York’s Ebor meeting is the biggest held on the Knavesmire all year. With four top days of action, there will be plenty to keep an eye on.
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Monday
The week kicks off with six meetings from Britain and Ireland, but while there is plentiful racing on these shores, the highlights of the day come from France. George Boughey sends raiders over for both Group prizes at Deauville with Missed The Cut the current favourite for the Group 2 Prix Guillaume d’Ornano (2.50) and the popular Oscula in line for the Group 3 Prix de Lieurey (3.25).
George Boughey will be looking for a double continental strike on Monday.
Back at home, champion jockey elect William Buick travels for a pair of rides at Windsor, including a 1/5 shot in a match race opener, while Aidan O’Brien’s representative Adelaide River may be worth keeping an eye on in the first race at Dundalk.
Tuesday
A pair of progressive types for in-form trainers Roger Varian and William Haggas are of interest in the highlight at Hamilton on Tuesday. Both Glam De Vega and Wilkins were winners last time out and the pair go in the Paycare Saving You Money Everyday Healthcare Scottish Trophy Handicap at 4.45.
Hamilton hosts a competitive card with the class 3 handicap at 4.45 boasting some progressive runners.
Otherwise, Tuesday is a feast for lovers of the all-weather, with the other three meetings all coming on artificial surfaces at Chelmsford, Kempton and Wolverhampton. Hollie Doyle will be in attendance at the first-named, with four rides on the evening card at the Essex venue.
Wednesday
And so it begins. York’s Ebor meeting starts on Wednesday and its first card may possess one of the races of the season. The Group Juddmonte International Stakes takes place at 3.35 and plays host to a sensational field of seven.
Yet, the big talking point will be the claims of one horse. Baaeed‘s unbeaten career hangs in the balance more than ever before as he steps up to 1m2f for the first time. On pedigree, he should be perfectly capable of taking it in his stride, but in defending champion Mishriff and Irish 2000 Guineas hero Native Trail, he faces more serious opposition in this different test.
Baaeed: an undisputed champion at 1m and puts unbeaten record on the line in the Juddmonte International.
Elsewhere on the card, Secret State will look to boost his claims for the St Leger when running in the Group 2 Great Voltigeur Stakes (3.00). In what is a recognised trial for the final Classic of the season, Charlie Appleby’s charge will look to extend his own winning sequence to five up against stablemate Walk Of Stars and recent Group 3 scorers Aikhal and Deauville Legend.
Away from York, there are five further meetings in the UK and Ireland, while those who tune in to the Grade 1 Jonathan Sheppard Hurdle at Saratoga may seem some familiar names: both Belfast Banter and Song For Someone, Graded winners in this country and now trained in the States, will take part.
Thursday
York’s second day is headlined by another Group 1, this time for the fillies and mares. The Yorkshire Oaks (3.35) has an enviable roll of honour, with Enable a dual winner of the contest and the last two Epsom Oaks winners, Love and Snowfall, both capturing it after their Classic triumphs.
Tuesday may look to replicate those two stablemates by following up here. However, she has a disappointment in the Irish Derby to put behind her and there are plenty of serious rivals in the race. Older Group 1 heroines Alpinista and La Petite Coco will look to break a run of seven three-year-old winners in the last eight years, but Magical Lagoon, the recent Irish Oaks winner, will also oppose.
Snowfall copleted a hat-trick of Oaks successes in the Yorkshire Oaks last season.
It is very much ladies’ day on the Knavesmire, with the other two Pattern races also confined to fillies and mares. The Group 2 Lowther Stakes will be the next stop for exciting juvenile Dramatised, but fellow Group race scorers, Lezoo, Mawj and Meditate could all provide stern opposition. Meanwhile, the Listed Galtres Stakes has been won by some top horses in recent years and a grand list of entries should ensure another competitive renewal.
Once more, there are another five meetings on the day, with Killarney hosting a Listed contest on their evening card.
Friday
One of the fastest races of the season occurs on Friday. The Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes (3.35) is enormously prestigious, attracting many international challengers in recent years, and is also open to all age groups, including any prodigious two-year-olds.
The youngest age group could be represented by the livewire The Platinum Queen, but the hugely promising Royal Aclaim is favourite having won her first three career starts for James Tate. A rampant success on the Knavesmire last time shot her to favouritism, while the first four in the market are all female, with Flotus and Highfield Princess also in contention.
That does not even include last year’s easy winner Winter Power. It has been a tough season for Tim Easterby’s four-year-old, but her prior record at York was outstanding.
Royal Aclaim has won her first three career starts and looks to make it four at the highest level on Friday.
There is also the small matter of Stradivarius turning up for the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup (2.25). It is a race he has already won three times and he could face old nemesis Trueshan if there is enough rain in the forecast. Another Group 2 for juveniles, the Gimcrack Stakes (3.00), is sandwiched between the other top prizes.
Salisbury’s card is best of the rest, with the Listed Stonehenge Stakes taking place at 6.35.
Saturday
Handicaps do not come bigger and richer than the Ebor (3.35). £300,000 is available to the winner in a hugely competitive 1m6f contest.
No former winners are still in contention, so a new name will grace the honours board. Paddy Twomey’s Earl Of Tyrone is the ante-post favourite and is seeking a fourth successive win. William Haggas’ pair of Gaassee and Candleford will likely be dangerous too, while the high-class Coltrane, winner of the Melrose Stakes, the reserve race for the Ebor, last season, will be towards the top of the weights if taking his place.
Sonnyboyliston won the Ebor for Johnny Murtagh in 2021.
Aside from their big handicap, York hosts the Group 2 City Of York Stakes (3.00), a race the course are hoping will be upgraded to Group 1 status, as well as the Group 3 Strensall Stakes (1.50).
On Saturday, the action away from Yorkshire begins to rival that on the Knavesmire, as Sandown host a pair of Group 3s, the Atalanta Stakes (2.05) and Solario Stakes (2.40). The Surrey track is trumped by the Curragh, whose pair of Group 2s, the Futurity Stakes (3.10) and Debutante Stakes (3.45), look to find future champions as they are restricted to two-year-olds.
Sunday
The Sunday Series comes to Sandown this weekend. All seven races on their card will be broadcast live on ITV, just after you’ve finished your roast dinner!
The Group 3 Ballyogan Stakes (4.00) takes place at Naas and there are two other meetings at Brighton and Yarmouth.