ITV Racing Selections – Friday 19th August
The Sky Bet York Ebor Festival continues on Friday with ITV broadcasting five of the seven live races. Racing Tips have provided insight into all five scheduled races on the Knavesmire, with a selection to follow in each. Check those out below, alongside today’s best bets – which are free to view on-site now.
Mahrajaan (13:50 York)
William Haggas and Jim Crowley enjoyed a day to remember on the Knavesmire as the magnificent Baaeed stretched his unbeaten record to ten with a staggering performance in the Juddmonte International on Wednesday. The pair team up once more in Friday’s opening contest as four-year-old MAHRAJAAN bids to resume winning ways on his fourth outing of the campaign.
The Kitten’s Joy gelding enjoyed a productive 3yo season last year, landing back-to-back novice contests and Leicester and Ripon before making a successful handicap debut towards the end of August, drawing clear inside the final furlong to land the Lanark Silver Bell at Hamilton off an opening mark of 85.
After finishing a creditable third on his seasonal reappearance at Haydock in May, Mahrajaan failed to justify strong market support after being slowly away in the valuable John Smith’s Cup at York on his following start. However, the four-year-old got firmly back on track three weeks later when narrowly denied at Newmarket over twelve furlongs despite conceding plenty of weight to each of his three rivals.
Still relatively lightly-raced, it would be no surprise to see Mahrajaan improve for the fitting of first-time cheekpieces on Friday afternoon and William Haggas’ four-year-old can hopefully record his fourth career victory here.
Coltrane (14:25 York)
Many will expect Trueshan to resume winning ways following the late withdrawal of Stradivarius, however, forecasted quick ground has often been a problem in the past for Alan King’s dual Group 1 winner and at the prices, COLTRANE looks like the one to side with.
Andrew Balding’s charge has taken his form to new heights this season and certainly looks capable of mixing it with the best after his recent outings on track. A neck second to Cleveland in the Chester Cup in May, Coltrane went on to record his fourth career victory with a stylish success in the Ascot Stakes at the Royal meeting in June.
Tackling listed opposition for the first time at Sandown on his penultimate start, Andrew Balding’s progressive stayer turned that particular contest into a procession, powering clear with a furlong to go to win by a whopping ten lengths over the two-mile trip. Stepped up markedly in class on his most recent start, he shaped with plenty of promise behind the ‘big three’ in the Group 1 Goodwood Cup last month, travelling strongly for much of the way before lacking a decisive change of gear inside the final furlong.
That latest performance very much confirms that Coltrane is well worth his place in this field and is certainly not one to underestimate.
Coltrane can land his first Group race on Friday afternoon in the Lonsdale Cup.
Noble Style (15:00 York)
Plenty to consider in a particularly strong renewal of the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes. Royal Scotsman was impressive when landing the Richmond Stakes at the Goodwood Festival last month, while Richard Fahey’s unbeaten colt Clearpoint returns to the track following a short break. Charlie Appleby landed this contest in 2018 with subsequent Group 1 winner Blue Point and appears to have a serious challenger in this year’s contest in the shape of NOBLE STYLE.
A well-bred son of Kingman, he created a huge impression when winning by a length and three quarters on his debut over five furlongs at Ascot in May, comfortably beating the likes of David Loughnane’s Walbank (subsequently placed twice at Group level) and Royal Scotsman (two-time winner including at Group 2 level). Following a short break, Charlie Appleby’s colt returned with a comfortable victory over a furlong further on Newmarket’s July course. Despite racing freely on that occasion, Noble Style was merely nudged out inside the closing stages and was certainly value for more than the official winning margin.
Evidently held in high regard, Charlie Appleby’s sprinter already holds preliminary entries at Group 1 level towards the end of the season and top connections will expect Noble Style to stretch his unbeaten record to three on Friday afternoon.
Royal Aclaim (15:35 York)
ROYAL ACLAIM has quickly developed into a highly-talented sprinter for James Tate and while the unbeaten filly tackles her toughest test to date on Friday afternoon, there is every reason to think that the daughter of Aclaim can make her mark at Group 1 level and confirm that she is the next sprinting superstar to follow.
Despite making just one appearance during her juvenile season last year, Royal Aclaim certainly turned a few heads when quickening up well and hitting the line strongly to make a winning debut at Newcastle. A half-length winner that day, she claimed a couple of notable scalps when defeating subsequent Group performers Fearby and Perfect Power. Despite that promising start, James Tate’s sprinter was unfortunate to miss the remainder of the season through injury.
Returning to action following a 382 absence this year, Royal Aclaim confirmed that her debut victory was certainly no fluke when effortlessly pulling clear of four future winners at Bath in June. Pitched into the Listed City Walls Stakes on her most recent outing at York, she again produced a staggering performance, travelling powerfully in the hands of Andrea Atzeni before stretching clear of some useful rivals inside the final furlong.
Rated 108, Royal Aclaim has certainly looked like a Group 1 sprinter in her latest starts on track and although she is a short price at the head of the market, she appears to be a sprinter right out of the top drawer and the three-year-old is taken to make it 4-4 with Andrea Atzeni maintaining the partnership.
Royal Aclaim can land the feature race on day 3 of the Ebor Festival with victory in the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes.
Shampion (16:10 York)
Given her smart pedigree, a mark of 84 could underestimate SHAMPION as she turns her attention to handicaps on Friday afternoon.
Closely related to former stablemate UAE King (rated 99), she kept on strongly over a mile when fishing fourth on her sole juvenile start at Lingfield back in December. Returning to action as a 3yo last month, Shampion again caught the eye in defeat when switched to the turf at Haydock, keeping on well in the closing stages to finish runner-up behind John & Thady Gosden’s progressive filly Shaara. Stepped up to ten furlongs for the first time at Windsor just seventeen days ago, Roger Varian’s charge got off the mark in taking style, making smooth headway under Andrea Atzeni before pulling clear of her seven rivals on the run to the line to win by four lengths.
Unexposed at this trip, Shampion still has scope for improvement after just three starts and it would be no surprise if Roger Varian’s filly develops into a useful staying prospect in time.