Views from connections ahead of the pick of Wednesday's racing at York
Views from connections ahead of Wednesday's feature action at York, including the Juddmonte International and Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes.
2.25 York - Tattersalls Acomb Stakes
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Views from connections:
There is a strong Yorkshire-based challenge for the first Group race of the Ebor meeting at York - the Tattersalls Acomb Stakes - with four previous winners hailing from the county.
John Quinn's Cobra Eye, Mark Johnston's Kingbrook, Kevin Ryan's aptly-named Yorkshire Gold and Richard Fahey's Valdermoro are all carrying big hopes for the home brigade into the Group Three.
Ryan's Syphax and Tim Easterby's Wells Farhh Go won the race back-to-back for Yorkshire in 2016 and 2017 - but this year's race looks well above average, with Joseph and Aidan O'Brien represented as well as a strong contenders from down south.
Cobra Eye won at Glorious Goodwood over six furlongs, and Quinn has maintained the partnership with Frankie Dettori.
"He battled on and kept going well at Goodwood," said the trainer.
"That was over six furlongs, but we feel the extra trip will be well within his compass.
"Obviously it's a good race but he's in good form and he's certainly entitled to be there.
"We've managed to get two runs into him, which is a bonus. The conditions of this race mean you are never going to face many who have had loads of runs -but having two runs instead of one can only help.
"We're very happy with him, so we'll see how he gets on."
Valdermoro has American Grade One winners in his pedigree. Fahey has had a soft spot for him for some time - and he bolted up last time out at Doncaster.
"He's a horse we've always thought a lot of," said the Malton handler.
"It's obviously a big step up for him - but we'll see what happens.
"His form looks very strong. The horse who beat him first time (Mystery Power) went and won a Group Two, but he's got to step up again now.
"We're happy with him. He's in great order, so we'll just have to see if he's up to this now."
Kingbrook showed a typical gritty attitude to get off the mark at Ascot last month - and the Kingman colt is likely to be doing all his best work at the finish.
Charlie Johnston, assistant to his father, said: "He's a nice horse, and I was impressed with him at Ascot last time because he looked beaten and then battled back and hit the line strong.
"If there was a suitable race over a mile this week, I'm sure he'd be running in that - because I think he is ready to step up in trip - but at least it's seven furlongs on a galloping track, as he is a big horse.
"With the way the conditions of the race are - you can't have won before a certain date (July 11) - he was our obvious candidate for it."
The two Irish runners, Vitalogy and Harpocrates, have met once before - with the former, Joseph O'Brien's charge, coming out on top on his debut.
Another who arrives off the back of just one run and a win is Charlie Hills' Persuasion - having taken the same Goodwood maiden as the same stable's subsequent 2014 winner of the race, Dutch Connection.
Hills was also successful 12 months ago with Phoenix Of Spain, who went on to win the Irish Guineas earlier this year.
William Haggas may train in Newmarket but is a proud Yorkshireman, hailing from Skipton, and he runs Ethic.
Tom Dascombe's Morisco and George Margarson's Ropey Guest complete the field.
3.00 York - Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes
Views from connections:
Logician is reported to be in good shape as he bids to maintain his progress and his unbeaten record in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur Stakes at York on Wednesday.
The Frankel colt only made his racecourse debut in May, but has created a big impression on all his three starts - with a pair of emphatic wins at Newbury sandwiching a similarly dominant display at Newmarket.
The John Gosden-trained three-year-old graduates to Group Two class for his latest assignment and could book his place in the William Hill St Leger at Doncaster in September, for which he is currently second-favourite in the ante-post market at a general 8-1.
"He's a progressive horse," said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah.
"Obviously he's stepping up now to proper Group company, but he's been very straightforward. Everyone's been happy with him and he comes into the race in good form."
Logician is the mount of Frankie Dettori, who guided him to victory on his latest start in a handicap at Newbury.
"He keeps on improving, but he has got a bit to find on ratings. I think York will suit him," Dettori told his Ladbrokes blog.
"We know we are taking a leap forward with him, but we want to see if we can make him a Leger horse. That's why he's there."
Aidan O'Brien has saddled three previous winners of the Great Voltigeur in Milan (2001), Powerscourt (2003) and Idaho (2016) and is this year represented by Constantinople and Norway.
Constantinople appears the Ballydoyle maestro's first string following narrow defeats in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood on his two most recent appearances.
O'Brien said: "Constantinople ran well in Goodwood and seems to have come out of it well. It was a little bit of a messy race.
"Norway is in good form as well and he should leave his King George run (finished seventh) behind him."
The Mark Johnston-trained Nayef Road beat Constantinople by a neck at Goodwood, having previously been placed in both the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot and the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket.
Charlie Johnston, assistant to his father, said: "I'm sure he won't be favourite - I'd imagine he'll be third in the betting behind a horse he beat last time and a horse who is unbeaten and obviously progressive, but still has a bit to find on ratings (Logician).
"I know we were getting a penalty from Constantinople at Goodwood, but I don't see any reason why he won't confirm the form.
"He's going into the race in good form having finished third, second and first at three of the biggest meetings of the summer and I'm sure he'll be bang there again."
Godolphin's Jalmoud, trained by Charlie Appleby, is the only one of the quintet without an entry in the St Leger.
Appleby told www.godolphin.com: "Jalmoud has a bit to find with a couple of runners who finished in front of him in the Gordon Stakes, but we feel that the galloping course at York will suit him better.
"A mile and a half is his optimum trip and a reproduction of some of his form in France this season should make him competitive."
3.35 York - Juddmonte International Stakes
Views from connections:
James Doyle is relishing the opportunity to continue his association with Crystal Ocean in the Juddmonte International at York.
After kickstarting his campaign with victories in the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown and the Al Rayyan Stakes at Newbury under Ryan Moore, Sir Michael Stoute's stable star completed his hat-trick in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot in the hands of Frankie Dettori.
With both jockeys unavailable for last month's King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Doyle was given the leg-up for the first time - and both horse and rider lost little in defeat as they went down by a neck to the brilliant mare Enable in a race for the ages.
Doyle said: "I was really proud of my horse at Ascot and I thought for a second we might have won, because we put (Enable) under pressure - and then she powered away from me late on. It was a great race, and great to see two horses turn up in fantastic nick."
There is no rematch on the Knavesmire on Wednesday - with Enable bound instead for the Yorkshire Oaks 24 hours later - so Crystal Ocean will be a hot favourite to get back on the winning trail and provide Stoute with a record seventh victory in the 10-furlong showpiece.
Doyle is confident the drop in distance will not be an problem either for a horse who appears to have few chinks in his armour.
He said: "I'm looking forward to the Juddmonte, because it is the race of the week. I can't thank the owners and Sir Michael enough for the faith they have shown in me. There are various reasons, with Ryan and Frankie being unavailable, but even still it gives you plenty of confidence.
"It is back at a mile and a quarter. But there is a nice, long straight at York - and he is tactically versatile, so there's no issue in that regard, and he has run super on fast and soft ground.
"He has all the credentials a top Group One horse needs, and I'm sure they wouldn't be running him if he wasn't firing on all cylinders. He has no quirks - he is plain sailing to ride, which is a big plus. He is just a solid Group One horse."
While confident about his own chances of victory, Doyle is respectful of the opposition - giving special mention to the John Gosden-trained King Of Comedy, who went down by a diminishing neck in the St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot on his latest appearance.
"I thought King Of Comedy was very eye-catching in the St James's Palace Stakes," he said.
"Stepping up in trip looks like it will suit, and he is by that powerful stallion Kingman - he is a very worthy contender. Crystal Ocean does everything you ask of a horse. He can put himself into a spot and relax, and you can ride him more patiently if you require - he has got a good turn of foot.
"It is the race of the meeting for me. All eyes will be on Enable - but of all the races during the week, the Juddmonte is the one you want to win."
Stoute, who also saddles outsider Regal Reality, said: "It's a tough race. We go there with two nice horses. They've prepared well, and we hope for the best. Obviously we're happy with him (Crystal Ocean), or we wouldn't have sent him."
Regal Reality was third behind Enable on his penultimate start in the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown, but could finish only fourth on his latest outing in the York Stakes.
Stoute added: "He ran very well in the Eclipse - it was a good, solid run actually. The ground was too soft for him last time. The surface will be more suitable (at York), and we'll learn more about him."
Japan and Circus Maximus give Aidan O'Brien a strong hand as he goes in search of a record-equalling sixth victory in the York day one feature.
It is 19 years since the Ballydoyle maestro first landed Wednesday's Group One prize with the mighty Giant's Causeway (2000) - and he has since added to his tally with Duke Of Marmalade (2008), Rip Van Winkle (2010), Declaration Of War (2013) and Australia (2014).
This year's two contenders have both done well since running in the Investec Derby, in which Japan finished third and Circus Maximus sixth.
Japan has subsequently landed the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Grand Prix de Paris at ParisLongchamp, while Circus Maximus successfully dropped back to a mile in the St James's Palace Stakes before pushing Too Darn Hot all the way in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood.
O'Brien said: "We've been happy with Japan since France, and he seems to be in good form. We're obviously bringing him back to a mile and a quarter - and we think the experience will do him good back at this trip.
"Circus Maximus is going up in trip and he ran a very good race at Goodwood last time. The stiff mile in Ascot suited him,and then he still ran very well on the easy mile at Goodwood. We always felt a mile and a quarter would suit him well. He seems to be in good form since he ran."
The John Gosden-trained King Of Comedy looked every inch a top-class prospect in the making when winning the Heron Stakes at Sandown on his penultimate start - and did nothing to suggest otherwise when beaten a diminishing neck by Circus Maximus at the Royal meeting.
Connections are looking forward to seeing him step up to a mile and a quarter for the first time on the Knavesmire, but are well aware of the task ahead - with O'Brien's pair and Sir Michael Stoute's proven top-notcher Crystal Ocean among King Of Comedy's rivals.
Hugo Lascelles, racing manager to owner-breeder Lady Bamford, said: "We're looking forward to seeing (him) run, but it is a very big ask - we're under no illusions about the task that is about to be undertaken. He was unlucky not to win at Royal Ascot, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. John Gosden has been very happy with him since and always felt he'd appreciate a step up to a mile and a quarter.
"He's working well, but it is a very competitive race."
An impressive course-and-distance success in last month's York Stakes prompted connections of the Mark Johnston-trained Elarqam to stump up the required £75,000 to add him to the International field.
A son of Frankel out of the Middleham trainer's former star mare Attraction, Elarqam has long been held in the highest regard - and Charlie Johnston, assistant to his father, would love to see the colt break his Group One duck.
He said: "It's obviously a very tough race, and you've got the best horse in the world in there (Crystal Ocean), but it's time for our horse to step back up to the highest level now - having won a Group Two so convincingly last time over the course and distance.
"We'll have no excuses with conditions. He's won three of his last four races and he's coming into it off the back of what was probably a career-best performance. I'm sure he won't disgrace himself, and if he can finish in the first three we'll be delighted."
Stoute's second string Regal Reality, Japanese raider Cheval Grand, David Menuisier's outsider Thundering Blue and David O'Meara's Lord Glitters complete the nine-strong field.
The latter won the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot in June before finishing fifth in the Sussex Stakes and will step back up in trip for another leg of the Qipco British Champions Series.
O'Meara said: "He won over a mile and a quarter in France early in his career - and he won the Strensall Stakes over nine furlongs at York last year, when he beat the subsequent Lockinge winner Mustashry. He also ran a blinder over that trip in the Dubai Turf, and has never been stopping at the end of his races.
"There's not a lot else to be running him in at this time, and there's fantastic prize money on offer - so why not have a go? We can always drop back in trip for the QEII (on Champions Day at Ascot on October 19) later in the year.
"We are under no illusions it's a tough race, and he's got quite a bit to find with the likes of Crystal Ocean. But he's in great form, and the fact he's won at York is another tick in his box."
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