Trainer and jockey combinations to look out for at York
We highlight five trainer and jockey combinations who do particularly well at York and are worth following this week.
Charlie Hills/Jamie Spencer (Strike rate: 25% - P/L: +£12)
Jamie Spencer and Charlie Hills do well when teaming up together at York with a healthy strike rate and also a profitable record.
They have a couple of interesting chances this week with Khaadem in the Duke of York Clipper Stakes and Equilateral in a five furlong handicap on Thursday.
Khaadem hasn’t won at York but has plenty of notable efforts to his name when not beaten too far in the Nunthorpe in the last two renewals. There’s no doubting he’s a very smart sprinter on his day, as he highlighted when winning the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot last year under Spencer at 80/1. This represents a drop in grade and he will be interesting on his first start over six furlongs at this track.
Equilateral isn’t getting any younger but he and Spencer won a handicap at this course in August last season from just a 1 lb lower mark and he seems sure to go well again on his first start for four months and returned to handicap company for the first time since that success.
Ralph Beckett/Rossa Ryan (Strike rate: 22% - P/L: -£1.92)
Rossa Ryan and Ralph Beckett may not have a profitable record together at York but a strike race of 22% is not to be sniffed at and they will have a few chances this week.
Classical Song runs in the Musidora Stakes on Wednesday and she looked promising last season when easily opening her account over seven furlongs at Sandown. She reportedly bled from the nose when finishing fourth in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket when last seen, shaping as though she will be seen to much better effect over middle distances, while that is also backed up by her pedigree. It would be no surprise were she to show much improved form.
Bluestocking is another interesting filly who could run in the Middleton Fillies’ Stakes on Thursday. She remains with just her debut juvenile success to her name, but she developed into a smart performer last season, arguably unlucky not to win the Irish Oaks and running another cracker to finish second in another Group 1 at Ascot on her final start. Bluestocking has the potential to progress further as a four-year-old – a tall filly with plenty about her – and this looks an ideal starting point for her.
William Haggas/Cieran Fallon (Strike rate: 20% - P/L: +£10)
Cieran Fallon and William Haggas do well together on the Knavsemire and they have a particularly interesting chance with Montassib in the Duke of York Clipper Stakes on Wednesday.
They are building a good rapport together, with Fallon being on board for Montassib’s wins, which include a handicap win over this course and distance in October. He has really come alive since being dropped to six furlongs having spent most of his career racing over further, and confirmed his well-being when a comfortable winner of a Listed event at Doncaster on his return in March.
That performance confirmed himself as a pattern-class performer and this looks an obvious next step. The ground is set to be faster than for his last two wins, but he has form on a sound surface too, and he looks an improving sprinter to be positive about.
Andrew Balding/Oisin Murphy (Strike rate: 16% - P/L: +£24.75)
Oisin Murphy will arrive at York this week in fine form, having recorded a four-timer at Newcastle on Sunday, and he and Andrew Balding are sure to be a force this week.
A notable runner will be Fire Demon who has been declared for the three-year-old handicap over seven furlongs on Wednesday. He is progressing all of the time, winning his last three starts over six furlongs on the all-weather, and he did so impressively when last seen at Newcastle in March.
Fire Demon was well suited by a strongly-run race on that occasion, something he will get here, and he has the potential to improve further back at seven furlongs. He was beaten only by Dancing Gemini, who is now a smart performer, when last seen on turf in a maiden at Newbury last year, so he is clearly effective on grass, and is very much a horse to remain positive about.
Karl Burke/Clifford Lee (Strike rate: 16% - P/L: +£15.50)
Karl Burke has made a good start to the turf season and he is always a trainer to look out for at York, while he and Clifford Lee do particularly well together.
One runner for them both who catches the eye is Lethal Levi who has been declared for the six-furlong handicap on Wednesday. He was beaten only a neck in this race 12 months ago, succumbing only to one who had fallen some way in the weights and was on a going day.
Lethal Levi is now 5lb lower in the weights and should be spot on for this test following his reappearance run at Newmarket earlier this month, where he left the impression he would come on a fair bit, and that was the same path he took ahead of running in this race 12 months ago.
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