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

6th

2

(4)

4th Jul 2026

Good

1m 1f 209y

Class 1

15:35 Sandown

Kings Gambit

9st 9lb

J: Jamie Spencer

T: Harry Charlton

Capable of very useful form but he is 0-12 since landing a major handicap at Newbury over two years ago and was unplaced in the Listed Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot last month; supplemented at a cost of £50,000, possibly to act as pacemaker for fellow Wathnan Racing runner Gethin.

66/1

7th

10

(6)

16th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

1m 1f 212y

Class 1

17:35 Ascot

Kings Gambit

9st 5lb

J: Jamie Spencer

T: Harry Charlton

No win since landing two of his first four starts but has a largely consistent record in Listed/Group company since, including third to Haatem and Galen in this race on good to firm 12 months ago; again ran well when chasing home Damysus in Group 3 at Newmarket (1m1f, good) on reappearance in April; a subsequent Chester run was disappointing but his record suggests he's unlikely to stay down for long.

11/1

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

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

4

(6)

3rd Jul 2026

Good

1m 1f 209y

Class 1

15:35 Sandown

Royal Rhyme

9st 9lb

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

Hindered by major traffic issues when behind two of today's rivals at Royal Ascot last time; losing run is mounting up but he's 1-1 over C&D, namely a win in the 2024 Brigadier Gerard Stakes; interesting back here.

6/1

14th

14

(11)

16th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

1m 1f 212y

Class 1

17:35 Ascot

Royal Rhyme

9st 5lb

J: Clifford Lee

T: K R Burke

Did well initially in his career, including when beating three rivals in the 2024 Brigadier Gerard at Sandown (1m2f, soft); 0-9 since, albeit twice placed at the highest level; pulled too hard when beaten about 6l into sixth of 12 on return in a Group 3 at the Curragh (1m2f, soft) in April; never featured at Chester in a Group 2 on good since; good to firm ground is a worry.

16/1

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