Hughes has no choice but to ride Beacon – it’s difficult to gauge who the stable fancies most. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Richard Hannon himself wasn’t 100% sure who the more likely winner would be. One thing I am reasonably confident of, is that one of the will win!  

Baitha Alga has not been seen since his ultra-impressive Norfolk Stakes victory at Royal Ascot over 5f. Having already proven himself over this longer trip, he has fewest questions to answer. Though Beacon has never been this far his breeding and form suggest he’ll improve for it. Despite the 3lb penalty, my slight preference is for Frankie Dettori’s mount, BAITHA ALGA. The way he swept past the strong field at Royal Ascot is too difficult to ignore, and having been given a short break, is sure to improve again. Having said that, I wouldn’t discourage anyone that fancied the Hannon pair in a reverse forecast! 

Peter Chapple Hyam’s season has threatened to revive his career; the likes of Arod and Inchilla have come close to landing big prizes that would put the dual Derby winning trainer back on the map. He runs Ahlan Emarati (14/1), who also has the potential to win a big race and a return to 6f should benefit him. Although, there is little to sugest he can reverse the Norfolk Stakes form with Baitha Alga.

George Wells

We have another busy weekend of flat-racing action upon us with Shergar Cup day at Ascot; as well as an excellent card, incuding the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes, at the Curragh on Sunday. The race I’ll be previewing, however, is today’s Group 3 Rose of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock Park at 2:55pm.  

The Merseyside track has played host to some strong, competitive races over the last two days; and the highlight of the meeting’s final day should be no different. This year’s renewal fascinates me, with various form channels on show providing an intriguing puzzle.  

The current favourite, at around 7/2, is Sir Michael Stoute’s 4 year-old Hillstar. Few will deny that it’d be a deserved success for the son of Danehill Dancer should he get his head in-front, after finishing runner-up on each of his last three outings. All of those efforts represent rock-solid form, especially the most recent in which he split a pair of subsequent Glorious Goodwood winners in the Princess of Wales’ Stakes at HQ. The concern for Ryan Moore’s mount has to be the drop back in distance to the extended mile and a quarter, given that all of his best efforts over the last two seasons have been at a mile and a half or beyond.  

Nabucco (8/1) was giving away 3lbs to both Amralah (10/1) and Vancouverite (5/1) when finished 3rd behind that pair at Newbury; but meets them at level weights today and there may not be much between that re-opposing trio. Preference would be for the Godolphin inmate, Vancouverite, who was lacking race fitness on that occasion. Charlie Appleby’s lightly-raced colt ran creditably in a couple of Group 1’s in Dubai, and we may not have seen the best of him yet.  

Danadana (11/1) has to put a poor run in the York Stakes behind him if he’s to feature under Andrea Atzeni, while Ismail Mohammed’s Educate (6/1) brings some decent handicap form to the table and is the selection of the Value Horse Tips boys today, picking up 7/1 last night, and must run well too. 

TRUE STORY (9/2) is without doubt the most interesting of the 3 year-olds – who are all in receipt of 9lbs from their elder rivals. Saeed Bin Suroor, who won this in 2012 with Hunter’s Light, has endured a frustrating season with the once Derby ante-post favourite. A shock defeat in the Dante was followed by a modest 7th in the Derby; though his Eclipse fifth was certainly a step back in the right direction. The trip looks perfect, providing the pace is true; and if Kieren Fallon can get him to settle early, I can see him proving too strong for his eight rivals in this lesser grade. 

The curtain comes down on Glorious Goodwood for another year this afternoon, and it’s a little disappointing that the 3:15pm 1m 2f Nassau Stakes is to be contested by just 7 horses, without a Group 1 win between them. That said, we should see a competitive race and it’s difficult to completely discount any of the contenders. 

John Gosden has saddled the previous two winners of the race, and has both Eastern Belle and Sultanina bidding to make it a hat-trick. The former has steadily improved with some solid Maiden and Listed form to her name, though the sharp rise in class is likely to prove too difficult. William Buick has opted to ride Sultanina, who lost her unbeaten tag when finishing runner-up to yet another classy stablemate, Pomology, in the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks over a mile and a half. The main concern is the drop back in trip, as she needed every inch of the 12f at Haydock when winning the Pinnacle Stakes two starts back. 

French raider NARNIYN is a very interesting contender for Alain de Royer-Dupre and Christophe Soumillon. She pieced together a four-timer before finishing a respectable 4th in the Group 1 Prix de Saint Cloud just over a month ago and that form is just about the best on offer. She has never raced without ‘soft’ somewhere in the going description which may put some punters off. However, purely on pedigree, there is no obvious ground preference. The daughter of Dubawi will certainly not be inconvenienced by the forecast rain but should the track remain good-firm, her price of 7-2 still looks appealing to me.   

The biggest danger to the selection is likely to be Aidan O’Brien’s inconsistent Venus de Milo. The Irish handler seems to have finally decided her ideal trip, after a decent effort to finish 2nd in the Pretty Polly Stakes on her most recent outing. That was another relatively weak Group 1, but a repeat of that effort should see her make the frame at least. Mango Diva is another in with a shout, though it’s hard to get too excited about her form. I tend to think Sir Michael Stoute’s filly will be relying on below-par performances from the others at the head of the market if she’s to follow up her narrow Kilboy Estate Stakes victory, while Amazing Maria and Lustrous need to bounce back from tame efforts in the English and Irish Oaks respectively.