Kieran Shoemark celebrates as Noble Champion wins

Ed Walker targets Sky Bet City of York with Noble Champion

By Graham Clark

Horse Racing

Fri June 27, 2025 · 7M ago

Ed Walker has identified the newly upgraded Sky Bet City Of York Stakes as the main target for Jersey Stakes hero Noble Champion.

The Lambourn handler is keen to test the son of Lope De Vega at Group One level in the seven-furlong contest, which was promoted from a Group Two this year, on August 23.

However, Walker has not completely ruled out giving the TBT Racing-owned colt an outing in next month’s Group Two HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes at Goodwood beforehand.

But with Noble Champion, who was hit with a 19lb rise, for his Royal Ascot success, having finished third on his previous visit to the Sussex track in a mile conditions stakes earlier this year Walker is only lukewarm that idea.

Walker said: “He has bolted up in a Group Three so you have to go in a Group Two or a Group One. I think the obvious options are the Lennox Stakes, or the City Of York, which is a fair old gap, but I don’t think that matters.

“Having been excited about him all winter we slightly lost our way with him, but he is massively exciting again and I think we are back on track.

“Because he didn’t run well in that mile conditions race at Goodwood, going back there slightly doesn’t get me too excited, but we will see.

“York is the main target. It is the first time it has been run as a Group One and I think it will really suit him.”

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It proved to be a Royal meeting to savour for Walker, who was also on the mark with Never Let Go in the Sandringham Stakes.

And with the daughter of No Nay Never given a mark of 95 for that victory Walker will now explore options at Listed and Group Three level.

He added: “Never Let Go is a homebred of Rockcliffe Stud. She has already got black type and now we have got to win a stakes race somewhere.

“We could look at the Dick Hern up at Haydock or the Prix Chloe over in France. There are options with her, but we want to try and win a Listed race and then go from there.”

Reflecting on the Royal meeting on the whole Walker feels that returning with two winners was above and beyond expectations.

Walker said: “It was an epic week. It was not going very well on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, but thankfully it picked up.

“It was a great result for the team and it was fairytale stuff. Getting one winner there is nearly impossible so God knows how we managed to have two, but they are both lovely horses.

“I’m grateful for the support of the owners and hard work from the staff and it is great when it works.”

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