July 27 / 15.15 York

15.15

Good To Firm

Sky Bet York Stakes (Group 2)

  • Prize money: £76558.5
  • 1m 2f 56y
  • Class 1
  • 4 runners
ITV
View Course
Sky Bet York Stakes (Group 2)

Runners: 4 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Light rain

9/4 (Won)

  • Win: £3.25

Form: 1/15-4 CD

Last run: 38 days

W: 9st 8lb

5 yo Colt

OR: 118

Form & Verdict
Has raced on only good or good to firm; won this on his 2023 reappearance and added to his solid record fresh when fourth (Royal Rhyme neck back in fifth) of ten to Auguste Rodin in the Prince Of Wales's at Royal Ascot last month; should go well in this race again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12th

1

(11)

21st Aug 2024

Good To Firm

1m 2f 56y

Class 1

15:35 York

Alflaila

9st 8lb

J: Jim Crowley

T: Owen Burrows

Unraced on ground softer than good; edged ahead close home over C&D last month, winning the York Stakes (Group 2) for a second time and taking form figures here to 2111; smart horse who looks an ideal International type, given his excellent record at this venue; enters calculations.

10/1

1st

2

(2)

27th Jul 2024

Good To Firm

1m 2f 56y

Class 1

15:15 York

Alflaila

9st 8lb

J: Jim Crowley

T: Owen Burrows

Has raced on only good or good to firm; won this on his 2023 reappearance and added to his solid record fresh when fourth (Royal Rhyme neck back in fifth) of ten to Auguste Rodin in the Prince Of Wales's at Royal Ascot last month; should go well in this race again.

9/4

4th

1

(2)

19th Jun 2024

Good To Firm

1m 1f 212y

Class 1

16:25 Ascot

Alflaila

9st 2lb

J: Jim Crowley

T: Owen Burrows

Has raced on only good or good to firm; highly progressive in 2022 (bar a modest run at this meeting) and added a 1m2f Group 2 success at York last July; had only one other race as 4yo, when about 3l fifth of eight to Auguste Rodin in Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown, in a detached last for most of the way but running on well; in each-way calculations.

8/1

Form: 812-12 D BF

Last run: 37 days

W: 8st 13lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 112

Form & Verdict
Hugely impressive when 4l winner of the strong London Gold Cup (handicap) at Newbury (1m2f, good) on his reappearance in May and duly showed himself capable of making his presence felt at Group level when chasing home Jayarebe in the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot (1m2f, good to firm); the early signs suggest it was a good renewal of that race and he's almost certainly capable of better again.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

4

(5)

8th May 2026

Good

1m 2f 70y

Class 1

14:35 Chester

Kings Gambit

9st 3lb

J: James Doyle

T: Harry Charlton

No wins since landing two of his first four starts having been highly tried in the meantime, but he has a consistent record in Group/Listed company shy of the top level (22363522); again ran well when chasing home the smart Damysus on his return in the Earl Of Sefton at Newmarket (1m1f, good) last month; shortlisted with the run under his belt.

13/2

2nd

3

(5)

15th Apr 2026

Good

1m 1f 0y

Class 1

15:00 Newmarket

Kings Gambit

9st 2lb

J: Jamie Spencer

T: Harry Charlton

No wins in nine Group/Listed races since landing the London Gold Cup at Newbury on his seasonal/handicap debut in 2024; frequently ran well, though, albeit with this trip looking a bare minimum when fifth of eight in York Group 3 in August on his penultimate start; can't be confidently ruled out but will need to resume in top order to make his Group-race breakthrough.

9/1

4

(4)

20th Sep 2025

Good To Soft

1m 2f 0y

Class 1

13:50 Ayr

Kings Gambit

9st 5lb

J: James Doyle

T: Harry Charlton

Expensive to follow in Group/Listed races on his eight starts since winning a handicap at Newbury in May 2024; however, the drop back to 1m1f was against him at York last time and he has plenty of form that puts him firmly in the picture today; seems versatile in terms of ground.

7/2

OUR TIP

Form: 1301-1 D

Last run: 78 days

W: 9st 11lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 117

Form & Verdict
Failed to stay in last year's Derby and most progressive otherwise, accounting for easy Wolferton winner Israr (pair well clear) in Group 2 Huxley at Chester (extended 1m2f, good to firm) on his reappearance in May; among the market leaders for the Group 1 Prince Of Wales's at Royal Ascot on the back of that but had to miss it due to an infection; has a 3lb penalty for Chester but still the one beat.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

1

(3)

27th Jul 2024

Good To Firm

1m 2f 56y

Class 1

15:15 York

Passenger

9st 11lb

J: Richard Kingscote

T: Sir Michael Stoute

Failed to stay in last year's Derby and most progressive otherwise, accounting for easy Wolferton winner Israr (pair well clear) in Group 2 Huxley at Chester (extended 1m2f, good to firm) on his reappearance in May; among the market leaders for the Group 1 Prince Of Wales's at Royal Ascot on the back of that but had to miss it due to an infection; has a 3lb penalty for Chester but still the one beat.

13/8

1st

6

(4)

10th May 2024

Good

1m 2f 70y

Class 1

15:05 Chester

Passenger

9st 3lb

J: Richard Kingscote

T: Sir Michael Stoute

slowly into stride, in touch with leaders, waiting for room on inner 2f out, switched right and ran on over 1f out, ridden to lead final 110yds

9/4

1st

6

(4)

10th May 2024

Good

1m 2f 70y

Class 1

15:05 Chester

Passenger

9st 3lb

J: Richard Kingscote

T: Sir Michael Stoute

slowly into stride, in touch with leaders, waiting for room on inner 2f out, switched right and ran on over 1f out, ridden to lead final 110yds

9/4

9/1

Form: 115-15 D

Last run: 38 days

W: 9st 8lb

4 yo Colt

OR: 113

Form & Verdict
His form took off with wins in Glorious Goodwood handicap (soft) and Ayr Listed event (good to soft) in the second half of last season; underlined how effective he his under testing conditions when adding a 1m2f Sandown Group 3 on his reappearance but showed he also handles fast ground when good fifth of ten to Auguste Rodin in Group 1 Prince Of Wales's at Royal Ascot; closely matched with Alflaila on that form.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

(8)

8th May 2026

Good

1m 2f 70y

Class 1

14:35 Chester

Royal Rhyme

9st 3lb

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

Did well early in his carerer including when beating three rivals in the 2024 Brigadier Gerard (1m2f, soft); 0-8 since, albeit twice placed at the highest level; pulled too hard when beaten over 6l into sixth of 12 behind Starford on his return in a Group 3 at the Curragh (1m2f, soft) last month, but that should have taken the freshness out of him; could probably do with the ground easing, though.

7/1

Non-runners

Ancient Rome

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £6.90
Straight Forecast £8.00
Trifecta £13.30

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Alflaila

The Times:

King's Gambit

SPOTLIGHT:

Passenger

Telegraph:

King's Gambit

Daily Mail:

King's Gambit

D Express:

King's Gambit

TOPSPEED:

Passenger

Daily Mirror:

Passenger

Daily Record:

Passenger

POSTDATA:

Alflaila

The Guardian:

Alflaila

The Sun:

Alflaila

The Star:

Alflaila