Start your chariots as the Romans did.
That was when York was known as Ebor and this meeting celebrates all things Ebor and York.
Wednesday kicks off with the Acomb G3 over 1400m for 2yos with 11 running. Godolphin's Justify colt Ruling Court (Appoeby-Buick) was an impressive winner on debut and is on evens, as is the Coolmore runner The Lion in Winter by Sea the Stars who also won well on debut. Next in the market and not the worst is Yaraagh, a Dubawi colt with William Haggas and Tom Marquand to ride on 14/1.
The Great Voltigeur G2 over 2400m for 3yos is something of a St Leger trial and Los Angeles, Irish Derby winner, is on 11/8 for O'Brien-Moore. We liked King's Gambit in his last run and 9/4 sounds OK for the Harry Charlton-William Buick runner. The other Coolmore runner Illinois is handy and 4/1 is a "yes" for multiples. There's only 6 runners here.
The Juddmonte G1 over 2000m has a star-studded field of 13 with horses coming from far and wide. City of Troy is on 11/10 which befits the Derby winner – O'Brien with Moore of course, but there are challengers. French raider Calandagan is on 6/1 as he goes for a 4th consecutive win with Pasquier riding for Graffard in the Aga Khan colours. Ambiente Friendly has many friends and is on 13/2 for Fanshaw-Havelin and we are putting in as a roughie the Japanese St Leger winner Durezza, by top Japanese sire Duramente. Ozeki trains and Christophe Lemaire is coming over for the ride.
We are also looking at Thursday as the flying horse box is heading to Sapporo. The Lowther Stakes G2 is for the 2yo fillies over 1200m and has 9 runners. Leavanni 2/1 is a Kodi Bear filly with Karl Burke who won the Queen Mary and as a Wathnan horse will have the services of James Doyle in the saddle. Heaven's Gate is a Churchill filly with O'Brien-Moore and is on 11/4 and Celandine is back to racing against her own sex – she's by Kingman and with Ed Walker and Tom Marquand will ride. We'll put in a roughie here – Betty Clover on 12/1.
The Yorkshire Oaks is G1 over 2400m and open to mares as well as fillies. 8 to run headed by Lancashire Oaks winner Queen of the Pride on 5/2 for the Gosdens with Oisin Murphy riding. We like Content who ran second in the Irish Oaks and will have benefited from that tough run – on 11/4 for O'Brien-Moore. Emily Upjohn is back – yes she's a nice filly but….7/2 is not value in our book. We will give Port Fairy the roughie tag and hope he gets redemption and that we can ignore his run in the Irish Oaks. Wayne Lordan to ride for Aidan O'Brien.
