York’s four-day Ebor meeting begins on Wednesday with Crystal Ocean 11/8 market leader at BetVictor for the Gp 1 International Stakes, the feature event on the opening day. The Gt Voltigeur Stakes is one of the leading St Leger trials in the calendar and the unbeaten Logician has been well supported (9/4 from 3s at BetVictor) as he steps up in grade. It promises to be a sensational day’s racing.
They go at Lingfield this afternoon and Scheme (2.45) is, surprisingly, dropped in trip but, unsurprisingly, fitted with headgear for the first-time having finished runner up over an additional quarter-mile at Newcastle last time. Trainer Sir Mark Prescott must feel his filly has the necessary pace for this trip and it would not surprise me if Luke Morris takes his filly forward from a good draw in stall three.
Al Messila has done us a couple of favours this term and I would put a line through her run at Goodwood last time when she was drawn out wide and met trouble in running before finishing well. I wonder, however, if she will be able to cope with the finishing kick of Shawaaheq (3.45) who steps back up to a mile having been caught out of his ground at Chelmsford when second over 7f last time.
Lost In Time (6.00) is no star but he is taken to make it third time lucky at Windsor this evening. The selection finished third in a hot Goodwood maiden on his last outing and the fourth horse home Impressor ran out a fluent winner at Salisbury last week. Do note the stalls at Windsor are positioned in the centre of the track and not on the stands’ rail which is the norm.
Oisin Murphy is in the plate on Lost In Time and the leading jockey in the race for the title is also in the plate on Indian Raj (6.30) who has only had seven career starts and scored at Sandown last time from a 3lbs lower mark. Note Murphy is unbeaten in two rides on Stuart Williams’ five-year-old.
High Acclaim (7.00) has been raised 5lbs for scoring over C&D last time and he is taken to follow up given he has won from a higher mark in the past. Silvestre De Sousa keeps the ride and he has a good draw in stall two for a gelding who is likely to race prominently.
Passion And Glory (7.30) is another Godolphin inmate who must hold a favourite’s chance in the 10f Novice event. The selection has run with considerable promise in both starts for Saeed bin Suroor and Oisin Murphy takes over in the saddle.
Tammooz (8.00) steps back up in trip having finished a close third at Newbury back at 10f last time. Roger Varian’s 3-y-old remains a maiden after six career starts, but he has shown enough to suggest he can win a race from his current mark.
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