Action from York

Five horses to take out of York's Ebor Festival

By Ben Linfoot

10:41 · SUN August 21, 2022

As the Ebor meeting comes to a close, these five beaten horses from the last week at York should pay their way in the near future.

Chuzzlewit: One who should’ve learnt plenty

It was a hot renewal of the Gimcrack Stakes, perhaps the most strength in depth in the race for many a year, a contest which has produced Group One winners like Muhaarar, Blue Point, Sands Of Mali and Emaraaty Ana in the last decade.

The first two home this year, Noble Style and Marshman, pulled over three lengths clear of the rest and they look very good prospects indeed, but don’t give up on those that were beaten in behind including CHUZZLEWIT for the Emaraaty Ana connections.

He halved in price for this after positive noises all week, but looked like falling out of the back of the TV at one point when he met a bit of trouble in-running and fell to the rear of the field.

However, the full-brother to Group One -winner Advertise rallied to finish his race nicely, staying on again for seventh, and Kevin Ryan, who had a handful of eye-catchers at this meeting, can ensure he comes on plenty for this vital experience.

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Dragon Symbol: On the way back to his best

Campanelle and Dragon Symbol duel in the Commonwealth Cup

Dragon Symbol (right) is working his way back to his best

DRAGON SYMBOL was outpaced in the early stages of the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes but he ran on very nicely for fifth on livelier ground than ideal.

It’s taken Roger Varian a while to get the best out of him, but the hood seems to be helping him race more efficiently and he should improve again back over six furlongs if the new headgear truly has helped him to settle.

The Haydock Betfair Sprint Cup looks the best target for him – he’s run two very good races in second on both visits there - and if he gets even just a little bit of juice in the ground at the Merseyside track he’s going to be a major player.

It’s a race that doesn’t appear to be on John Quinn’s radar for brilliant Nunthorpe winner Highfield Princess and yet she’s the antepost favourite for the September 3 contest, so the 33/1 about Dragon Symbol looks very fair indeed.

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Finest Sound: Cheekpieces the key

Talking of headgear making a difference FINEST SOUND has perked right up since the Crisfords applied cheekpieces to the son of Exceed And Excel.

He took a while to recover from his fruitful trip to Dubai where he was second in the Group One Jebel Hatta, running below form at Epsom and at Newbury, but he’s been right back at the top of his game on his last two starts.

A confidence-boosting win in first-time cheekpieces at Thirsk over seven furlongs was followed up by an excellent second in the Sky Bet And Symphony Group Strensall Stakes at York on Saturday, where he traded at 1.54 in-running on Betfair before Alflaila got to him late on.

Back in the groove, the Group 3 Darley Stakes at Newmarket on Cesarewitch day looks a likely target for him but he’s worth keeping onside wherever he goes in the coming weeks and months.

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Frankenstella: Could be a monster on soft

John Quinn can win races with Frankenstella

It’s been some month for John Quinn thanks to the exploits of Highfield Princess and his amazing touch of improving horses should be remembered when looking at the profile of FRANKENSTELLA.

The daughter of Frankel is lightly-raced this year but she was best of the rest behind subsequent Sky Bet Ebor second Alfred Boucher in the Sky Bet Stayers Handicap on day one of the meeting - which was a mighty effort after three months off the track.

She’s versatile on the ground but has won on soft and heavy, which makes her one to follow this autumn for races like the Cesarewitch.

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Moktasaab: More to come this autumn

It’s that time of year where you start to think the ground might turn as the nights draw in and that could well suit William Knight’s MOKTASAAB who has looked to have been feeling the fast ground on a couple of starts this summer.

Sixth behind Farhan in the Sky Bet Handicap on Friday, he stayed on again after looking like he might be well beaten at one stage and this was good evidence that he should stay 1m4f just fine.

A close-up second at Nottingham on the only time he has encountered soft conditions, he’ll be interesting off his current mark with a bit of cut in the ground over trips ranging from 10 to 12 furlongs.

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