13:50, Sky Bet Strensall Stakes
King's Gambit 5/2, 2pts win
Bullet Point will have his fans after winning 2 days ago but it must be difficult to back up from such a hard run in a Group race. Bowmark has his first run since finishing down the field in the Prix du Jockey Club and is of interest on his course win before that, especially as the stable is having such a great week. Preference however, is for last year's Great Volitgeur 3rd King's Gambit. The Wathan gelding hasn't had the easiest of times since this meeting last year but bounced back to form to finish 3rd at Royal Ascot. He's been off since but must arrive with a big chance if he can continue his improvement. He has definitely shaped as though he's up to winning at this level.
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14:25, Sky Bet Melrose Handicap
Tarriance 9/2, 2pts win
Not the biggest field Melrose ever run but it is of decent quality. Daquiri Bay has been on my radar all year as a horse to follow and he should run well but I'm not 100% sure he's seen to best effect on fast ground. Pole Star is likeable and keeps winning although the handicapper is catching up and this is a much stiffer task than the last day. Golden Handshake is progressive and shapes as though this trip is within range but preference is for Juddmonte's St Leger entry Tarriance. The Frankel colt didn't race at 2 but has looked like a decent sort in his 4 runs this year, stepping up on his debut 3rd place finish to win a maiden at Beverley. He failed to back it up under a penalty at Doncaster but learned plenty for that and it showed over this trip at Sandown last time out when he outbattled an older horse who was in decent form. He showed a real winning attitude that day which will see him in good stead here. He's a stayer of real promise.
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15:00, Sky Bet City Of York Stakes
Rosallion 6/4, 2pts win
This race is run as a Group 1 for the first time and it has been rewarded with a top notch field. I for one, am not a fan of running a Group 1 over 7 furlongs in the middle of the summer. I believe that Group 1s should be for the championship distances, not every distance. If you are too slow to win a Group 1 over 6 furlongs (for which there are ones run at stamina sapping tracks like Ascot and Newmarket) or not classy enough over a mile, then you shouldn't be rewarded with an easier race over the intermediate distance. The European pattern has the Foret in October for these types and in my opinion that is enough if you have not managed to bag a big one all year long. Anyway, in regards to the race, there looks to be plenty of pace on up front and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in the early pace battle. They will all have it to do however, to topple Rosallion. Last year's St James' Palace Stakes hero has found life annoying in 2025 having finished 2nd in both the Queen Anne and Sussex Stakes despite shaping like the best horse in the race. This drop in trip shouldn't hinder the pacy son of Blue Point and he really should be taking this.
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15:35, Sky Bet Ebor Handicap
Shadow Dance 9/1, 1pt win
Majestic Warrior 12/1, 1pt win
Majestic Warrior 12/1, 1pt win
This must be the one of the strongest renewals of the Ebor I can remember. Mr Percy sneaks in at the foot of the weights with a chance but stall 23 is challenging for all he has the services of Tom Marquand who should get a good tune out of him. He's interesting. Almosh'her is of interest on the form of his course win earlier in the year but he now returns from a gelding operation after a bad run at Ascot. Perhaps best watched. Ascending must of interest after winning the Ascot Stakes but this is a big drop in trip and the handicapper has taken notice for that win. Big meeting form is useful here though and so isn't dismissed. Neither is fellow Royal Ascot winner French Master. The top weight looked like a potential Group horse when winning the Copper Horse there and backed it up with a fair un in the Goodwood Cup. He has a big weight burden to bear but will still have a big shout on Ascot form. The final Royal Ascot winner in the line up is Willie Mullins' Ethical Diamond. He was impressive when winning over 12 furlongs there and although he has yet to prove himself over this trip so far in his flat career, he does shape as though he'll get it. He's been to all the big meetings and has plenty of experience which will see him in good stead but he's not been missed in the market. His stablemate, Hiphop De Loire has also been popular in the betting for this in the week and is now clear favourite. The mount of Colin Keane was mightily unlucky in this race last year and has shaped recently in winning easily over hurdles as though he's been primed for another shot. His running style does suggest he's a bit of a hostage to fortune though and perhaps he's now short enough. The pick of the Irish may well be Johnny Murtagh's mare Siege Of Troy. The daughter of Siyouni has been running well this year in good races over the shorter trip and suggested last time when she was 3rd in a Group 3 that it was time to try this trip. A 7 pound claimer has been enlisted which is probably a good move as she didn't look to have too much in hand with the handicapper. One who may well be ahead of the handicapper still is Roger Varian's 5 year old grey Shadow Dance. The son of Almanzor won at this meeting last year off a 5 pound lower mark but showed real grit and determination that day as winning didn't look likely a furlong out. That course form will see him in good stead here and he was unlucky over this trip at Doncaster last year when he was mowed down late on after hitting the front too soon. It appears this has been the plan since and after a nice pipe-opener over a trip too short at Glorious Goodwood, I expect him to be primed for a big run and he has been berthed well in stall 8. If there is one horse who may be well ahead of the handicapper it is James Tate's Majestic Warrior. The 5 year old son of Churchill is actually half brother to the winner of this race in 2020 and he is still hugely unexposed after just 4 runs. He's clearly had injury problems but he belied a huge absence to hack up at Thirsk in the spring and has been put away for this since. That was a huge performance and he strode powerfully to the line to suggest that this trip is well within range. Rossa Ryan is employed and he's at the right end of the weights.
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16:10, Sky Bet Constantine Handicap
Completely Random 14/1, 1pt each-way (5 places)
Twilight Calls 14/1, 1pt each-way (5 places)
This is an open race, as you'd expect for a sprint handicap at York. Pocklington brings in decent form and runs well at the track but the worry is that he finds winning hard, so too does Jubilee Walk who is also of interest. Two Tribes couldn't come into this in any better form after winning the Steward's Cup last time out but I'll take a chance on a couple who finished behind him that day. Stablemate Twilight Calls shaped very well at Goodwood, winning his race over on the unfavoured far side and he's still very well weighted on old form. If he can build on that then he must have a big chance. So too must Harry Charlton's Completely Random. The Havana Grey 4 year old looked good when winning a decent race at Leicester in the spring before finishing an eye catching 5th in the Wokingham. He ran well at Goodwood to finish 8th considering he was on the wrong part of the track. He's got plenty of big field experience now and it's likely that this will pan out much better.
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16:45, Julia Graves Roses Stakes
Rydale Frosty 11/2, 1pt each-way (3 places)
A strange race as Silent Applause is currently favourite ahead of Military Code who is the chosen mount of William Buick. The latter finished 7th in the Molecomb last time out and has ground to make up with the 3rd placed horse that day, Dickensian. Kevin Ryan's juvenile is of strong interest but marginal preference is for the one he just edged out at Goodwood, David Simcock's Rydale Frosty. The Havana Grey colt won at Windsor over 6 furlongs on his 3rd start before the Molecomb but justified that decision by finishing 4th despite being slowly away and ending up over on the far rail despite his draw. He had to do plenty that day and he'll learn from it. He shaped better than the result and this is an easier race.
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17:20, Sky Bet Steve Birch Finale Handicap
Marhaba Ghaiyyath 9/2, 2pts win
A hard race to end the meeting on and plenty have chances but Charlie Johnston's Marhaba Ghaiyyath has shaped like a potential group horse this year and after finishing a game 2nd at Glorious Goodwood last time, he's taken to go one better today under James Doyle.
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