The racing world centres on Yorkshire for 4 days of brilliance on the Knavesmire. It kicks off on Wednesday for one of the all round best days of racing you will ever see.
13:50, Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Handicap
Azure Angel 12/1, 1pt each-way (5 places)
The meeting starts with a fiendishly difficult 20 runner 5 furlong handicap. Richard Spencer has already bagged 2 big handicaps in recent weeks and goes in search of another with unexposed 3 year old and likely favourite, The Man. David Egan's mount has run only once this year but that was when winning over course and distance at the Dante meeting back in May. He has the profile of one who could be ahead of his mark still and is drawn seemingly well in stall 4. He must have a big chance but has been well found in the market and considering this will be his first run in 96 days, he can be taken on. 5 of the last 6 winners have been drawn in single figure stalls but El Astronaute won from stall 18 in 2018 while Blaine and Bogart were both drawn in stall 15 when successful in 2013 and 2014 respectively. Perhaps stall 15 could produce another winner in the shape of Ed Bethell's speedy mare, Azure Angel. The daughter of July Cup hero Harry Angel may have finished last of 14 on her first visit to York last year but that was off the back of a 104 day break as well as wind surgery and, after a disappointing run of form subsequently, she left Roger Varian's yard to join Ed Bethell's stable in Yorkshire. The local trainer has managed to get quite a tune out of the 5 year old since. After 2 creditable efforts over 6 furlongs in the Spring, she relished the drop to this distance when winning well at Redcar over quick ground, which is likely to be the state of the ground for this week. That was a good effort and she backed it up at York on her next start when 3rd to re-opposing Squealer with whom she is now 6 pounds better off. It's worth noting the second placed horse was none other than King George Stakes winner J M Jungle. Azure Angel has only run once since then, finishing 8th at Ascot, but a line can be put through that as she had poor track position. She's now back at a course she ran well at and I'm sure her Yorkshire trainer will have aimed her at this since and she looks likely to go well.
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14:25, Tattersalls Acomb Stakes
No Bet
This time last year The Lion In Winter won a strong renewal of the Acomb Stakes to propel himself to the head of the market for all the Classics. Things haven't worked out for him since but the 3rd placed horse that day, Ruling Court, did win the 2000 Guineas and it's a race that has produced smart ones over the years, most notably other subsequent Guineas winners Phoenix Of Spain (2018) and Chaldean (2022). This year's renewal looks well up to scratch with Godolphin's regally bred son of Night Of Thunder heading the market after winning one of the strongest maiden's run all season at Newmarket 40 days ago. He looks to have a bright future but it's worth noting that these are lightly raced 2 year olds and Ruling Court could only finish 3rd in his last year. Coolmore send their exciting Wootton Bassett colt Italy into the fray here as well and he too looks an exiting type for all he may be a better 3 year old. Goodwood Galaxy brings in decent form having finished 4th in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood last time out whilst Gewan looked potentially useful when winning at Newbury on debut 33 days ago. It's a hot race but perhaps not one to get too involved with. Marginal preference would be for Italy given he has more experience than the Godolphin owned favourite, Distant Storm.
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15:00, Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes
No Bet
Derby winners have often rocked up this week on the Knavesmire. In fact, just 12 months ago City Of Troy won a memorable renewal of the Juddmonte International. Australia managed that double too back in 2014 and his son, this year's Derby winner Lambourn is on show today as well. But it is not the day's, if not the week's, highlight that Lambourn runs in. It is instead the Great Volitgeur; a Group 2 named after the superb Yorkshire trained winner of the Derby back in 1850. I'm not sure when the last time a Derby winner ran in this race, or if it has ever even happened before, but needless to say this is quite a feather in the cap for York racecourse. Lambourn is not only the Derby winner but also the Irish Derby winner, like last year's winner Los Angeles, and like that other Ballydoyle classic winner, must shoulder the burden of a penalty. Lambourn is clear enough on ratings to still come out on top and with 3 stablemates in the race this is likely to be run to suit however, it is worth noting that Aiden O'Brien has been outspoken about how his stable star hasn't been trained hard for this race. Opposition is headed by unbeaten Queen's Vase winner Carmers who must be respected, especially as this more galloping track should suit even if the drop in trip doesn't. Dante winner Pride Of Arras has flopped in both English and Irish Derbies but could be bang there if bouncing back to form at a track he has won at. The other Ballydoyle runners shouldn't be underestimated with Dee Stakes winner Kilimanjaro and Lingfield Derby Trial runner-up Stay True in opposition. Lambourn is clearly the best horse in the race but York is known as the graveyard of champions and the recent market drift is not inspiring. A race to watch and enjoy.
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15:35, Juddmonte International Stakes
Delacroix 2/1, 2pts win
The International. The best race in Britain and what has become known in recent years as the stallion maker. Founded in 1972, the race couldn't have got off to a more surprising start when 20th century champion Brigadier Gerard met with his only ever defeat at the hands of Derby winner Roberto. The race has been littered with the greats of the turf since with the imperious Derby winner Troy successful in 1979 all the way to another named after the great historical Greek city in the shape of last year's Derby winner City Of Troy. Other titans of racing history have claimed this prize; superstar mare Triptych (1987), the great Rodrigo de Triano (1992), the iron horse Giant's Causeway (2000), Arc winning star Sakhee (2001), global legend Falbrav (2003), the perfect season star Sea The Stars (2009), the greatest of all time Frankel (2012), the brilliant grey Roaring Lion (2018) and the blockbuster Baaeed (2022). This year looks to be no different in terms of the quality on show even though the Derby winner runs 35 minutes earlier in the afternoon. The unbeaten Aga Khan owned colt Daryz represents France here. The son of 2009 winner Sea The Stars is a perfect 4 from 4 this year, having not raced at 2, and connections haven't shied away from how highly they regard their horse. Still, this is a hard race in which to have a first crack at the top table and for all his class he looks up against it. Andrew Balding runs his dual course winner See The Fire here. Amazingly, both of her parents won this race, the beforementioned Sea The Stars and dam Arabian Queen (2015). A filly hasn't managed to win this race so far in the 21st century though and for all she has great course form, she looks to be flying too high here in her bid for a maiden Group 1. Japan has been plundering big races all over the globe for some time now and are throwing perhaps the nation's best horse at this in the shape of Danon Decile. The 2024 Japanese Derby winner was last seen beating Calandagan in the Sheema Classic out in Dubai. That was top class international form and although he hasn't been seen since that victory back in March, I'm sure connections will have him in flying form for this. He's a top class horse and will surely make an impact in the race but the feeling is that he is taking on 2 of the world's best horses on foreign soil and may find this too much of a challenge over a trip perhaps short of his best. The race seems to revolve much around the Eclipse 1-2, Delacroix and Ombudsman. The Aiden O'Brien trained 3 year old Delacroix came out just in front at Sandown despite almost everything going wrong. He downed Ombudsman in the dying strides and gave the impression that this course would suit better, as well as the slightly longer trip. John Gosden's 4 year old star, Ombudsman was perhaps unlucky himself that day as the slow pace hindered his chances and he found himself out in front a long way from home. The Goldolphin colt has a blistering turn of foot (as shown when bolting up at Royal Ascot) and connections are quick to throw in a pacemaker here to make sure events from Esher are not repeated. He should have a more even pace to aim at here and I'm sure the plan will be for William Buick to play his mount later and to more devastating effect. Ombudsman is, probably, the best older horse in Europe and may edge the battle for favouritism on the day. Delacroix however, gave the impression that he too had more in the locker the last day and looks to be improving still. The course looks likely to suit the Ballydoyle runner more and at the odds, he takes the preference in his bid to become just the 3rd horse along with Sea The Stars and Giant's Causeway to complete the Eclipse-International double it the same season as a 3 year old.
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16:10, Sky Bet Stayers Handicap
Alphonse Le Grande 7/2, 2pts win
This is perhaps not the strongest renewal of the staying handicap of the day. Spirit Mixer and Dancing In Paris were the first 2 home in the Northumberland Plate in June and that's decent form but both have had their handicap marks increased since and there's a chance the big targets are now behind them. One who's big target may still be to come is last year's Cesarewitch "winner" Alphonse Le Grande. Tony Martin's likeable 6 year old may have had that race taken off him on review (jockey broke whip rules) but he shaped as though still in form when finishing 8th at Royal Ascot after suffering a poor run through. He's been kept fresh since and top jockey William Buick has been enlisted today. This track should suit much better than Ascot and with a smaller field to contest with on a bigger course, there should be no excuses.
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16:45, IRE Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Fillies' Handicap
Fluorescence 9/1, 1pt each-way (5 places)
Lady Roxby 16/1, 1pt each-way (5 places)
A 5 furlong handicap for fillies and mares may not be everyone's cup of tea but this is a really good race to get your teeth into. There is so much pace on here across the whole draw that I feel it may pay to side with runners who won't take each other on up front. One of those is likely to be Ed Bethell's daughter of Twilight Son, Fluorescence. This filly is still unexposed and should be improving on just her sixth run. She won her first 2 races before coming unstuck over 6 furlongs at Ripon. Back from a short break since, she finished 3rd in a hot little race at Southwell before coming forward from that to win off a 4 pound lower mark at Redcar 11 days ago, finishing with running left. She looked to have plenty in hand despite being keen enough and this set up should really suit her. She's potentially classy. So too is Lady Roxby. Perhaps unfavourably drawn in stall 21, she would probably have beaten the favourite here over this track last time out if getting a clear run. She came from a long way back that day and is likely to be held up again but that may be no bad thing. The draw is a worry but there's plenty of pace on her side and she looks overpriced here.
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17:20, Sky Bet Nursery
Temple Of Athena 8/1, 1pt each-way (6 places with William Hill)
Not the easiest race to end the day for punters. I could talk about all of these in one way or another but the focus is on Brian Ellison's filly, Temple Of Athena. This daughter of Magna Grecia looked very fast when bolting up on debut at Beverly and duly built on that effort to finish 3rd in a class 2 at Glorious Goodwood just 9 days later. That looks potentially decent form as the 4th has since finished 2nd at Listed level and the winner is Nunthorpe bound. A mark of 79 on handicap debut looks lenient but connections enlist promising 7 pound claimer Shay Farmer to take 7 pounds off her back which means she'll have just over 8 stone to carry. She's drawn nicely in stall 7 as well and surely she's going to have a big say in this from that weight.
