City Of Troy are undoubtedly the main attraction at this week’s York Ebor Festival, but there are plenty of supporting acts worthy of attention at the Knavesmire too.
York is a beautiful 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. Officials have complained about the lack of a general national marketing campaign to raise the profile of the meeting, but sales have been steady and in line with most years so it promises to be a good week regardless.
The 2022 Juddmonte International produced the best racing performance yet on these shores and the hope is that City Of Troy can do what Baaeed did in breathtaking fashion that day when he cleared Mishriff by six and a half lengths to win. The three-year-old colt was good in winning the Derby but was more hard-working in the Eclipse Stakes when he had to fight out victory on poor ground. City Of Troy was an excellent youngster last season and will take 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 stunning fashion by six lengths. City Of Troy beat Ambiente Friendly in the Derby, but the way he travelled at Epsom and in the Irish equivalent suggested the drop to ten furlongs is firmly in his favour. White Birch won the Group One Tattersalls Gold Cup and is returning from injury. The four-year-old produced perhaps the season’s best performance in May when beating the subsequent winner of the Prince Of Wales Stakes.
So there are dangers lurking in the next chapter of the Troy story, which will determine whether he really is a superstar or not.
Thirty-five minutes before City Of Troy does his thing, another O’Brien convict is up for the Great Voltigeur Stakes. The three-year-old won the Irish Derby and has largely been overshadowed by fellow Classic winner City Of Troy. But he’s a classy prospect in his own right, too much so for the St Leger, according to jockey Ryan Moore. Perhaps Los Angeles could head to France to be O’Brien’s main Arc horse, while City Of Troy heads to the States for the Breeders’ Cup. Perhaps one will contest the Champion Stakes, while the other contests 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 in York during the week. They all produce very good winners. Bluestocking is expected to take the full beating in the Yorkshire Oaks on Thursday. Her 6-4 to Emily Upjohn’s 8-1 seems too great a difference, given how close the latter came 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 good price against the favourite.
Class act City Of Troy are favourites for the Juddmonte International in York
City Of Troy wins the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown under jockey Ryan Moore
Kieran Shoemark is hoping for more luck in Emily Upjohn’s side at York this week
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 lead. Asfoora and Big Evs are set for round three of the Nunthorpe Stakes. Australian mare Asfoora won the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, but Big Evs got revenge in the King George at Goodwood. They will be hard to separate again at York.
The week is rounded off with all the major racecourses represented in the Ebor Handicap, which is worth £300,000 to the winner and is usually a good indicator of classy stayers capable of winning races such as the Melbourne Cup later in the year. The City Of York Stakes is arguably the best seven-furlong race in Britain and is not far off Group One status, with Audience, Lake Forest and Kinross part of a very classy field. It is all set for a great week at the Knavesmire.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK…
ECONOMY has had a good break since winning 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 at Deauville on Thursday. He made up a lot of ground from the back of the field and raced wide for most of the race but still won by a comfortable two lengths and finished strongly. William Haggas exudes patience and looks to be reaping the rewards. He is a horse with enormous potential.
PICKING OF THE DAY…
SHAREHOLDER (9-4, BetVictor) was a solid winner of the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and Karl Burke’s unbeaten youngster 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 Alas. Burke can strike again with Shareholder to improve Britain’s good record in the race.
