3 storylines to keep an eye out for during York’s Ebor meeting
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Flat racing is just warming up now the summer’s finally in full swing, with York’s Ebor meeting playing host to a whopping 10 Group races, including the International Stakes, Yorkshire Oaks, and Nunthorpe Stakes.
There should be plenty of thrills and spills up north, with the three storylines below worthy of particular attention:
The return of Postponed
A respiratory infection that swept through Roger Varian’s yard earlier this summer hit this five-year-old at the peak of his form, with Postponed deprived of a crack at a six-timer in Royal Ascot’s King George, having been the odds-on ante-post favourite.
Postponed’s five wins from as many runs since last July, including three earlier this season, have all come with jockey Andrea Atzeni on board, and the 25-year-old takes the ride again in York’s Juddmonte International, for which Varian’s charge is 5/4 favourite.
He has never tackled a trip this far before, and there’s some classy opposition to overcome including Eclipse winner Hawkbill at 4/1 and Aidan O’Brien’s in-form four-year-old Highland Reel, who landed the King George in Postponed’s absence, at 11/2, but the vibes coming out of the yard seem very positive.
Frankie on fire
Italy’s finest became the sixth Flat jockey to ride 3000 winners on John Gosden’s Predilection at Newmarket, having bagged his 2999th aboard Richard Hannon’s Ghayyar earlier in the evening.
Dettori has a plethora of rides booked at York, including Great Voltiguer Stakes 11/4 second-favourite Across The Stars, a winner last time out at Royal Ascot with the 45-year-old on board.
Easton Angel also looks a lively contender off a low weight in the Nunthorpe Stakes, after winning twice in her last four starts.
You can back her at 10/1 at the time of writing.
Idaho looks to confirm shaky Ladbrokes St Leger favouritism
O’Brien’s three-year-old has won just one of his six runs so far, on debut at the Curragh over a year ago, but stayed on strongly behind Derby winner Harzand last time out at the same track, having finished third behind Dermot Weld’s son of Sea The Stars at Epsom.
The Ladbrokes St Leger looks a competitive affair this autumn, with Idaho 4/1 jolly and five horses priced between 6/1 and 12/1, so a dominant run from the Ballydoyle inmate, 1/1 to win the Great Voltiguer Stakes, should see him shorten up for Doncaster.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
