John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Saturday.
City of York looks ideal for Notable Speech
This will be just the second running of the City of York Stakes (15:00) as a Group 1 and it looks at least as competitive as last year’s renewal won by Never So Brave, with a fascinating mix of sprinters and milers in the line-up along with those who are more seven-furlong specialists. Last year’s runner-up Lake Forest comes into the latter category, underlining that point with a win in last month’s Lennox Stakes at Goodwood and, arguably a better horse now, he shouldn’t be far away again.
With plenty of pace in the field, that will suit hold-up performer Lake Forest, but it will also play into the hands of Godolphin’s high-class miler Notable Speech who can produce a telling turn of foot. He showed that to particularly good effect when winning his fifth Group/Grade 1 in the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury in May, giving a two-length beating to Lake Forest’s stablemate More Thunder. While Notable Speech could only finish sixth when favourite to follow up in the Queen Anne Stakes, that’s not the first time he has underperformed at Royal Ascot.
Notable Speech has the Queen Anne winner Ten Bob Tony among his rivals here but can turn the tables if back to his best as he heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings for ‘Hot Trainer’ Charlie Appleby. While Notable Speech hasn’t run over seven furlongs before, he was tried over six in last year’s July Cup so is a speedy sort for a miler. He'll appreciate the conditions drying out and a strongly-run seven furlongs should be ideal.
Mullins can win another Ebor
Willie Mullins caused a surprise when he first won the Ebor (15:35) in 2009 with the mare Sesenta who was allowed to go off at 25/1, but his two more recent winners, Absurde in 2023 and Ethical Diamond last year, have been much more fancied, the latter sent off the 5/1 favourite twelve months ago.
Those last two winners have carried the white and pink colours of the H. O. S. Syndicate who have an intriguing contender this year in Love Me Tender, another who looks like being prominent in the betting for last year’s winning rider William Buick. All three of Mullins’ Ebor winners had been successful over hurdles, as well as on the Flat, but four-year-old Love Me Tender has a very different profile, being totally unexposed after just three Flat starts last year.
Previously trained by Peter Schiergen in Germany, Love Me Tender won his first two starts in his native country last autumn before showing useful form when finishing fourth in a listed race at Chantilly. He subsequently joined the Mullins yard for €180,000, though the fact that he hasn’t run yet for current connections suggests they’ve been preserving his handicap mark. A BHA mark of 96 has just been enough to get him in at the foot of the weights, and he heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings with the ‘+’ indicating he may well be capable of better, especially over a much longer trip than he’s tried so far.
Adonius should be hard to catch
Speedy two-year-old Adonius has made an excellent start to his career for Rebecca Menzies and should be hard to catch in his bid to return to winning ways in the Julia Graves Roses Stakes (16:45).
The son of Soldier’s Call, who was runner-up to Battaash in the Nunthorpe over this same five furlongs, won his first three starts early in the season, starting with a maiden and novice at Musselburgh and then completing his hat-trick in the Lily Agnes Conditions Stakes at Chester. Conceding weight all round, Adonius simply had too much speed for his rivals and came home with a length and a quarter to spare over runner-up Hickory Lad. The runner-up went on to win the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom but meets Adonius on 5 lb worse terms here.
Adonius was then given a break until Goodwood late last month where he lost his unbeaten record but ran well to finish two lengths second to the filly Pershaada who ran against older horses in Friday’s Nunthorpe. Showing plenty of dash as usual, Adonius just ran out of steam late on but shaped with plenty of encouragement, earning the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag. Also versatile regarding ground, Adonius heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and should take plenty of catching over this flat five furlongs.
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