12 June

TEAL TARGETS BIG PAY-DAY WITH HUCKLESBROOK AT YORK

ROGER Teal has long shown a sure touch with speedsters and he’s ready to send Hucklesbrook to York this Saturday for the Churchill Tyres Supporting Macmillan Sprint Handicap.

Teal, who famously trained Oxted to win the 2020 July Cup, is upbeat about Hucklesbrook’s prospects in this weekend’s £125,000 feature race on the Knavesmire.

The three-year-old has had two starts this season, finishing fifth of 16 in a competitive contest at Ascot and then scoring by a length on May 26 at Leicester.

Saturday’s six-furlong assignment represents a step up in class with a list of relatively unexposed horses in a maximum field of 22.

Lambourn-based Teal said: “I think he needed the race at Ascot but he ran a solid race. He came forward for that at Leicester – he did very well, won nicely. Hopefully, if he brings that form to the table, then you’d put him in the mix. I don’t think he’s really ground dependent – he’s pretty versatile. He’s got a nice draw in the middle there, I think, so we’re hoping for a big run from him.”

Teal also noted that three-year-old sprints with six-figure prize funds don’t come around every week and this one has been boosted by £25,000 this year.

He said: “They are very few and far between, so it’s nice we can have a crack at bringing home a nice pot if we can. But it’s going to be a very competitive race, so it’s not going to be easy.”

Double Rush is among those expected to play a major part in proceedings after early-spring wins at Wolverhampton and Newmarket.

Yorkshireman William Haggas will send two likely types from his powerful Newmarket stable. On the form book, Maelstrom looks the most likely of the Haggas-trained pair after peeling off three straight wins. His other runner is Showering, who scored at Yarmouth towards the end of May.

The £70,000 Sky Bet Grand Cup (Race To The Ebor) has attracted a select field. Staged over a mile and six furlongs, the top-rated Al Qareem has previous winning form at York, while Absurde landed the Sky Bet Ebor over track and trip in 2023.

Saturday’s seven-race card is preceded at 12.30pm by the Macmillan ‘Ride of Their Lives’ in which nine horses will go to post. They will be ridden by committed amateurs from all walks of life with the end goal to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. This year’s renewal of the well-established race has already secured more than £100,000 in donations. https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/rideoftheirlives2025.         

10 June

BETHELL QUARTET BOUND FOR YORK 

YORKSHIRE trainer Ed Bethell is set to send a four-strong team to York on Friday for the opening card of a two-day meeting.

He plans to be represented in all three of the Class 2 races on the card, as well as saddling a further runner in the Constant Security Services Handicap.

Middleham-based Bethell said: “Any day you have a runner at York is a good day, so to be able to field four is brilliant. I normally come home with my tail between my legs as they’re difficult races to win! But we certainly try our best to have winners at York as most owners love going there.”

Prolific winner See That Storm is on schedule to line up in the £70,000 feature Seat Unique Handicap.

The Richard Christison-owned four-year-old won four on the bounce before going down by a mere nose last time out at Redcar. But Bethell reckons the gelding remains on the upgrade.  

Bethell said: “He’s a pretty chilled out character at home, in the sense he doesn’t do very much in his work – and you probably never quite know where the ceiling is – but he keeps on improving. He’s going to have to take another big step forward, but I’m sure he’ll be able to and we’ll keep fingers crossed.”

Earlier on the card, Rogue Sensation is poised to contest the six-furlong British EBF Supporting Racing With Pride Fillies' Handicap after finishing fourth in a Listed engagement at Haydock last month.

Bethell said: “She’s a bit of a class-dropper. Being a three-year-old she doesn’t have to carry too much weight – and she’s still getting quite a lot of weight off the older fillies. I’m looking forward to running her. It’s a competitive York handicap as you’d expect, but she goes there with a good chance and should run well.”

Bethell brings a two-year-old newcomer to the Knavesmire in the shape of Rogue Temptation. She will contest the five-furlong Juddmonte EBF Fillies' Restricted Novice Stakes.

He said: “She’s a very straightforward filly at home. I would imagine she’ll step up to six (furlongs) after Friday and go from there. I’m sure she’ll run well – whether she can win first time out in a York maiden is always hard to quantify, but I’m looking forward to getting her started.”

Also running over the minimum trip is stablemate Dothan, who will take his place in the Constant Security Services.

He won at Doncaster in April before weakening into fifth of 14 in a six-furlong handicap at Hamilton at the end of May.

Bethell said: “Hopefully, we can draw a line through Hamilton as I don’t think he liked the track, he was always hanging left. Dropping back to five (furlongs) on a flat galloping track like York should see him in a better light.”

Friday’s opening race is at 1.50pm – the Andy Thornton Hospitality Furniture Apprentice Handicap. Day two of the meeting is a Premier Raceday and includes the £120,000 Macmillan Sprint Handicap (3.35pm).