City Of Troy is undoubtedly the main attraction in this week’s York Ebor Festival but there are plenty of supporting acts that are worthy of attention on the Knavesmire.
York is a wonderful racecourse and probably the best in Britain. The flat, galloping nature of a fair racecourse appeals to trainers and the Ebor Festival has quickly become one of the highlights of the British Flat season. Its officials have bemoaned the lack of a general nationwide marketing campaign to raise the profile of the meeting but sales are steady and in-line with most years, so it promises to be a good week regardless.
The Juddmonte International of 2022 produced the best racing performance on these shores to date and the hope is City Of Troy can do what Baaeed breathtakingly achieved that day when he sauntered clear of Mishriff to win by six-and-a-half lengths. The three-year-old colt was good in winning the Derby but more workmanlike in the Eclipse Stakes when he had to grind out victory on bad ground. An outstanding juvenile last season, City Of Troy takes on a decent field on Wednesday.
Alflaila loves York and is now rated 118. French raider Calandagan won the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot in blistering fashion by six lengths. City Of Troy vanquished Ambiente Friendly in the Derby but the way he travelled at Epsom and in the Irish equivalent suggested the drop back to ten furlongs is firmly in his favour. White Birch won the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup and returns from injury. The four-year-old arguably produced the best performance of the season back in May when defeating the subsequent Prince Of Wales Stakes winner.
So there are dangers aplenty in the next chapter of the Troy story that is set to determine whether he really is a superstar or not.
Thirty-five minutes before City Of Troy struts his stuff, another O’Brien inmate runs in the Great Voltigeur Stakes. The three-year-old won the Irish Derby and has largely been in the shadow of fellow Classic winner City Of Troy. But he’s classy in his own right, too much so for the St Leger according to jockey Ryan Moore. Perhaps Los Angeles could be off to France to be O’Brien’s main Arc horse, while City Of Troy goes Stateside for the Breeders’ Cup. Maybe one will take in the Champion Stakes, while the other runs in the Irish Champion. Who knows. But Wednesday will go a long way to finding out how two of the most exciting three-year-olds end their seasons at the top table.
The Acomb Stakes, Lowther Stakes and Gimcrack Stakes will reveal more about the two-year-old division over the course of the week at York. They all tend to produce very good winners. On Thursday, Bluestocking is expected to take all the beating in the Yorkshire Oaks. The 6-4 about her over the 8-1 on Emily Upjohn looks too big a disparity given how close the latter got to Bluestocking in the Pretty Polly Stakes earlier in the season. It all went wrong for Emily Upjohn at Goodwood in what was an inadequate test for her. She could bounce back at a nice price against the favourite.
Class act City Of Troy is a short-priced favourite for the Juddmonte International at York
City Of Troy strides away to win the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown under jockey Ryan Moore
Kieran Shoemark will be hoping for better luck in the silks of Emily Upjohn at York this week
The progressive Queen Of The Pride and Irish Oaks winner You Got To Me add extra spice to Thursday’s showpiece. Vauban will be looking to return to winning ways in the Lonsdale Cup on Friday when the sprinters take the fore. Asfoora and Big Evs are set for round three in the Nunthorpe Stakes. Aussie filly Asfoora won the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot but Big Evs gained revenge in the King George at Goodwood. They will be hard to split once again at York.
The week rounds off with all the big yards represented in the Ebor Handicap which is worth £300,000 to the winner and is usually a good pointer to classy stayers who could take in races such as the Melbourne Cup later this year. The City Of York Stakes is probably the best seven-furlong race in Britain and isn’t far off Group One status, with Audience, Lake Forest and Kinross part of a very classy field. It’s all set for a cracking week on the Knavesmire.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK…
ECONOMICS has enjoyed a nice break since winner the Dante Stakes at York and the three-year-old, who controversially skipped the Derby at Epsom, was an excellent winner of the Prix Guillaume d’Ornano in Deauville on Thursday. He made up a lot of ground from the rear of the field and raced wide for the most part but still won well by two lengths and hit the line strongly. William Haggas has exuded patience and seems to be reaping the rewards. He’s a horse with huge potential.
SELECTION OF THE DAY…
SHAREHOLDER (9-4, BetVictor) was a good winner of the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and Karl Burke’s unbeaten juvenile can maintain his unbeaten record in the Group One Prix Morny (Deauville, 2.50). British-trained runners have won six of the last ten renewals, with Burke winning the 2017 race with Unfortunately. Burke can strike again with Shareholder to enhance Britain’s good record in the race.
