Handicappers Corner: Focus on the Ebor meeting

York Racecourse, home to the Ebor Festival

Timeform's Matt Gardner takes a look back at what was an excellent week of racing at York in a bumper edition of Handicappers' Corner...

Wednesday
The star attraction on the opening day at the Knavesmire was Frankel, the four-year-old racing beyond a mile for the first time and producing yet another outstanding performance as he ran to a Timeform rating of 143. My knowledge of adjectives does not stretch anywhere near enough to do Frankel justice, so it may be wise to head to Timeform colleague Simon Rowlands' blog "Frankel, the Superequine".

The Group 2 Great Voltigeur is often the key trial for the St Leger and, although the Triple Crown-seeking Camelot will prove difficult to beat at Doncaster, this was still an informative contest if not an entirely satisfactory one. Thought Worthy, a brother to 2007 St Leger winner Lucarno, improved to land his first Group race, running to a figure of 120, but there was an opportunistic element to his performance as he very much had the run of the race from the front. Main Sequence (121) finished a neck behind in second and would certainly have realistic claims of reversing the form at Doncaster.

Dundonnell, a winner in a good time at Lingfield on his second start, improved his rating to 112p in landing a five-runner Acomb Stakes, a race that appeals as a reasonable renewal despite the small field. The winner showed his inexperience as he idled once hitting the front having made rapid progress, and a step up to a mile for a crack at the RP Trophy looks a logical step.

Other winners on the day included Tax Free (104), Olympiad (103) and Danadana (117), with the latter mentioned pair seemingly progressing and worth keeping on side.

Thursday
The Yorkshire Oaks was the main race on Thursday, but this was not such a strong renewal as in recent years with the likes of Snow Fairy and Great Heavens missing. That said, the classic generation was well represented and last year's Arc runner-up Shareta (122), one of the top older fillies, had to be at the top of her game to prevail. The Fugue (122), just a neck behind in second, left the impression that she could turn the tables another day, possibly hitting the front too soon, and the Breeders' Cup Fillies and Mares Turf has been highlighted as the long-term target, for which she appeals as the ideal type.

Rosdhu Queen continued the unbeaten start to her career as she landed the Group 2 Lowther Stakes, improving to 109p in the process. The injury sustained by Newfangled means that this race does not have all that much depth to it, but the speed at which the winner has made tracks, having made her debut little more than a month before, must not be forgotten. She will need to improve if she is to win the Cheveley Park, likely to be connections' target, but she certainly remains with potential.

Pale Mimosa (107p) improved to win a substandard renewal of the Galtres Stakes, but she left the impression that a greater test of stamina will suit and she may yet progress again, whilst Hototo (107) and Dutch Rose (99) also improved and are likely to continue in form. Trade Storm (113) ran a career-best on his fifth start for his new stable and has to be on the radar for some of the bigger handicaps during the remainder of the season, with the Cambridgeshire being a possible target.

Friday
It was time for the sprinters to take centre stage on the Knavesmire, with the Nunthorpe being the feature race. Prior to the off it had looked a cracking renewal but, for the second year running, the draw had a major bearing on the result as those drawn low dominated the finish, a particularly disappointing turn of events as Pearl Secret, Bated Breath and Sole Power, likely to have been three of the main protagonists, were all drawn high.

The race was won by Australian made Ortensia (124), her performance directly on a par with what she produced when winning the King George Stakes at Goodwood. Although the pace was strong, she deserves some credit for coming from so far back at a track where it is not usually easy to make up ground, and there is no questioning that she is tough and very smart.

Other performances to note on Friday were Dubai Prince's win in the Strensall Stakes, running a career best to take his master rating to 120 and now deserving another crack at something better. Blaine (106) landed what strikes as a fairly weak renewal of the Gimcrack, and he'll have to improve plenty to make an impact in the Middle Park for all that he displayed a likeable attitude, whilst Wentworth (95p) progressed as expected to get off the mark and looks to have both short and long-term potential. Kirthill (112) looks like another to keep on side, as he resumed his progress to land a red-hot handicap.

Saturday
Saturday is Ebor day on the Knavesmire, that race going the way of Willing Foe who improved to a figure of 113. The unusually steady gallop meant that this race was run in a time over three second slower than the Melrose Stakes, limiting the form to some extent, but Willing Foe has the means to go higher than handicaps if all is well.

The aforementioned Melrose Stakes is always competitive, bringing together lots of progressive types, and this year's renewal looks particularly strong with those that came to the fore holding strong claims beforehand and the big timefigure (109) another reason to view the race positively.

The winner, Guarantee (113p), is progressing fast, taking his tally to three wins from four starts with the two furlong longer trip seemingly in his favour. He is likely to be aimed at the St Leger, that race an altogether different test, but this level of form entitles him to take his chance and he remains open to improvement.

Elsewhere on the card, Times Up (117) improved to land the Lonsdale Cup and gain a first win in pattern company, albeit in a race that didn't take as much winning as was expected with favourite Saddler's Rock clearly not 100% on the day for some reason.

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