Sky Sports Racing ambassador Hollie Doyle offers her seasoned perspective on the highlights slated for York and Chester this Saturday, with special attention on the £500,000 Ebor Handicap. If you can look past his performance in the Old Newton Cup at Newmarket last month, Klassleader deserves a serious look for the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap (3.35) at York on Saturday.
My husband Tom Marquand believes the horse struggled with the undulating terrain that day, yet the way Klassleader vindicated his favoritism in a mile‑and‑a‑half handicap at the same venue back in May suggests he is comfortably rated at 98 and should be well‑handled on the track. Alan King’s Daiquiri Bay, fresh from a brilliant run in the Copper Horse Stakes at Royal Ascot, appears poised to stay the extra quarter‑mile with confidence. The colt is no stranger to The Knavesmire, having produced a gallant third in last season’s Melrose Stakes over the same course and distance, and he benefits from a favourable low draw this time around. Another prospect worth watching is the Willie Mullins‑trained Love Me Tender, a German import who has shown a liking for soft ground.
While William Buick’s mount has yet to prove himself in a handicap, the horse’s pedigree and previous victories on yielding surfaces give him a credible chance to improve and challenge the more established runners. Eve Johnson‑Houghton’s Zavateri would be a delightful winner of the Group One Sky Bet City of York Stakes (3.00). The horse has already demonstrated class at the highest level and returned from a solid run behind Bow Echo in the Sussex Stakes, indicating that he is still developing.
Zavateri’s résumé includes a Group One National Stakes triumph as a two‑year‑old on yielding ground, beating Gstaad, which arguably makes him a more attractive option than Godolphin’s accomplished miler Notable Speech. The faster the pace, the better for Zavateri on his first attempt over seven furlongs, yet his rating suggests he still has work to do after a disappointing effort on a firmer surface at Ascot’s Queen Anne, where he was beaten by Ten Bob Tony.
Ed Walker’s colt should relish the softer going and can at the very least confirm the form of the race. Japan’s elegant Satono Reve also merits consideration after a near‑miss in the Group One Jubilee at Royal Ascot. Although this will be his debut over the Ebor distance, the main concern is the soft ground, a condition he has not yet faced.
His class, however, means he could adapt quickly if the going softens. The Group Three Sky Bet Strensall Stakes (1.50) at York may be claimed by Ireland’s reliable Geryon, who already boasts a win at this level. Trainer Ger Lyons’s grey colt captured the Meld Stakes over nine furlongs at Leopardstown this summer and then displayed a powerful turn of foot in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood, suggesting that dropping back in distance and handling slower ground will suit him perfectly.
Market favourite Damysus, a horse that likes to get a good position early, was close to victory in the Group Two York Stakes last month, finishing behind this week’s Juddmonte International winner Item. The addition of cheekpieces could enhance his performance, but he will have to concede seven pounds to the writer’s personal selection. It was a pleasure to watch my husband Tom and William Haggas secure the Great Voltigeur on Wednesday with the elegant Maltese Cross, and there is hope they can add another prestigious staying prize with Infraad. Infraad impressed in a Class Two handicap at the Goodwood Festival, indicating he will relish the stamina test offered by the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap (2.25) at York.
A seven‑pound increase to a rating of 97 should not hinder a colt who is shaping up to be a pattern performer, and he could well out‑class the proven handicapmer Limestone, a former Group winner who triumphed in the Queen’s Vase. Giving weight to progressive types like Infraad requires the skill of Joseph O’Brien, yet the testing conditions should not pose a problem for him, just as they will not for Andrew Balding’s Newbury winner Mythical Bay on easier ground. Air Force One aims to complete a memorable Ebor Festival double by targeting the Sky Bet Constantine Handicap (4.10) after a dominant straight‑track victory on Wednesday.
Even with a five‑pound penalty, the horse looks capable of handling the softer surface. Conversely, I am a strong supporter of Tim Easterby’s Red Spells Danger, who arrives at The Knavesmire fresh from an impressive Shergar Cup Sprint win two weeks ago. He faces a six‑pound penalty on slower ground, but his progressive nature should allow him to find the right rhythm.
David O’Meara’s Toca Madera, who finished third behind Air Force One on Day Two, is a fast sprinter who tends to settle poorly. He may have to be content with a place finish rather than a win. Godolphin’s By The Book and Charlie Johnston’s Classic‑placed Lazy Griff are set to clash in the Listed Virgin Bet Chester Stakes (2.40), one of seven races at The Roodee broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing on Saturday.
Championship leader Billy Loughnane will partner the Meydan handicap winner, a horse that has performed admirably in Group races this year but has yet to lead the field. He is a solid choice, though he must give his all to keep Lazy Griff at bay. Charlie’s colt, who placed in both the English and Irish Derbies last year, finished just a length and a half behind Epsom hero Lambourn in the Chester Vase.
Although he failed to fire in the Goodwood Cup after a Listed win at Sandown in July, he could prove a tough competitor from an attacking draw in stall three. George Boughey’s promising Asuka draws a difficult stall in the Class Two Virgin Bet Supports Safe Gambling Handicap (2.05) at Chester on Saturday.
Billy Loughnane will need a bit of luck from stall 12 if this intelligent colt hopes to secure a third consecutive victory on ground that will likely be slower than his previous outings. A potentially better option is Richard Hughes’ five‑year‑old Whip Cracker, who enjoys a more advantageous stall four and performed well at Chester in the spring. The conditions should suit him on his first attempt over this type of trip since his novice win three years ago. On a personal note, I was thrilled to get back on a horse this week, even if it was a mechanical one at Oaksey House in Lambourn.
I spent time on the Equicizer as part of my ongoing rehabilitation after the fall at Bath in May, and the team at Oaksey House continue to provide invaluable support in my quest to regain full fitness. While it is still too early to predict when I will be back in the saddle for real races, the progress I am making gives me confidence that a return is on the horizon.