Sky Bet Ebor Festival at York review: Lifeplan won the Gimcrack Stakes

Where there's life, there's hope

Lifeplan (13/2) gave trainer Declan Carroll and jockey Zak Wheatley one of the biggest days of their careers when winning the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York.

An easy winner at Thirsk on debut when racing up with the pace, Lifeplan was ridden with more restraint on this occasion and showed good speed to pick up the leader Rock On Thunder who raced ahead of him in his sights.

Rock On Thunder kept rolling in front and took a length out of the field and was about that distance ahead passing the one pole but Lifeplan, who took a stride or two to get organised, breezed past inside the final 100 yards, going on to score by a length.

Do Or Do Not, the 2/1 favourite, was fully five lengths away in third.

Wheatley told Racing TV: "There's no feeling like it, it's brilliant.

"He was a bit keen going down, we did have a plan to try and get a lead but he jumped smart, he did come back underneath me after a few strides and I was happy to follow Kevin [Stott, jockey of Rock On Thunder] and just get a bit of a lead into the race. It is a long old straight and I didn't want him idling or anything but those later stages, he really took off.

"I thought at one stage I was getting him and then I thought we're going to struggle. It's just amazing really how he picked him up and found that last gear to go by. We've always liked him at home. He's a lovely looking horse and he's a beast of an animal really, he's got such an engine in him and we really have liked him a long time.

"For the owners and the boss to put me on him, it's massive really to be trusted with him."

Carroll, for whom it was the biggest success of his career, said: "He was a nice yearling and as soon as I got him going at the start of the year, he's just been a natural, a nice horse from the start.

"He was probably ready to run for a while [before his debut], we were waiting for some rain. I would have loved to get another run into him before coming here, it's a big ask to come from a novice to a Group 2, but he's quite streetwise and he's done it well.

"Zak is a great lad, works real hard, knows this horse real well. He's gone under the radar for quite a few seasons but he's quite capable and proved it there, he deserved the ride."

Salute the Captain

Asgard's Captain (16/1) continued a fine Sky Bet Ebor Festival for Sporting Life tipster Ben Linfoot when winning the Sky Bet Handicap.

Linfoot highlighted winners at 14/1 and 6/1 on the first two days of the Festival and advised Asgard's Captain at 16/1, as did our Punting Pointers team.

Mount Atlas led the field for much of the mile and a half but the complexion of the race changed quickly in the straight.

Chillingham was the first to go on but was soon passed by Champagne Prince only for the lead to change hands again as Insanity and Asgard's Captain came from further back. It was neck and neck between the pair but John Egan, aboard the latter, had a willing partner who kept on to win by a neck for Newmarket trainer Dylan Cunha.

French Duke was a length back in third.

The veteran jockey, whose son and daughter both ride in the UK, said: "It's been a while since I've been stood here in the winner's enclosure at York. Dylan said to me going out 'go on, this could be your last chance of a winner at York' and I said 'no, no, I'll be here next year'.

"Brilliant feeling. David [Egan, son] being in the race as well. We went a nice gallop and I kind of tracked him, I wish it was a mile and six, two even, stayed very, very well. I was in a nice spot with William Buick, we had a bit of room from the front few who were going quick and we were very relaxed; we were actually talking about how quick they were going.

"Got tapped for toe at the two a little but he came good then, he's got guts."

Flora shines on the Knavesmire

Cape Flora (13/2) made all in the Assured Data Protection EBF Fillies' Handicap.

Kieran O'Neill jumped the Gosdens' filly out in front and there she stayed in the extended 10 furlong contest to complete a double on the card for her trainers.

The three-year-old opened her account on her previous start, winning by six lengths at Leicester, and readily overcame an 11 lb rise in the handicap, winning by two and a half lengths.

Top-weight Akecheta, who was conceding 18 lb, and Blessed Star chased her home, dead-heating for second with 15/8 favourite Zgharta only fourth.

O'Neill said: "She's getting better with racing. Sometimes she can be a little bit slow away but today went to plan, Craig Witheford was down at the start.

"She travelled very nicely and finished off and probably got a bit lonely in front. There's a lot more to come.

"She probably found the ground a little bit on the quick side for her because she's such a big filly and I'd say you won't see the best of her until next year, she's a Kingman, she's took a while to come to hand and I think she could be a black type filly next year."

Thady Gosden added: "She's a big girl, she's still a little unfurnished, got some strengthening up to do and filling out to do but her attitude is fantastic, she was very game from the front there."

The Clarehaven Stables team completed a treble - and William Buick a double - when Fifth Column (11/4 favourite) got his head in front close home in the concluding Sky Bet Mile Handicap.

Convivial success for Frescobaldi

Frescobaldi (10/3) won the British Stallion Studs EBF Convivial Maiden Stakes.

Trained by Aidan O'Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, Frescobaldi was always in the firing line in the seven furlong contest. As the other front-runners weakened, Frescobaldi took over but was soon challenged by Naval Light and Red Spells Danger.

Racing slightly away from that pair, Frescobaldi gradually extended his lead despite drifting to his right with his lead sufficient to see off the strong finish of Spyce with something to spare.

Frescobaldi, who was racing for the third time, won by three parts of a length and a length with Naval Light taking third.

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