14:25 York

Saturday 22 August 2026

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:20

Sky Bet Melrose Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (GBBPlus Race)

Off time: 14:26 | Winning time: 3m 1.42s

(6)

Limestone^t³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: R L Moore| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 105| D

10/3

Likeable colt won his final start at 2 yrs and has progressed well this season, winning his first 3 starts of the year, including a Navan listed event and the Group 2 Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot. Needed a stiffer test in the Grand Prix de Paris last time, so is back up in trip for handicap debut.

Form: 21-1116

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(4)

Infraad²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Tom Marquand| T: W J Haggas| OR: 97

10/3

Looked a smart prospect when getting off the mark by a wide margin at Pontefract in April and shaped better than the result when third at Chester on handicap bow. Looked tailor-made for this race when winning a strong event at Glorious Goodwood (1½m, good to firm) last month and he can go close.

Form: 2-3131

(5)

Into The Light^p²²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby| OR: 96

10/1

Lingfield debut winner who shaped well when runner-up next 2 starts, bumping into smart Lost Boys on handicap debut at Sandown in April. Back on the up in cheekpieces when winning 13-runner handicap at Goodwood (11f, good to firm) 22 days ago by 1¾ lengths from Devil's Peak. Should stay this far.

Form: 12201

(15)

Tierra Del Toro²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: James Doyle| T: R M Beckett| OR: 95

28/1

Has shaped quite well in valuable handicaps this year, finishing with running left when third in the London Gold Cup before racing freely in the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot. Left without much room on the rail when 6½ lengths fourth of 8 to Infraad at Goodwood last time and isn't discounted.

Form: 212-394

(3)

Mythical Bay⁴⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-10| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding| OR: 92| D

4/1

Showed a good attitude to get off the mark in a Wolverhampton novice (9.5f) in January and has continued his good work since switched to handicaps, resuming winning ways at Newbury (1½m) in June before following up in a 7-runner handicap at Newmarket (1¾m, firm) 49 days ago. Up another 5 lb.

Form: 2-12311

(9)

Galilean Quality⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: S H James| T: K R Burke| OR: 91| D

12/1

Has the odd quirk but he's essentially progressive and posted quite a useful effort to win 1½m Wolverhampton handicap in May. Emerged with credit when sixth at Royal Ascot next time and took his career record to 4-8 when winning over this trip at Ascot last month, the longer distance suiting well.

Form: 1-13161

(10)

My Ballyquinn³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: Mark Winn| T: D O'Meara| OR: 89| CD

28/1

Made it 2 wins from his first 3 handicap starts in a C&D handicap in June and ran creditably in a race which placed an unsuitable emphasis on speed when 1¾ lengths second of 3 to Probation in handicap (13/8) at Sandown (1¾m, good) 30 days ago. Can give another good account.

Form: 241212

(17)

Glory Road²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: Edward Greatrex| T: R M Beckett| OR: 88

18/1

Bumped into some useful rivals when third all 3 starts in novice/maiden company and showed improved form to make a winning handicap debut at Newcastle (13 ran, 12.4f, 6/4) 28 days ago, breaking on terms for the first time. In top hands and he should have more to offer from 6 lb higher mark.

Form: 2-321

(2)

Sharkeyboy^p²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-6| J: Saffie Osborne| T: W P Mullins| OR: 88

15/2

Ran well both starts in maidens in the autumn, denied on the nod at Leopardstown. Below that level on return but right back on the up in first-time cheekpieces when denied only late on in a 15-runner event on handicap debut at Galway (12.4f, good to soft) 26 days ago. Likely to improve.

Form: 52-52

(7)

Who's Lope⁵⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: Nicola Currie| T: A M Balding| OR: 86| BF

28/1

Continued theme of race-by-race progress when landing 3-runner novice at Beverley 4 weeks ago (1½m) in May and ran at least as well despite failing to land the odds when ½-length second of 8 to My Ballyquinn in handicap (8/13) at this C&D (good to firm) 56 days ago. More needed at this level.

Form: 8-212

(12)

Baltic Fleet^v¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: A Mullen| T: Ian Williams| OR: 86

66/1

Yarmouth 2-y-o maiden winner who finished third of 14 in a warm 1½m event here in May on his penultimate start for George Boughey. Changed hands for £170k and having looked amiss on yard debut, he was back on track when a staying-on third of 10 in handicap at Ascot (1½m, good to firm) 14 days ago.

Form: 1-232P3

(1)

Devil's Peak^b²²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: Tyler Heard| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 86

50/1

Not an easy ride but built on a couple of promising efforts when getting up late to open account in 5-runner handicap at Newbury last month and shaped very well when 1¾ lengths second of 13 to Into The Light at Goodwood (11f, good to firm) 22 days ago, coming from much further back than the winner.

Form: 4-24512

(8)

Bay Of Stars^p⁶³

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: Ray Dawson| T: D K Weld| OR: 86

12/1

New Bay colt who confirmed promise of 2-y-o debut when winning 1½m maiden at Dundalk in April and took another step forward when runner-up at Leopardstown on handicap debut. Finished with running left after an interrupted passage when third of 9 at Down Royal (13f, soft) and he can improve again.

Form: 6-123

(11)

Steel Raven²²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-3| J: Barry McHugh| T: A Keatley| OR: 85

125/1

Shaped encouragingly first 2 starts and took a big step forward upped to 1¼m when winning maiden at Pontefract last month. Couldn't improve when 5½ lengths sixth of 13 to Into The Light on handicap debut at Goodwood (11f, good to firm) and will need more to feature here.

Form: 3316

(14)

Vantage Code^h²²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: Rory Cleary| T: E Mullins| OR: 84| D

25/1

Steadily progressive in handicaps and took his biggest jump forward yet when justifying strong support to win an 18-runner handicap at Galway (1¾m, soft) 22 days ago, storming clear from 2f out to win by 12 lengths. 15 lb higher now but has to be respected given the manner of his latest success.

Form: 7-07231

(13)

Eniac²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: Cam Hardie| T: B Ellison| OR: 82

50/1

Fairly useful maiden who was third in 13f Leopardstown maiden on final start for Donnacha O'Brien in June. Travelled smoothly in rear when length third of 13 to Glory Road in handicap at Newcastle (12.4f) 28 days ago but he's 2 lb out of the weights here and others hold stronger claims.

Form: 3-54933

(16)

Probation³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-2| J: Harry Vigors⁽⁵⁾| T: K P De Foy| OR: 81| D

28/1

In the frame all 3 starts in novice/maidens and showed improved form when bolting up in 3-runner handicap at Lingfield (11.6f). Coped well with a test of speed when beating My Ballyquinn in another small-field at Sandown since and though he races from 3 lb out of the weights, is open to progress.

Form: 34311

Forecasts

Infraad (10/3), Limestone (10/3), Mythical Bay (4/1), Sharkeyboy (15/2), Into The Light (10/1), Galilean Quality (12/1), Bay Of Stars (12/1), Glory Road (18/1), Vantage Code (25/1), Who's Lope (28/1), Tierra Del Toro (28/1), My Ballyquinn (28/1), Probation (28/1), Devil's Peak (50/1), Eniac (50/1), Baltic Fleet (66/1), Steel Raven (125/1)

A typically competitive renewal of the Melrose which can go the way of INFRAAD, William Haggas' progressive son of Ghaiyyath having looked an ideal candidate for this race with his gutsy victory at Goodwood. Glory Road has some strong form to his name across his qualifying runs and made a successful handicap debut at Newcastle last time, so is also high on the shortlist, with wide-margin Galway winner Vantage Code also holding strong claims in a race where it's hard to rule many out.