13:50, Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Handicap
Air Force One 15/2, 1pt each-way (6 places with Bet365)
It's not exactly the easiest race in which to start a long, tricky week but here we are with a 22 runner cavalry charge over York's straight track to tackle. Sprint handicaps at York are notoriously difficult to find the winner of and this year's renewal of the festival opener looks no different. There's any number of course specialists and in form horses, without many looking well in. It could be that Air Force One finally lands his pot this year. 3rd in this race last year, the consistent 5 year old continues to hold his form well and is now better off with Statusnine for his defeat here last time out. Geoff Oldroyd's gelding will have no doubt been primed for this given connections and stall 5 looks a nice berth.
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14:25, Tattersalls Acomb Stakes
Haffner 7/4, 2pts win
Perhaps not the strongest renewal of the Acomb and it seems unlikely we will see a classic winner here as we did 2 years ago when Ruling Court was 3rd to The Lion In Winter. Many are unexposed but the Coolmore colt, Haffner sets a pretty high standard after his narrow defeat in the Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood 22 days ago. This track promises to suit better and the son of Justify must hold huge chances of going one better on the Knavesmire.
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15:00, Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes
Maltese Cross 2/1, 2pts win
2 years on the trot the Voltigeur has attracted the Derby winner and again it looks set to be a prep for the bigger prize of the St Leger next month at Doncaster. Nonetheless, Epsom hero Christmas Day must have a big chance here despite the 5 pound penalty. He's classy but has plenty of stamina and will be a tough nut to crack. The recent rain will be a welcome sight for backers but there is a suspicion that the son of Camelot won't be at fever pitch for this, neither would Pierre Bonard who also holds Leger aspirations. He is closely matched with Christmas Day from the Irish Derby and the 5 pounds he receives could be pivotal but he's proving frustrating and this race may not pan out to suit Wayne Lordan's mount. The smallish field will probably suit William Haggas's star 3 year old Maltese Cross more. A game winner of the Lingfield Derby trial, the son of Sea The Stars showed a great attitude to finish 2nd in the Derby on desperate ground before going one better in the Grand Prix de Paris. He showed a great turn of foot that day and tactical speed may be crucial here.
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15:35, Juddmonte International Stakes
Constitution River 6/4, 2pts win
Undoubtably the most hotly anticipated race of the season so far, and by some way. The world's joint-highest rated racehorse and reigning champion Ombudsman is sitting comfortably on his throne after a spellbinding performance in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and goes in search of an amazing double-double. The son of Night Of Thunder is almost bulletproof and is a star attraction on any card in the world. Can he give 7 pounds to French Derby and Eclipse winner Constitution River though? That is the question we are all waiting to be answered. The course suits, as shown last year and with a host of pacemakers this race is bound to be run to suit but he is fallible as shown when finishing 2nd in both the Eclipse and Champion Stakes last year. He had excuses in the Eclipse to be fair and he bumped into an on-form Calandagan in the Autumn who to was also the best horse in the world last year. Constitution River hasn't achieved as much as that French gelding yet but he is building some profile in his short career. The Wootton Bassett colt was eye catching in the Dee Stakes before putting on a gutsy display to defy a wide draw in the French Derby and then winning well in the Eclipse. He's not looked flashy the past 2 days but he seems to find plenty for pressure and he settled it a long way out at Sandown. If this proves into a protracted dual, it could be that the weight allowance and the stamina sapping final furlong sways it for the younger horse. Item, Almaqam and Zaydann must all be respected and have claims in their own right for all they must find extra here on the biggest of occasions against the best of opposition. It's almost a flip of a coin but you have to get off the fence at some point and mild preference is the the Coolmore colt.
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16:10, Sky Bet Stayers Handicap
Kircher 9/2, 2pts win
James Owen's stable continues in good form this summer and his recent Ascot winner is fancied to defy a 6 pound hike under Ryan Moore. It's an eye catching jockey booking and the son of Pinatubo is pushing a mark of 100 but he's been upwardly mobile since tried over these longer trips and there's no signs his limits have been reached yet.
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16:45, Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Handicap
Schrodinger's Cat 7/1, 1pt each-way (6 places)
It's almost as hard as it gets with another sprint handicap put in front of us already this week. It's as open as a barn door and so perhaps it's worth siding with Grant Tuer's consistent Schrodinger's Cat. The 3 year old gelding has finished 3rd and 2nd on his last 2 starts at the Knavesmire and is much better off at the weights with Naana's Shadow this time around. He's a little speedball and a battler and will no doubt be primed for another big run.
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17:20, Sky Bet Nursery
Dubai Champion 9/2, 2pts each-way (6 places with Bet365)
Nursery's at festivals are usually tricky but it may be worth keeping this simple. Ben Haslam's speedy juvenile Dubai Champion was unlucky to be touched off at Glorious Goodwood and must have a big chance of making amends here under a loyal Ryan Moore.
