Owen Burrows is ready to let Alflaila bid for a second successive victory in the Group Two Sky Bet York Stakes, the feature of Saturday’s seven-race card on the Knavesmire.
The son of Dark Angel triumphed at York on his seasonal bow 12 months ago, beating My Prospero by half a length.
Alflaila returned for 2024 with a solid fourth-placed effort, three and three-quarter lengths behind Auguste Rodin in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Burrows assessed: “I think it was a very solid first run of the year. It was a big ask, first run of the season, in a Group 1. I’m not saying we’re unlucky at all, but he did get hampered one-and-a-half (furlongs) down. I think he would have been a bit closer.”
But the Lambourn trainer is anticipating a hotter renewal of the extended mile and a quarter York contest, with the talented Passenger among the potential opposition. The latter, trained by Sir Michael Stoute, surged away to win well in the Group 2 Huxley Stakes in May, on the four-year-olds only start this season.
Reflecting on the opposition, Burrows said: “I was very impressed with him at Chester and the form has been franked by Israr winning the Wolferton Stakes. He (Passenger) looks a typical Sir Michael older-horse improver. They’ve had a little hold up but he could be very good.”
Burrows also holds in high regard the three-year-old pair of King’s Gambit (trainer Harry Charlton) and Almaqam (trainer Ed Walker).
He added: “King’s Gambit, I respect massively; the same with Ed Walker’s horse of Sheikh Ahmed’s. If anything, it’s probably a stronger race than last year but I’d like to think we’re a better horse than we were last year.”
Connections are hoping that Alflaila, racing in the familiar blue and white Shadwell colours, will build on that pleasing Ascot effort when he lines up at York, in the hands of jockey Jim Crowley.
Burrows said: “You’d like to think he’ll take a step forward. He’s five now – I know he won first time up last year, but as they get a bit older, they take a bit more getting fit. Jim came and rode him last Wednesday and he did a nice piece that morning. He’ll just have a breeze tomorrow – all his work’s done as such. Touch wood, all the boxes have been ticked. As long as he breezes well, we’ll be declaring Thursday morning.”
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