Catching Pigeons: Blue is the colour in Sky Bet Ebor
Our gallop watcher says Verdana Blue is primed and ready for the Sky Bet Ebor at York on Saturday as Nicky Henderson looks to plunder another big prize on the Flat.
Lord Glitters, the winner of this race two years ago, looks the one to beat again in the Group 3 Sky Bet Symphony Group Strensall Stakes at York on Saturday.
The popular grey has been a grand servant to David O'Meara since his arrival from France in late Summer 2017, but he has been something of a slow starter this season. Not everything has been straightforward in his training this summer, but he has been showing much more encouraging signs recently, and he should build on his two respectable performances so far this term behind high-quality performers Mohaather at Ascot and Aspetar here last month.
Kipps has proved a consistent, if just a little one paced performer in good class events this season, and he can enjoy a change of luck in the Melrose Handicap. This step up in trip should suit Hughie Morrison's charge, who produced his most disappointing effort so far in first time blinkers in the soft at Newmarket last time.
His previous effort when a half length second to subsequent Group 3 winner and St Leger possible Hukum, now looks better than it did at the time, and if he does manage to see out the trip on this step up to a mile and three quarters, he should run another big race.
Verdana Blue merits each-way consideration in the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap. Nicky Henderson is well versed in winning top-staying handicaps on the Flat and came close to bagging another big one when this high class hurdler finished second in the Ascot Stakes at the Royal meeting on her comeback at the Royal meeting in June.
Pencilled in for this race after that performance, she should appreciate the step back in trip, and it would appear that the ground is drying in her favour. As she has shown numerous times over timber, she has a very smart turn of foot when the going is good or faster, and this course should suit her very well.
San Donato can land a first Group 2 success in the Sky Bet City Of York Stakes. The lightly-raced four year old started the campaign with a promising third to Mohaather at Ascot last month, but then ran too freely behind the same horse in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, and beat only one of the nine runners home. Judged on that performance, he looks well worth a try over this seven furlongs, and should also appreciate the step down in class.
Blackberry has won both her outings in resolute style at Hamilton and Doncaster and has been working well enough to suggest she can deliver on an each-way investment in the Listed Julia Graves Roses Stakes. The latter performance, a cosy half length win over the promising Credible, was a very good effort under a 7lb penalty, and she deserves a crack at this higher level.
With Respect, a stablemate of Kipps, performed a relatively rare act for his trainer when he won on his racecourse bow at Newbury last October, and he should go well in the Play 4 To Win Handicap at Sandown.
The form of that race has worked out well with a number of winners coming out of the heat including the last home of the 20-runner field, Hurricane Alex. Although he faded to finish a well beaten third on his comeback at Lingfield 18 days ago, the seven furlongs on the all weather looked a tad sharp, and With Respect will be more at home on this stiff mile. He looks worth an each-way interest, but, whatever happens here, he looks worth following.
Afraid Of Nothing looks to be continuing to show the progress he made during his first season, and looks the one to be on in the Chelmsford City Cup Handicap. A winner of two of his five starts in 2019, the daughter of Charm Spirit got off the mark at the second time of asking this term, producing a smart performance to see off Breath Of Joy by a comfortable length and three quarters here last month.
The handicapper has taken due note, but the form has a very solid look to it, with the runner up landing a decisive success at Pontefract last week.
Diamond River finished placed in two good class events at Warwick and Kempton last season, and should prove good enough to see off his nine opponents in the Attheraces.com Bumper at Uttoxeter. Henderson has a small but select team primed for the late Summer, early Autumn season, and this son of Presenting should improve with another Summer behind him.
Henrietta Bell stepped up on her debut effort over fences when third to Yccs Portocervo at Uttoxeter two weeks ago, and she can make it third time lucky over the larger obstacles in the William Hill Racing Radio Handicap Chase at Cartmel on Sunday.
This return to three miles should suit, and she looks to have a little less to do than she faced at the Staffordshire course.
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