Get the view from connections and Man On The Spot verdict for the mrgreen.com Live Casino Ganton Stakes at York.
View from connections
David Simcock believes he has Arod in "very good order" for the Ganton Stakes at York on Friday. The seven-year-old is well travelled, having had a spell in Australia, but Simcock has also had some fun with him since he returned to Europe.
Just touched off on his seasonal return by Jallota, he won a Listed race at Windsor last time out. Arod was declared to run in the Diomed Stakes at Epsom but Simcock felt the ground would have been too soft.
"Arod is in very good order at the moment," said the Newmarket handler. "He was second at Kempton first time out this year - he dusted away a few cobwebs. And then he was good at Windsor. We would love to have run him at Epsom but in my opinion he's definitely better on faster ground. He is a horse that looks good at home. He is not short of speed and a mile is probably his perfect trip."
Sovereign Debt was fourth in the Diomed Stakes which he had won in 2017. That was the best effort of the campaign so far from the nine-year-old and his trainer Ruth Carr reports the popular veteran to have taken those exertions in his stride.
"He's in good form and he's come out of his Epsom race well," she said. "We wouldn't mind a bit of rain if the weather could help us out. There's not many runners and hopefully he'll do his best."
Andrew Balding would like to see the heavens open for Here Comes When, who lowered the colours of Ribchester when winning the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood on soft ground last summer. The eight-year-old has just had the two races since then, the latest coming at Sandown in April, when he was fifth to Addeybb in the bet365Mile.
"Obviously, the ground is probably going to be tougher than he'd ideally want. He loves to get his toe in but as long as it's good, safe ground we'll take our chance," said Balding. "He's in great form and I want to get a run into him. He's in great order and I'd hope he'd run very well."
Richard Fahey's Another Touch and the Archie Watson-trained Chessman complete the five runners.
Man On The Spot verdict
HERE COMES WHEN took the scalp of Ribchester in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood last August and it’s a bonus that he’s getting 3lb from recent Windsor winner Arod. Andrew Balding’s miler is the clear pick on official ratings and a fifth in the bet365 Mile at Sandown, when just ahead of Sovereign Debt, should have blown away any cobwebs. Chessman continues to look a bit out of his depth at this level and while Another Touch is a consistent handicapper, he’s done nothing to suggest he’s up to winning a Listed contest.
Related links
