Saturday’s action from York promises to be competitive offering a high-class afternoon of racing with the 1m6f Group 3 William Hill Bronte Cup Fillies' Stakes (3:15) the highlight of the card.
A field of 9 runners will be present for this year's renewal of the the Bronte Cup, a race first run in 2018, when the John Gosden trained Precious Ramotswe won the races' inauguration. Last year, it was the Roger Varian team taking home the spoils, with Believe In Love, an impressive winner.
This season, Group 2 winning Mimikyu is at the head of the market, making her seasonal reappearance for the John and Thady Gosden team, after finishing last season off with a slightly disappointing twelfth in the Group 1 Qipco British Champion Fillies and Mares Stakes. She looks a worthy favourite to return to winning ways this weekend with past form to suggest she is capable of more than the challenge set today.
She won't have it her own way with the field filled with class, including the likes of the 4-year-old daughter of Sea The Stars, River Of Stars, for the in-form Ralph Beckett team. Having won the 2022 Listed Chester Stakes, she was targeted at the Group 2 Park Hill Fillies Stakes in September, finishing an underwhelming fifth behind Mimikyu. She too is having her first race this year however current stable form suggests improvement is likely with ability to be a serious danger to the favourite.
An interesting inclusion is the William Haggas trained Sea Flawless. Her pedigree suggests she could be one of the best in the field, yet remains one of the most unexposed, running on just three occasions before today.
Having been unraced at three, she began her career in nice fashion on the All-Weather at Newcastle, running out a ready winner last February. She was then a well beaten second at Lingfield in April, but put that run firmly behind her shortly after, returning to winning ways in a Novice Stakes contest at Beverley later that month. She will have to show improvement, but it is far from out of the equation given her pedigree and connections.
It is not only the Group 3 contest we can delve into this Saturday on York's card either, as the racing action is kicked off in competitive style, with the 7f Keep Your Raceday Positive Handicap (1:35). The race was won last year by the Richard Fahey trained Maywake, who bids to make it two in a row this year despite being unable to get his head in front since winning this race 12 months ago.
If he is to do this however, he will have to fend off the challenge of 19 rivals, including the Karl Burke trained Quick Change as well as the inform Albeseeingyer, bidding to make it six wins in a row for the Steph Hollinshead team.
The 2:40 at York is the 5f Class 2 William Hill Epic Boost Handicap, and it certainly promises to be one of the most competitive races York has to offer throughout the day. The market is headed by the Karl Burke trained Korker, who we saw just 9 days ago here when finishing ½ length off winner Regional in a closely fought contest.
Despite being strong in the market, this four-year-old son of Dandy Man will have it far from easy, with the likes of Bedford Flyer also in the field, who was last seen finishing only ½ length off Korker in that same race earlier this month. Whilst these two look to be the strongest runners in this year's renewal, it is far from a two-horse race, with a whole host of potential winners amongst this 14-runner field, including the Ruth Carr trained Reigning Profit, as well as Mondammej for the Anthony Brittain team.
