The Ebor Festival brings a great finale to the summer of flat racing, and York local Matty Sutcliffe is in pursuit of as many winners as possible. He has five selections for the opening day of the meeting on Wednesday.
1:50 York – Symphony Group Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo+) – Jm Jungle 10/1 1pt EW 6 places
The far side has dominated this contest in the last three renewals and in general it’s paid to be drawn low at York this season particularly on firmer ground, so perhaps it’s best to focus on those runners.
The other notable feature of this contest is that there’s a plethora of early pace on, so it may pay to chance one who’s comfortable sitting off a strong gallop. JM JUNGLE fits the bill and was potentially unsuited by stall nineteen when third in this contest last season, coming home first in his group of nine. That was his first attempt in open handicap company having risen through the ranks in three-year-old contests, and while he’s winless since last August, his experience in some strong handicaps this term will stand him in good stead coming back for a contest of this nature.
Crucially, he’s drawn much lower in stall six this time around which, on the balance of probability, should be favourable particularly with Democracy Dilemma likely to set a blistering speed on the far side from stall three and Copper Knight likely to track across to the far-side from stall nine.
Jm Jungle has held his form well enough in defeat this season, and is 5lbs lower than his opening seasonal mark when beaten two lengths in a 38K feature race at Musselburgh. He was then an eye-catcher in the ever-competitive Lindum handicap here in May when travelling strongly widest of all without cover, taking a while to pick up but coming home nicely to be beaten two lengths.
He bounced back from a below par effort at Hamilton – when nothing else could live with the runaway leader Desperate Hero – with two respectable efforts at the Curragh and Goodwood, but there’s a suspicion that this race will likely have been the plan all season and now he’s 4lbs lower plus much better drawn, he rates a worthy contender for Jason Hart and the Quinn’s.
2:25 York – Tattersalls Acomb Stakes (Group 3) (IRE Incentive Race) (Class 1) (2yo) – Jouncy 25/1 0.5pt EW 3 places
I’m glad that connections have opted to come here with JOUNCY rather than their intended target of the Gimcrack, as this highly-regarded, well-bred son of Wootton Bassett has been crying out for a step up to seven furlongs.
The daughter of Joyeuse, a half sister so Frankel, is from a family that tends to improve with a couple of runs which is typical of Andrew Balding, who mirrored that with Jouncy’s half brother Array who took three efforts to get off the mark before taking the the G2 Mill Reef later on in the season. Balding, Murphy and Juddmonte won the Acomb Stakes with Chaldean who had similar to Jouncy, was a beaten fifth on debut in a 6F Novice at Newbury en-route to Acomb success.
Jouncy was a beaten favourite at 5/6F on his second start at Kempton, but he was giving 5lbs to the winner for a head defeat and that one was only just touched off into third in the valuable Newbury Super Sprint Stakes. He eventually got off the mark at the third time of asking at Goodwood when racing solo toward the nearside, gamely keeping on to hit the line strongly and giving the immediate suspicion that we won’t see the best of him until stepping up in distance.
He lacks the ‘sexy’ profile of the O’Brien/Appleby to the fore of the market, but I’d much prefer to be on one who’s had plenty of experience going into York as the occasion can easily boil some of these unexposed types over. Wootton Bassett sired the winner of this contest in 2021 who had a similar profile to Jouncy, and this well bred colt can put his experience to the fore here with conditions to suit.
3:00 York – Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (3yo) – King’s Gambit 9/4 3pt WIN NAP
KING’S GAMBIT was half-a-length away from carrying a penalty in this contest, but his defeat to Alflaila in the G2 Sky Bet York Stakes last time out means he receives 5lbs from Los Angeles, and he’s 3lbs clear on weight adjusted ratings with the field on that basis.
Irish Derby winner Los Angeles is the obvious favourite in this lineup, but he had the race set up for him and Sunway let the form down next time out, not to mention that Ambiente Friendly likely wasn’t seen to best effect over the distance. While he’ll have two pacemakers in here to ensure a good gallop again, I’m not entirely sure that this firmer surface will see the son of Camelot in a better light, and while he’s a short price, this race could work out perfectly to King’s Gambit.
The improving son of Saxon Warrior lost nothing in defeat to Alflaila and has opted to come here as opposed to renewing that rivalry with him in the Juddmonte International over the same C&D, instead chancing the visual suspicion that stepping up to 1m4f will suit. King’s Gambit was potentially unsuited by having to make the running in a small field here last time out, but stuck to his task well when ultimately done for toe in the final yards by what is undoubtedly a solid open group one contender in Alflaila.
Prior to that, he needed every inch of the 1m2f trip in the G3 Hampton Court at Ascot when ridden with restraint by William Buick. He was given an awful amount of work to do in rear when storming home to be beaten 3/4L into second, splitting an always prominent pair who’ve boosted that form since with Jayarebe finishing second to the Dante winner Economics in G2 company at Deauville last time out and Bellum Justum was beaten a neck by Jan Brueghel in G3 company at Goodwood last time out.
Though not necessarily bred for twelve furlongs, visually he looks every inch a contender at this trip and with the Ballydoyle pacemakers in here, he can switch off in rear and should he get the trip, his natural finishing kick will prove too good for these on a track that suits a strong travelling, speedy sort.
3:35 York – Juddmonte International Stakes (British Champions Series) (Group 1) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Docklands 50/1 0.5pt EW 3 places
I initially had strong reservations over the strength of the Queen Anne, and in fact I’d go as far to say I thought it was the worst bunch of milers in recent seasons purely on the basis I didn’t rate Charyn whatsoever. Oh how wrong I was.
Charyn has come out and bolted up in the Prix Jacques le Marois, beating French 2000 Guineas winner and St James’s Palace Stakes third Metropolitan by three lengths, with Inspiral and Quddwah both well in behind. The third, Maljoom, was only beaten a length by our 2000 Guineas winner Notable Speech in the Sussex Stakes, the fourth, Witch Hunter, was an unlucky second in G2 company last week, the fifth, Audience, bolted up four lengths in G2 company at Goodwood and the sixth, Factor Cheuval, was only a length behind Notable Speech in the Sussex.
DOCKLANDS posted a career best in the Queen Anne when bursting out of the pack in rear to try and reel in the impressive Charyn but ultimately lacked gear of the progressive winner. He was only beaten two lengths and pulled two lengths clear of Maljoom in third, and his revised rating of 115 suggests he’s no back number in here.
Connections have Cox Plate aspirations with Docklands, which boosts confidence to the visual suspicion that he’ll have no issues getting the Juddmonte International trip. He’s often been a strong finisher, such as when arriving late to win the Brittania Handicap last term, and if this trip unlocks further improvement in him then he can stay on strongly into the placings despite a stiff task against some classy three year olds to the fore of the market.
4:10 York – Sky Bet Stayers Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo+) – Red Flyer 50/1 0.5pt EW 5 Places
It may be wise to forgive RED FLYER’s 19-length defeat at Ascot last time out, as prior to that he held his form well on the all-weather over the winter/early spring with consistent RPR’s between 88-91. He was prominent in all of those efforts, but was never put into the contest at Ascot in rear last time out and given he was beaten six lengths into fourth in this contest behind the Ebor second Alfred Boucher in 2022, perhaps this was the eventual seasonal target.
He returns 2lbs lower this time, 5lbs taking Sean Bowen’s 3lbs claim into account, and perhaps we’ll see him in a better light as he’s not had a tough season like most of these. He certainly doesn’t deserve to be the rank outsider of the field and if this has been the plan then he can easily outrun those insulting odds on ground he enjoys (both turf wins have come on a firmer surface).
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