Sky Bet Ebor Festival at York: Wednesday review and free video replays

One is the one in the opener

There was delight for Bond Thoroughbreds Limited when their Air Force One (13/2) led the field home in the Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Handicap over an extended five furlongs.

The owners target meetings at York and after several near misses in 2026, the Geoff Oldroyd trained runner gained a deserved success after finishing third behind Stratusnine here last time.

The group racing towards the inside of the track always appeared to be holding the upper hand and although Air Force One hit the front a little towards the centre, he broke from gate five while second home and 5/1 joint-favourite Corolla Point was berthed in stall 9.

The places were completed by the other market leader, Toca Madera, and the veteran Apollo One who emerged from stalls four and six respectively.

Air Force One, who was ridden by PJ McDonald won by a length and a quarter, a length and the same.

When asked on Racing TV if this race had been the plan for '12 months', Oldroyd replied: "More or less. He loves York, so do we. It's great to win here.

"He was in great form, good nick. I was a bit worried about the rain but I don't think it's got in yet. Everything went right, sometimes he can miss kick but today everything spot on, right part of track, right lead horses."

Small fish taste sweet

He may be Small Fry (2/1 favourite) by name but bigger prizes will soon be on the agenda for the five-year-old who was bought out of Gary and Josh Moore's yard for 100,000 guineas a little over a year ago.

That's starting to look money well spent as Small Fry ran a promising sixth at Royal Ascot for his new handler Joseph O'Brien before an unlucky-in-running second at the Goodwood Festival.

Well supported to make amends in the Sky Bet Stayers Handicap, Small Fry had the race in safe-keeping with a furlong to run and was value for more than the one length winning margin.

His rider, Dylan Browne McMonagle, said: "He's been running really well on the lead up to this race and we were confident today that he would put his best foot forward.

"The track - a big, galloping course - suited him today. He got into a good rhythm, he picked up well and did it easy.

"We didn't go very quick the first mile, we got going early [for the finish] though. I had a lead down past the two, I'd have loved if they had taken me a little bit further but I was going so well I let him come forward from the furlong and a half. He picked up well and he was having a good look when he got there and he enjoyed the last furlong.

"He's won that well, I feel like he's improving and probably the best is yet to come."

Chasing shadows

Miss Yechance (9/1) made every yard in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Handicap over the bare five furlongs for Karl Burke and Jack Nicholls.

Third behind eventual third Naana's Shadow at Goodwood last month, Miss Yechance took full advantage of her draw in stall seven, blazing a trail down the Knavesmire.

Naana's Shadow and Manatee Mehmas came through from stalls 15 and 13 but just as it looked as though they might sail past the leader, Miss Yechance extended and came clear to win by a length and a quarter.

Burke said: "She's only a pony. I remember Sam [James] saying she's tiny but she's fast.

"The owners sent her back to us but she was left in Dubai for a couple of months but she must have been left in the air conditioning because she arrived three weeks before Ascot with a two inch coat on her. I've seen that before when the horses have been in the air conditioning too long.

"She looked poor to be honest and I said to the owners 'I can't run her at Ascot, she's not ready' but they pretty much insisted that she did so we sent her there off no work really and I couldn't believe how well she ran, she got tired in the last 100 yards otherwise she would have split the two American horses I think, she's that quick.

"I thought if she can run that well off no work then that's the way to train her; do very little with her, just play around with her. She looked well today and very, very happy with that.

"I know the owners are keen to take her back out to Dubai but we'll probably look for some black type now. Why not?"

Pirate throws spoils away

The Dancing Pirate and Oisin Murphy had the Sky Bet Nursery at their mercy only to veer markedly right-handed and lose all momentum.

Henley On Thames (4/1 joint-favourite) and David Egan took full advantage, dashing up their inside with Super Tuscan in hot pursuit.

Murphy attempted to straighten The Dancing Pirate but his mount over-compensated, heading left-handed by as much, if not more than he'd gone to his right moments before and the damage had been done.

Henley On Thames, in contrast, stayed in his lane, winning by a neck from Super Tuscan to land something of a gamble for owners Amo Racing and trainer Kevin Philippart de Foy.

Egan said: "It was always in the back of our minds that he would want six. We started him over five at Sandown on slow ground and, typical Sandown, green horse, he just climbed a little bit and I thought he didn't handle the slow ground.

"He ran okay the next two starts over five furlongs; adequate but always expecting a little bit more of him. Got the job done when he stepped up to six furlongs and he really saw it out well at Hamilton up the hill.

"He got a nice lead into the race with Oisin and just waited to come for my run, went left, I think the rail was an advantage. Obviously, Oisin's horse ran off a true line but he's done well today. Another winner for Persian Force which is really important for the team."

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