Nic Doggett provides an overview of the key things to note on Friday.
Three points of interest
Group 1 masquerading as a Group 2?
While the Sky Bet City of York Stakes in August has been elevated to Group 1 status – thanks in part to a 20% increase in prize money – Friday's Boodles Yorkshire Cup Stakes (3.45) remains very much one of the stepping stone Group 2s for the leading stayers.
Stradivarius won this race in 2018, 2019 and 2022, went on to win Group 1s at Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood in 2018 and 2019, and only found himself beaten by horses half his age when attempting the same series of victories in 2022.
Last year’s Yorkshire Cup winner Giavellotto, who also won the race in 2023, reinvented himself somewhat after last May’s success with victories over a mile and a half at Newmarket in July and then a Group 1 success over the same trip at Sha Tin in December.
Friday’s race looks an up-to-scratch renewal and has an interesting look to it, with Timeform top-rated Rebel’s Romance already proven as a top-level winner, his remarkable 16 wins (from just 24 races) including seven Group/Grade 1s, most notably the 2024 Sheema Classic and two Breeders’ Cup Turfs.
Rebel Romance wasn’t at his best in the latest Sheema Classic when last seen in April and will probably stay 1¾m, but there are no stamina questions around main rival Sweet William who has 3 lb to find on ratings despite being in receipt of weight.
His steady progression from handicapper (he was once second in the Ebor off a BHA of 99) to genuine Group performer has included wins over as far as 2¼m and while there may still be a nagging doubt over his attitude when the going gets really tough, there’s little knocking his overall record. However, his record fresh is a little patchy and his best performances have come when switching headgear; his usual visor is on for this seasonal return.
One horse trying blinkers for the first time is the Aidan O’Brien-trained Continuous. This isn’t a Classic trial so it at least gives non-Ballydoyle runners a chance, though Continuous looks an interesting staying proposition this season, the 2023 St Leger winner having raced mainly over shorter since that Classic success. He usually races off the pace but seemed unsuited by a test of speed in Meydan last month and it will be interesting to see whether Ryan Moore takes a more positive approach here.
Regardless, the benchmark of Rebel’s Romance sets a lofty standard and it looks another piece of evidence for York racecourse that this race belongs at the top table.
Fillies in the spotlight on the Knavesmire
Much like the Yorkshire Cup, the Sky Bet Fillies' Stakes (3.13) has plenty of heritage and substance to it, with recent winners of the race registered as The Michael Seely Memorial Fillies' Stakes including Fonteyn (2022) who went on to win a Group 1 later that season, and Sounds of Heaven (2023) who was beaten around a length into third in the Coronation Stakes on her next start.
The race is named after The Times’ Northern Racing Correspondent and Chief Racing Correspondent Michael Seely who built up a good rapport with a number of trainers including Sir Michael Stoute who won this race in 2013 with Pavlosk.
With Stoute having retired since, the likes of Andrew Balding, William Haggas and Owen Burrows have benefited, and all three have fascinating contenders – two of which picked up the Timeform ‘Horse In Focus’ flag after last-time-out wins.
Burrows’ Glittering Surf beat Balding’s Bermuda Longtail at Kempton with a bit more in hand than the winning distance of a length would suggest, while Haggas’ Consecrated produced a dominant performance when making all on debut at Newbury.
Closely related to the 1m winner Enshrine and 8.6f winner A Dublin Lad (both by Ulysses) and out of a French 12.5f-winning half-sister to Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Lady Eli, Consecrated looks sure to relish this extra distance and she gets the nod from the Timeform team.
However, for those who like a stopwatch, it might be worth chancing a first win for Gulya who has been a runner-up on both starts to date. She picked up the Timeform ‘Sectional’ flag when failing to reel in Victory Queen on her reappearance at Ascot last month, producing the fastest final furlong of the field and a finishing speed of 110.24% having met plenty of trouble.
Her Coronation Stakes entry hints at the high esteem in which she is held, and it would be no surprise to see her follow in the footsteps of the same connections’ Tomyris who landed the 2017 renewal of this race on her third start.
Lockinge warmup in Berkshire
Away from York, the ITV cameras are in place for one race at Newbury. Though it may not have the same lustre as the Group 1 Lockinge 24 hours later, the Titan Wealth Handicap (2.25) looks extremely competitive and finding the winner should prove profitable.
Beauld As Brass is thriving at present and has looked a different horse since rejoining George Baker from Adam West and having his stamina drawn out. He tends to blow the start, however, and is up in grade once more, so will likely find this much tougher against a bunch of in-form rivals.
The unexposed Burrito won on the July Course last June and has been gelded since failing to handle the Roodee on his next start, while Sweet Reward (over C&D), Expert Witness and Prometeo all come into this race on the back of wins – three in the case of the last-named.
The lightly-weighted pair of Azahara Palace and Yokohama both picked up ‘Horse In Focus’ flags after fast-finishing placed efforts last month, but the best option at the prices could be another HIF - Kind Of Kiss – who also has the ‘Sectional’ flag.
Formerly trained by Andre Fabre, he hasn’t been with Kevin Philippart de Foy that long and caught the eye in defeat when 1¼ lengths fourth to Hitched at Lingfield last time, faring best of those held up. Faster conditions are an unknown, with his sole win in France coming on soft ground, but his yard is in good form and with a strong pace likely to suit, he looks worth chancing at double figure odds.
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