Sam King is back with four selections from York on Wednesday.
York's blockbuster five-day Ebor meeting kicks off with a bang on Wednesday and I'd go as far as saying it's one of the best days of racing in the calendar year. The Juddmonte International looks like serving up an absolute barnstormer, while there are some high-class two-year-olds on show alongside this year's dual Derby hero Lambourn.
In summary, there's a bit of something for everyone, from fast juveniles to competitive handicaps, to some of the best and classiest middle-distance horses on the planet.
It wouldn't be York if we weren't kicking off proceedings with a 20-runner five-and-a-half-furlong handicap, where The Man is likely to be popular amongst punters on his first start since landing a course and distance handicap 96 days ago. It's easy to see why he's high on people's shortlist for a trainer that won the Stewards' Cup recently, but Richard Spencer revealed he missed Royal Ascot due to a small setback, and I wonder if he might just tighten up for the run here.
With that in mind, I'm happy to side with the Jim Goldie-trained Jordan Electrics, who will have to defy a rating of 100 should he return to the winners' circle on the Knavesmire. However, it's a feat that is by no means impossible when you look down the roll of honour, with seven of the sixteen past winners carrying a triple-figure rating.
A likeable, hardy and progressive nine-year-old, Jordan Electrics ran as good as he possibly could when ninth in the Stewards' Cup at Glorious Goodwood. There's absolutely no doubt that he was drawn on the wrong side of the track that day and in all truth, he did well to be beaten just four and a half lengths by the progressive Two Tribes, who got the perfect passage into the race off his stablemate on the other side of the course.
Jim Goldie's charge had also been off 308 days prior to his reappearance outing here in July, so he should plenty for a few runs this season.
A 2lb drop in the weights for his latest effort puts him 1lb lower than when runner-up to John and Sean Quinn's Nunthorpe-bound and subsequent Group 2 scorer Jm Jungle in this twelve months ago, while the return to an extended five furlongs should suit one who likes to race on the speed at a track that often favours front runners.
2pt Win – Jordan Electrics
Odds – 10/1
Charlie Appleby and Aidan O'Brien dominated the market in the Acomb Stakes twelve months ago and they do so once more, with Italy and Distant Storm taking a sizeable chunk out of the betting.
Early markets are struggling to separate Italy and Distant Storm. The former arguably brings the best form to the table having finished second in the Superlative Stakes, while the latter, a beautifully bred son of Night Of Thunder, overcame notable greenness to land what it looking like being one of the hottest Newmarket maidens a day later.
Charlie Appleby's team will have a line on the form having saddled Saba Desert to beat Italy in the aforementioned Superlative Stakes, but I'm a big believer that Saba Desert is the best juvenile in the Appleby yard and he looks destined for the very top, both this year, and hopefully next.
With that in mind, the fact that Italy was capable of running him to a length and a quarter hands him the vote, especially given there is a strong suspicion that he raced on the lesser-favoured part of the track that day.
In what was a messy contest, with Venetian Lace drifting violently left-handed in the closing stages, Moore undoubtably ended up further towards the far side than he would have wished, leaving his mount vulnerable to the strong finishing Saba Desert, who was able to make his challenge more towards the near side.
It appears Italy didn't have time to respond once headed late on and although there's no denying Saba Desert was well on top crossing the line, O'Brien's charge was inconvenienced by not having something to race against.
York's long galloping straight should play to his strengths, and it wouldn't surprise me if Moore opts to set his own fractions out in front. Add in the fact that the form of his Leopardstown debut success took a boost with the runner-up scoring in Listed company recently and he's the one with the most solid claims.
1pt Win – Italy
Odds – 7/4
Delacroix may have got the better of Ombudsman when they met in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes but I'm happy to side with the latter.
The addition of Godolphin's pacemaker Birr Castle could prove pivotal for Ombudsman, who didn't have the ideal trip when beaten a neck at Sandown. The same can be said for Delacroix in what was a messy race, but William Buick was forced to play his hand earlier than he wanted to at Sandown and it's likely he'll delay his challenge here with Birr Castle there to set solid fractions.
The way he quickened up to land the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot is set in the memory and I still believe he's the best middle-distance horse in Europe at present.
John and Thady Gosden are no strangers to success in this event having saddled two of the last five winners, while it's entirely plausible this extremely talented son of Night Of Thunder has more to offer having been unraced as a juvenile.
1pt Win – Ombudsman
Odds – 6/4
Ed Bethell has already enjoyed notable success at York this season and it's possible his progressive filly Fluorescence could continue her upward trajectory in the five-furlong fillies' handicap at 4.45.
A promising third following 56 days off when dropped back to five furlongs at Southwell earlier in the season, Ed Bethell's charge looked to go on to produce an improved effort and career best by scoring off a mark of 86 at Redcar recently.
After travelling strongly, she quickened up well before staying on stoutly in the closing stages, shaping as though the return to a better contest could bring about further improvement, especially with the tongue-tie fitted for her last two outings retained.
A further 4lb rise in the weights may prove to be lenient and with the expectation that this flat galloping track will suit, she gets the vote to follow up.
1pt Win – Fluorescence
Odds – 10/1
