20th August

YORK-BOUND SO MAJESTIC TO GIVE MCGIVERN FIRST-EVER GROUP 1 RUNNER

Katie McGivern is hoping So Majestic can outrun her odds in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Friday.

Almost a year ago, Live In The Dream caused a 28/1 surprise in the £500,000 Group 1. Now McGivern is targeting the same race with So Majestic, an 80/1 shot with Sky Bet, title sponsors of the four-day Ebor Festival.    

McGivern owns and trains the 90-rated four-year-old filly, whose best piece of form was a half-length third when priced 150/1 for a Listed race at Naas in May.

Wexford-based McGivern, who is primarily a breeze-up consignor, had also entered So Majestic at York in Wednesday’s five-furlong Visit Irish Yearling Sale With ITM Fillies’ Handicap. But she has opted to wait a further 48 hours and take on the speedballs with what will be her first-ever Group 1 runner.

McGivern said: “She obviously hasn’t ran in a race as good as this – and she is very much an outsider – but I think the conditions of the race will suit. 

“I didn’t want to run her in the handicap in case it ended up messy, whereas, the Group 1 is going to be true from start to finish. They are going to go hard and the best horse wins. I’ve yet to run her in a race like that. 

“She is very fast, but it’s very hard to get her conditions – she’s very select. She wants fast ground and she wants a very fast five (furlongs) and she wants loads of pace. If she comes down-field, fine – I tried it. 

“Maybe I should have gone for the fillies’ handicap. But I’ve done a load of research and last year’s winner of that, on their time, could have been third in the Nunthorpe.  

“She’s that much pace that she’d match Live In The Dream’s pace. I’m not saying she’ll stay like him. That’s a very unknown for me – will she stay it after going that blistering pace?

“She definitely has that pace to use early-race, whereas in Ireland they don’t use that. They ride way more a waiting race and it doesn’t suit her and it’s very frustrating. 

“We’ll see what she’s made of on Friday. There’s no pressure,  because I’m a big outsider. I just hope she runs her race. If she finished in the first six, it’s a massive run. There’s no high expectations – it’s very much we’re hopeful. She definitely has pace for a Group 1 – whether she can stay on at the end, that’s what I want to see. But it’s worth a go.”

19th August

SHADWELL PAIR PRIMED FOR STAR-STUDDED £1.25M JUDDMONTE INTERNATIONAL

Alflaila and Israr will line up for Shadwell Racing on Wednesday when a field of quality and depth will contest the Juddmonte International Stakes at York.

The richest ever staging of the Group 1 showpiece of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival, now worth £1.25million,  includes Derby first and second City Of Troy and Ambiente Friendly. 

Also poised for a mouthwatering renewal of the extended mile and a quarter contest are previous Group 1 scorer Bluestocking (who carries the silks of the sponsor) and runaway winner of the King Edward VII Stakes, Calandagan.

Alflaila and Israr bring strong claims of their own, with the first-named already confirmed as a course and distance specialist.

The Owen Burrows-trained Alflaila has won the last two renewals of the Group 2 Sky Bet York Stakes – and he landed the 2022 running of the Group 3 Sky Bet Strensall Stakes, over nine furlongs on the Knavesmire.

Richard Hills, racing advisor at Shadwell Racing, said: “He loves York as he’s proven before. He has definitely taken a step forward since the last race and Owen is really, really happy with him, so we couldn’t be more pleased.

“He sort of takes time to get into his stride, so of course York with the lovely long straight plays to his strengths. It’s a great course, but particularly for him.”

The John and Thady Gosden-trained Israr, is back up in class after a convincing three and a quarter length victory in the Listed Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Hills said: “He’s in there on his own merits. Sheikha Hissa took the view that he deserves his chance. He loves fast ground; York will suit him really well and I think he’ll run a big race. He’s in good nick.”

Hills, who rode Nayef to victory wearing Shadwell’s famous blue and white silks in the 2002 renewal of the Juddmonte International Stakes, is anticipating a superb showdown.

He said: “It’s been brewing up to be a really good race and I think everybody’s turning up. A great track, the ground’s going to be beautiful – it’s going to be a fantastic race in my opinion.”

Shadwell is set for a clutch of other high-profile runners at York, including this year’s John Smith’s Cup winner Enfjaar. The Roger Varian-trained four-year-old is in the entry for Saturday’s Group 3 Sky Bet Strensall Stakes – as is fellow Shadwell runner, Alyanaabi.

Hills said: “Enfjaar is in great nick, he loves York as he’s proven, so he’s got a massive chance. The three-year-old, Alyanaabi, ran a great race in the 2,000 Guineas and then the St James’s Palace. He wasn’t quite right last time (at Newbury). Weight for age this time of year, you never really know.”

Naqeeb is on course to appear on the same card in the £500,000 Sky Bet Ebor itself, after finishing a narrowly-beaten second over an extended two miles at Newbury last month.

Hills said: “It’s a competitive race. You don’t want to be drawn on the outside – middle to inside and I think he’d have a really good each-way chance.”   

 

The Sky Bet Ebor Festival is comprised of 28 races and the opening card gets underway with the Symphony Group Handicap at 1.50pm this Wednesday, 21 August.

16th August

CONNECTIONS SET FOR WEEKEND CALL ON BLUESTOCKING’S YORK ASSIGNMENT

RALPH Beckett is set to finalise his Group-1 running plans for York this weekend after leaving both Bluestocking and You Got To Me in the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks at today’s latest entry stage.

On the strength of a fine four-year-old campaign, Bluestocking is the clear market leader for next Thursday’s mile and a half Knavesmire centrepiece. But the Camelot filly also remains in Wednesday’s Juddmonte International Stakes, which is sponsored by her owners.

Kimpton Down Stables trainer Beckett said: “The Yorkshire Oaks, a decision will be made over the weekend about Bluestocking’s participation, where she goes. Obviously, she is in the Juddmonte International as well. So, we are going to have a discussion this weekend and make a final decision on that.”

Bluestocking has already shown her liking for York this season, winning the Group 2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies’ Stakes before landing the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes in Ireland. 

Her last outing was in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot when she finished runner-up to Goliath.

Bluestocking’s stablemate You Got To Me will bid to enhance her own blossoming credentials at York in the £500,000 across-the-generations contest, for fillies and mares.

The three-year-old daughter of Nathaniel recorded a career-high to date when winning the Juddmonte Irish Oaks at The Curragh on July 20.

Beckett said: “You Got To Me definitely goes to the Yorkshire Oaks, as things stand. She worked well last week and we’ve been very happy with her progress since the Juddmonte Irish Oaks. She isn’t ground dependent and we think the track and the race will set up really well for her.”

As well as the Beckett pair, a further 17 horses remain in the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks for which final declarations will be made on Tuesday. 

Beckett’s strong team for the four-day Sky Bet Ebor Festival also includes Kinross. The trainer reported that the money-spinning gelding is “on course” for a shot at a third triumph in the Group 2 Sky Bet City of York Stakes, which will be staged on Saturday, August 24 – the final day of the Festival.  The race offers Group 1 prize money of £500,000.

15th August

DWYER BRIMMING WITH BELIEF AHEAD OF ASFOORA-BIG EVS PART 3

ONE of the best plotlines in the 2024 Turf season is set for its latest instalment at York when Aussie ace, Asfoora, takes on home sprint star, Big Evs , in the Group One Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes.

The two speedsters faced up for the first time at Royal Ascot where the Henry Dwyer-trained Asfoora surged to success in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes.

On that occasion Big Evs finished third with fellow Knavesmire entry, Regional, also in front of him.

But it was a different story at Glorious Goodwood as Big Evs – with a 2lb weight pull from Ascot – triumphed by a diminishing short head from Asfoora in the Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes.

So now both camps are preparing for ‘Part 3’ in the Group 1 £500,000 showdown on Friday 23 August.

Dwyer, who trains in Victoria, is due to fly in first thing Monday morning ahead of overseeing an intended bridle workout on the Newmarket gallops.

Asfoora, who is currently based at trainer Amy Murphy’s stable, came through her latest spin on Tuesday and is reported to be in great order ahead of her York assignment.

Dwyer said: “All the videos I see and the gallop the other morning looked tremendous. From all our metrics and data, she looks to be going as well as she possibly can and I think she might have improved a little bit from Goodwood.

“I think just the travel has really settled her down and I think that’s been manifested by how she’s racing. She just seems a different horse mentally which has helped her. She’s able to take a sit and relax and then conserve her energy for the end of the races. 

“She’s thriving, she’s eating everything in sight and holding her condition because of that. So, I really think she’s just as good as she can possibly be, so I’m very excited about heading to York with her.

“Goodwood was always going to be a nice race for her. But with the penalty, with the little freshen-up before it post-Ascot, and – as we saw – just that little downhill run, she sort of struggled with the first half of the race. 

But if you take that out of the equation, she settled two lengths further forward and she probably wins the race. So that means back on a level track, assuming we begin well and get in the right barrier and the right spot, we should be pretty hard to beat.”

Whatever happens, Dwyer expects to share a drink with Big Evs owners, Paul and Rachael Teasdale, along with the three-year-old’s trainer, Mick Appleby.

He said: “It’s a good healthy rivalry. Big Evs and her are quite evenly matched – they’re one-all and it will be a really good rematch again. I had the chance to catch up with Paul and Mick at Goodwood – we had a beer afterwards and compared notes. It was good so I look forward to seeing them again at York.”

 

The Sky Bet Ebor Festival begins at York on Wednesday, August 21 and continues through to Saturday, August 24.

14th August

AMBIENTE FRIENDLY PRIMED FOR JUDDMONTE INTERNATIONAL THRILLER

TIM Gredley confirmed that it’s all systems go for Ambiente Friendly to appear in the Group One Juddmonte International Stakes at York (Wednesday 21 August) after the Derby runner-up impressed in a workout in Newmarket yesterday morning.

The son of Gleneagles was put through his paces on the July Course by jockey, Rab Havlin.

The gallop was a key part of preparations before the James Fanshawe-trained colt comes back in trip, for the richest ever race on the Knavesmire, offering £1.25million

Gredley said: “Ambiente has taken a bit of figuring out and I think everybody landed on the same idea that hopefully a mile and a quarter, a strongly-run race left-handed, should suit him. 

“Whether he’s good enough to win it, that’s another matter. But he is in really good order. He worked yesterday on the July Course. Rab rang me – he was really happy with him. He showed a bit of turn of foot there that he hadn’t shown him before, so all systems go.

“The main thing, he’s really relaxed. He can get a bit revvy, but Rab says every time he goes and rides him, he’s noticeably getting more and more grown up. That’s hopefully a good thing for the future as well.”

Ambiente Friendly is on course to lock horns again with his Epsom conqueror City Of Troy and Gredley – a renowned Great Britain showjumper – has the utmost respect for the “super-talented” Ballydoyle star. But he also points out that Ambiente Friendly is a model of consistency, who has a great attitude. He added:

“He always puts it in. It’s really nice to go to war with a horse with a mentality like that.

“I just hope he gets himself into a good rhythm – that’s the most important thing. I don’t think he has to be ridden in any particular position, but for him it would just be good if he settles, gets into a rhythm and then see how the race unveils.”

Gredley and his father Bill are looking forward to all four days of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival.

Tim said: “We’ve actually got a lot of runners during the week. We’ve purposefully tried to aim a few at York because we love the meeting, the prize money’s great, so hopefully it will be a fun week.”

Dual-purpose campaigner, Burdett Road, who sustained an injury prior to a scheduled Triumph Hurdle bid, is ready for a shot at the Sky Bet Ebor itself, on Saturday, 24 August.

Gredley said: “It’s been the plan for a while, almost since his setback for Cheltenham. He definitely can be competitive.”

Two other interesting runners for the owners are Wimbledon Hawkeye – third in the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket – who will contest the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes and Big Orange’s half-sister Noisy Jazz. She made a winning debut on the July Course on August 2 and is poised to step up in class and trip for a shot at the British EBF and Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes, a 12-furlong Listed contest.

13th August

BOUGHEY BELIEVING IN RED-LETTER SUCCESS AT YORK

GEORGE Boughey is hoping to take a stride closer to a landmark feat when he sends to York, a small squad headed by sprint ace, Believing.

The Knavesmire is one of only two British racecourses hosting Flat contests that high-achiever, Boughey has yet to register a winner (Wetherby, also in Yorkshire, is the other).

Since starting his training career five years ago this month, he has enjoyed a string of famous victories, including Classic glory – but a York triumph has so far eluded him.

Boughey, 32, said: “It would be great to have a winner at York, we haven’t got anywhere near yet. It doesn’t matter what day of the week it is – whether it’s the Ebor meeting or just a normal card – for some reason we can’t get them near the winner’s circle.” 

The team at Saffron House Stables are set to be represented by Believing in the £500,000 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes on Friday, 23 August.

And the trainer himself,  joked: “I stopped running horses at York a long time ago, but we might make an exception for a Group 1!”

Believing, owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, has already chalked up Group 2 glory in 2024, having landed the Sapphire Stakes at The Curragh last month.

The four-year-old daughter of Mehmas subsequently ran a fine race at Glorious Goodwood in the Group 2 King George Qatar Stakes, going down by less than a length behind Big Evs and Asfoora. Her close-up finish was all the more notable, given how she dwelt at the starting gates. Boughey said: “I did think after a furlong, ‘Crikey, we’ve really slipped up here and run her downhill at Goodwood, having won at a stiff five (furlongs) at The Curragh. 

“The five at Goodwood is faster, probably, than the York five and I look forward to seeing her back at the top level.

“I think she’ll just be allowed to get into her own rhythm at York and we could see her doing her best work late.

“She’s just restarted training the last few days and come back in super shape. She’s an amazing filly – she keeps surprising me each time. You kind of think, ‘Oh god, we’ll come out of it and she’ll have said it was one too many’, and she just bounces out of each one.”

Boughey is still finalising other runners for the four-day Sky Bet Ebor Festival but mentioned a “nice horse” called Shah who could contest the richest maiden in Britain, British Stallion Studs EBF Convivial which is worth £100,000 as are the targets for possible handicap duo, Fouroneohfever and Walbank.

12th August

Calandagan Likely Runner in Juddmonte International

Francis Graffard has confirmed that Royal Ascot winner Calandagan is on target for the Juddmonte International and a potential meeting with City Of Troy. 

The Aga Khan's homebred son of Gleneagles took his form to a new level when storming to a six-length victory over Space Legend in the King Edward VII Stakes.

Others who have been given the green light for the contest on the first day of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival are the Derby runner up Ambiente Friendly and Ghostwriter who was fourth in the French equivalent.

7th August 

All roads lead to York again for Kinross

Ralph Beckett’s Kinross is lining up a bid for a Sky Bet City of York Stakes treble after his Lennox Stakes third at Goodwood.

The seven-year-old is a highly familiar presence having consistently turned up season after season in Group contests run over both six and seven furlongs.

To his name he has two Lennox Stakes titles, two wins in the Sky Bet City of York Stakes, a Prix de la Foret success and a further Group One accolade in the Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot.

In competition against him in the Sky Bet City of York Stakes is the 2024 winner of Lennox Stakes Audience, who had previously been very impressive in victory in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury.

6th August

JONES TAKES AIM AT YORK GR.2 WITH MONEYSPINNER CABURN

Unbeaten speedster Caburn will bid to write another chapter in his fairytale rise when he contests the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes at York on Friday 23, August.

Purchased for 24,000 guineas at Book 3 of the October Yearling Sale at Tattersalls, the two-year-old by Twilight Son, has already earned £144,369 from his two starts in 2024.

The bulk of his winnings arrived courtesy of a narrow success in the Weatherbys Super Sprint Stakes at Newbury last month.

Caburn triumphed by a neck to land a bumper payday of just under £130,000 for connections. It followed a victorious debut at Salisbury.

Now trainer Jack Jones is aiming at what is the most valuable juvenile Group 2 in the land,  being the £250,000 contest on the Knavesmire.

Telling the Caburn story, Newmarket-based Jones said: “He went to Salisbury and won nicely from a bad draw. That was a very good day. 

“Straight away from Salisbury, we earmarked the Super Sprint. I think dropping down to five (furlongs) wasn’t ideal but when you pay all that money for entry fees you’ve sort of half got to bite the bullet and run. 

“He was training well prior to the Super Sprint. I couldn’t go into it saying I was confident – I thought he’d run well and he was a nice horse, but it was a 19-runner runner race, back down to five on quick ground. For me, six furlongs and a bit of cut in the ground is his forte. 

“So, to do it like he did was very special and I think sort of points that there should be improvement back up to six. He was first off the bridle, which was even more a suggestion why six is more his thing – and, in time, seven. 

“You don’t see many horses stick their neck out, ears back and want to win like Caburn did. It was a very, very special day. To be completely honest, it hasn’t really sunk in yet.”

Jones, whose string-size is around 35, has Caburn on course for a first crack at Group company later this month.

He added: “It’s a step up in class but I think he’s warranted a go at it and we’ll see where we are from there I guess. He seems in good form – he has done two canters up Warren Hill this morning and will gallop tomorrow is the plan. 

“I’m quite level-headed with everything. You’ve got to train them as a normal horse – you can’t wrap them up in cotton wool. You’ve just got to stick to your system, stick to what’s working.”

The prestigious four-day Sky Bet Ebor Festival commences on Wednesday 21 August when the £1.25million Juddmonte International Stakes will be staged. All of the other 27 races at the festival carry six-figure prize funds.

6th August

Durezza arrives safe and well for his run in the Juddmonte International at York

Durezza, the intended Japanese representative in the Juddmonte International, has arrived safely and is settling well at Charlie Fellowes Newmarket yard.

Durezza will be following in the hoofprints of Zenno Rob Roy, the Japanese runner up in 2005 Juddmonte International, who was narrowly defeated by Electrocutionist representing Italy that day.

Durezza, winner of the 2023 Japan St Leger at Kyoto, is likely to be ridden by world renowned jockey Christophe Lemaire.

5th August

Docklands set to try new trip in the Juddmonte International at York

Docklands, last seen finishing second in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, is likely to be seen next in the Juddmonte International at the Sky Bet Ebor Festival.

The four-year-old is set to test his stamina over the one mile and two furlongs trip having previously been campaigned mainly at a mile.

Later in the season his Australian owners are likely to send him down under to run in the W S Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in October and he will receive automatic entry for that race if he is successful in the Juddmonte International.

2nd August

Big Evs and Asfoora set to renew rivalry in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe

British trained Big Evs and the top Australian Sprinter Asfoora are all set to renew rivalry for the third and final time in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Friday 23rd August.

The Antipodean mare came out on top at Royal Ascot in June when winning the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes with Big Evs finishing back in third place, but the places were reversed at Glorious Goodwood with the Mick Appleby colt beating Asfoora by an ever-diminishing short head.

Back in fourth at Goodwood was the 2023 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe winner Live In The Dream whose also likely to attempt to win the Group 1 for the second successive year.

1st August

The Strikin Viking goes for the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes

The Strikin Viking, who won on his initial outing at York in June, is likely to be seen next back on the Knavesmire in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes on Friday 23rd August.

After Black Forza had edged out The Strikin Viking to win the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood, Wathnan Racing’s Richard Brown said: “We're delighted with The Strikin Viking. He was a short-priced favourite and of course you want to win, but James just got off and said, if he could have another crack at it, he would have held on to him a bit longer. He knows the horse now, which will be a big advantage going forward. He put a couple of lengths on them pretty quickly, idled and then he didn’t see the winner coming. 

"I'm sure there is a big day in him. He was in the Vintage Stakes and we luckily dodged that, as James said he has the pace for five furlongs. I imagine a fast six furlongs at York will be right up his alley."

31st July

Audience targeting Sky Bet City of York Stakes

Lockinge and Lennox Stakes hero Audience is likely to be seen next in the Sky Bet City of York Stakes on Saturday 24th August at York.

Speaking after his victory in the Lennnox Stakes Cheveley Park’s managing director Chris Richardson said “We’ll probably go to York for the City of York Stakes, where he doesn’t carry a penalty, then it’s all to play for. We’ll look at all those races over his favoured seven furlongs.”

John Gosden added: “He’s matured and the mile’s too stiff at Ascot. He’ll go to the City of York; he was second in it last year to Kinross. He’ll go there, no penalty. That’s the plan.

Kinross has won the last two renewals of the Sky Bet City of York Stakes and is also targeting a third victory in this valuable Group 2 race.

29th July

Zarakem has sights set on York before Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe bid

Jerome Reynier has described Zarakem as “better than ever” ahead of his trip to York for the Juddmonte International next month.

The four-year-old was last seen chasing home Auguste Rodin in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot, going down by just three-quarters of a length with a quality field behind him.

Prior to that he had shown plenty of ability in his native France, winning the Group Two Prix d’Harcourt at ParisLongchamp before a rare blip in the Prix Ganay at the same track.

That run was put well behind him at the Royal meeting and now he has another British Group One in his sights in the shape of the Juddmonte International at York’s Ebor meeting.

Zarakem has taken his travels well and has pleased his trainer ahead of another journey across the Channel.

“I’m very happy with him, he came back in very good shape after Royal Ascot,” the trainer said.

“He is getting more mature and stronger and he seems to be better than ever. For the Arc we think this race is a good race in between with the timing, it’s going to be a pretty hard race with City Of Troy and Calandagan.

18th July

Derby one-two Ambiente Friendly and City Of Troy are set for a rematch in the Juddmonte International

Derby runner-up Ambiente Friendly is set for a thrilling rematch with his Epsom conqueror City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International at next month.

The James Fanshawe trained colt is targeting the Juddmonte International on August 21 with co-owner Tim Gredley quoted as saying: "We’ve decided to miss the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes with Ambiente Friendly in favour of the Juddmonte International at York next month. We feel a bit more time for him and going back to a mile and two around a left-handed track like York with his racing style is in the best interests of our horse."

To add further international intrigue into the most valuable race run at York is the Japan Classic winner Durezzo who is likely to make the journey along with his world-renowned jockey Christophe Lemaire.

13th July

Clues for the Sky Bet Lowther

The Group Two Duchess of Cambridge winner, Arabian Dusk, looks keen to take her Newmarket form up to York. Staying on well ahead of better priced rivals, her 12-1 victory, will recoup at least a slice of the 525,000gns (£551k) she cost at a Breeze-Up sale earlier this year.

With the Sky Bet Lowther being the richest contest in Britain for juvenile fillies, it is no surprise that a rematch will be on the cards, come Thursday 22 August, with the top eight finishers on the July Course all holding entries for the Knavesmire.

Speaking after her latest win, co-trainer, Ed Crisford said, “I’m not sure the Guineas will be the right trip for her but she certainly wasn’t stopping at the end of the race today. In fact, she was looking for a bit of company and I think she would have gone again if she had been challenged in the last 50 yards. I think we’ll stick to this [six-furlong] trip for the moment and maybe look at the Lowther Stakes at York .”

10th July

Queen Of The Pride Likely to Attempt Lancashire/Yorkshire Oaks Double

The regally bred Queen Of The Pride is all set to attempt to step up in company in the Group 1 Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks at the Ebor Festival in August. The filly has shown progressive form throughout the current season culminating in victory in the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks last time out.

She is very likely to be joined by the horse she beat at Haydock, Tiffany, whose trainer won the 2022 Yorkshire Oaks with Alpinista who subsequently was victorious in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Align The Stars another winner at the Haydock meeting is also likely to be seen at the Ebor Festival with the original plan of the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap still a possibility but he has also been given entries in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur and the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup for his local owner.

5th July

Ponntos targeting the Coolmore Nunthorpe 

Ponntos, the brilliant Czech sprinter, is targeting a raid on two major UK races in the Summer. The 6-year-old, who has won on his last three outings culminating in a Group 2 at Chantilly, is likely to run in the Qatar King George Stakes at Goodwood and the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes on the Friday of the Ebor Festival.

Ponntos is likely to be joined by another international traveller Asfoora from Australia, who has already tasted Group 1 success in the UK when winning the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot.

1st July

William Haggas considering two York targets for Economics, Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes winner

Economics, winner of the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes, could head back to York for his next two starts.

The three-year-old, owned by Isa Salman Al Khalifa, is back in full training and while the Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville and Leoparadstown's Irish Champion Stakes is one route connections are considering, so is a return to the Knavesmire.

Speaking on Nick Luck’s Daily Podcast, trainer William Haggas said: As for a potential route to the York Group One, Haggas added: “The obvious fit is the Sky Bet York Stakes on 27th July but if we don’t want to go there we’ll go for the Juddmonte and he can do a racecourse gallop, but we have 86 miles of gallops in Newmarket when they’re all open and if we can’t train them here then it’s a poor do. I think just going to get the freshness out of him would do him some good.

“So it's York-York or Deauville-Ireland. That's how you think but we’ve got lots to discuss and I haven’t discussed it with anyone until now."

1st July

Washington aiming to hit Nunthorpe Heights

Washington Heights will drop back to five furlongs this summer and attempt the summit of the sprinting ranks in the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes.

A consistent performer in handicap company last season before striking at Listed level in Sweden, he has taken his form to the next level this term, making a winning return in Newmarket’s Abernat Stakes.

Connections have now opted to revert to the minimum distance with the Kevin Ryan-trained speedster – a decision that was made even easier due to the impressive nature of stablemate Inisherin’s victory over six furlongs in the Commonwealth Cup.

He will now be freshened up for the Ebor meeting, where he will compete at the highest level once again in the Knavesmire’s sprint feature.

Speaking to Sporting Life trainer Kevin Ryan said ““He’s just showing increasing speed now and he showed us that in the Duke of York,” said Cosmo Charlton, racing manager for owners Hambleton Racing.

“We always thought he might end up being a five-furlong horse and it did concern us that stiff six furlongs at Ascot. We decided to hold onto him a bit at Ascot and maybe he was a touch keen with doing that as well, he just ran out of gas.

“Tom (Eaves, jockey) got off and said he thought he had won it two furlongs out and it was just a case of if he got home, but he has not got home. He got off and said back to five, so it’s straight to the Nunthorpe.

“He’s ran three times at York and been narrowly beaten each time, so I would be hopeful he bounces back in that race.