Ben Linfoot, David Ord and Mike Vince answer the key questions after the six-day entries were released for day three at York next Friday.
Are you a believer in Bacio ahead of the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes?
Ben Linfoot: He could be the one, couldn’t he? We know the sprinting scene is a relatively moderate one in Europe, so when you get a Wesley Ward-trained speedball backed off the boards for a Royal Ascot handicap, and then for him to win in the style he did, well, it’s no wonder the bookies are running for cover. It’s a price thing, though, and at 3/1 I’ll probably go against him just in case the leap to Group 1 company is a step too far too quickly, fully in the knowledge that he might just blast off and win handsomely.
David Ord: I am. The market suggested a handicap rating of 100 seriously underestimated him in the Palace Of Holyrood and so it proved. He was a Group horse in a handicap there and produced a performance that Timeform said: “would have been good enough to win the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes earlier in the week”. He’s rapid which you need to be in the Nunthorpe and looks sure to be served up quick summer ground again. He’s the pick but I don’t think you can kick Rayevka out of the frame. I liked the way she went through that King Charles II when run down late by Mission Central and the five at York will suit her given how she goes through her races.
Mike Vince: No. Bacio won the Palace Of Holyroodhouse Handicap at Royal Ascot by three lengths from a full field, but this is a big step up in a race Wesley Ward has never won. I think he'll have his hands full with the older and battle hardened generations. French hope Rayevka has to go on the shortlist, you ignore Group 1 winners American Affair and last year's winner Afsoora at your peril but I think his biggest challenger could be the Crisford runner Cover Up. He took full advantage of the dearth of top Irish sprinters by winning the Sapphire Stakes at The Curragh last time. It's a brave call by the Hannon team to go for this with the two-year-old Pershada and with a big weight concession and blistering speed he cannot be ruled out.
With Trawlerman now retired have the Gosdens got another staying ace up their sleeves in the Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup?
BL: It’s a shame the York crowds won’t get to see Trawlerman next Friday but he retires after two big efforts this season in his bid to go out with a bang. Alas, he just fell short, and with no Scandinavia in this Group 2 the door is open for something to force their way onto the staying scene. The Gosdens rely on French Master, for owners Wathnan Racing, but he has something to prove at this level, and it could be a horse like Paddy Twomey’s Carmers can thrive out of Scandinavia’s shadow.
DO: I fear not. French Master just seems to come up short when he steps into races like this and had no excuses when a solid fourth in the Goodwood Cup last time. That’s as good as he is. I think this could be destined for Ireland with Carmers. He was sixth behind Scandinavia and Trawlerman in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot where I don’t think he quite got home. Back down to trip and on a track like York he’ll be much happier. I’ll be fascinated to see how Lambourn fares going up in trip too. The King George fourth behind Kalpana signalled he’s right back to his best and he’s well worth another try at a staying trip.
MV: There are question marks about many of these, and the Gosden team now put their hopes in French Master, but his bare form isn't good enough - he beat only one home in the Sky Bet Ebor last year. If he's a genuine two-miler Carmers, whose only win over this trip was in a small race at Down Royal has to go on the shortlist as does last years Derby winner Lambourn who ran well in the King George and is trying this trip for the first time. Caballo de Mar ran too bad to be true when only beating the ambulance home in the Gold Cup, before that there was a lot to like about his win at Longchamp and his second to Sweet William at Ascot. There are less doubts about him than many of the others.
Who do you think will be making the Gimcrack speech this year?
BL: I don’t know if Shaikh Nasser will make the Gimcrack dinner in person but I wouldn’t be surprised to see his Mrair bounce back to form in his red Victorious Forever silks for trainer George Scott. This speedy Mehmas colt got no luck in-running in the Coventry Stakes when forced to wait for room, but he ran well in the circumstances and this track promises to play to his strengths.
DO: Do you know what, I think the prize is staying in Yorkshire. Arapaho Gold has to be a big player off the back of his Rose Bowl win at Newbury, Great Oak is well regarded by his top team and Mussab’s Norfolk form puts him bang in the picture too. But Phillipa Griffin And Partner you might want to start jotting a few notes down because I loved the way Hell Of A Spin went through the Molecomb at Goodwood before finishing third to Nunthorpe-bound Pershaada. That represented a career-best by some way and there promises to be more to come as he steps up to six furlongs for the first time.
MV: The heart wants Arapaho Gold to win for trainer Michael Dods - he's unbeaten and if Nadati who he beat at Newbury last time does win the Acomb on Wednesday his hopes will rise, but another Northern hope who caught the eye is another unbeaten one - Kevin Ryan's Matteo. His most recent win, in Beverley's Two Year Old Trophy saw him make every yard and hold on. Ryan's won this race four times - the first with Amadeus Wolf more than 20 years ago - and knows what it takes to win it. There was a lot to like as well about Ed Walker's Never Enough when he won at Ascot last month, too.
Give us one for the Friday handicaps please?
BL: In the opening Sky Bet Mile Handicap for the three-year-olds Capall Rasa could return having not been seen since Royal Ascot. He ran a cracker in the Britannia, finishing a close-up fifth despite being denied a clear run, and since then he has switched from Tom Dascombe’s to Ed Bethell’s, a trainer with a score to settle in this race having won it with Point Lynas in 2022 only for him to be demoted on appeal.
DO: How about Wave Rider in the Assured Data Protection Handicap. He switched to George Scott from Harry Charlton in the autumn and spent the winer racing in Bahrain, hitting the frame in a couple of Group Twos over there. He returned to domestic duties at Goodwood last time and never got a clear shot at things behind stablemate Al Aali, running into traffic problems two out and again inside the final furlong. He finished with plenty of petrol left in the tank there and looks capable of going well here from an unchanged mark with Oisin Murphy again booked to ride.
MV: We haven't seen Master Builder since he won a competitive handicap at the Dante meeting in May. He's in the mile and a half handicap at 16:10 and it looks at though David Menuisier is planning to hit the M1 again with this five-year-old and that to me is significant on a day where, like the others, there'll be plenty of decent each-way prices on offer. Ger Lyons' Krasimir wasn't beaten far in a mile handicap at the Galway Festival. This is a very different track with a long finishing straight and he could be an each-way bet in the opening mile handicap (13:50) if he makes the journey.
Related Sky Bet York Ebor Festival content
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- David Ord: Is the Juddmonte International really a match?
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- Nic Doggett: The York test facing Gimcrack hopeful Arapaho Gold
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