GAASSEE is fancied to end a memorable week for trainer William Haggas on a high with victory in the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap (3.35) at York.
Local-boy-made-good Haggas began the Ebor Festival by saddling his unbeaten superstar Baaeed to a stunning triumph in the Juddmonte International on Wednesday. And the master of Newmarket’s Somerville Lodge stables has the ideal candidate for the fixture’s signature race in the form of going-places four-year-old Gaassee.
The son of Sea The Stars racked up a four-timer when landing a big-money handicap over a mile and half on the Knavesmire in May.
Gaassee didn’t get the breaks before coming home strongly with a third in the Old Newton Cup over the same distance at Haydock Park seven weeks ago.
The evidence of that run is that the Ebor’s one-mile, six-furlong trip will trigger another personal best from Kieran Shoemark’s mount, for whom a 2lb rise in the handicap looks within range.
JUMBY should not be underestimated as he seeks back-to-back Group 2 victories seven days apart in the Sky Bet City Of York Stakes (3.00).
Having failed to hit the bullseye in five starts in handicaps this season, the Eve Johnson Houghton-trained son of New Bay went up in class for the Hungerford Stakes at Newbury last Saturday.
The four-year-old broke his duck for the campaign, registering a sixth career success with a length-and-three-quarter margin over Dubai Poet, with the reopposing Pogo back in fifth. Mindful of her stable star’s liking for fast ground, Johnson Houghton returns Jumby to the fray a week later and this tough colt should give another good account.
She has defied the handicapper with a string of five wins this year and CAIUS CHORISTER may have the scope for one more in the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap (2.25). The daughter of Golden Horn began her sequence from a British Horseracing Authority rating of 53 at Yarmouth in May, and now competes from a figure of 92 after a neck margin at Glorious Goodwood 22 days ago.
The key to releasing untapped potential could be in this two-mile trip – Caius Chorister has yet to race beyond a mile and four furlongs but her pedigree suggests the extra yardage will suit the David Menuisier trainee.
It’s hard to get away from MIGHTY ULYSSES in the opening Group 3 Sky Bet And Symphony Strensall Stakes (1.50). A step up to the top level saw the John and Thady Gosden-saddled three-year-old finish a close-up fifth to Coroebus in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot in June.
His nets were cast in calmer waters for Newmarket’s Listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes last time and Mighty Ulysses made full use of the opportunity with a length-and-a-quarter defeat of Alflaila. Another step up the class ladder should not stop Frankie Dettori’s partner from going in again.
The Sky Bet Constantine Handicap (4.10) looks wide-open, but SPANGLED MAC looks sure to give his supporters a decent run for their money. In search of a five-timer for George Boughey in the Shergar Cup Sprint at Ascot last time out, the son of Starspangledbanner narrowly came up short, going under by three parts of a length to Adaay In Asia.
But the winner extended her upward curve at York on Thursday and Spangled Mac remains competitively handicapped despite a 3lb rise in the weights.
At Sandown Park, DEFENCE OF FORT gets the vote to step up to Group 3 level for the Fasig-Tipton Night Of The Stars Solario Stakes (2.40). Peter Chapple-Hyam gave the youngster, another of Starspangledbanner’s progeny, his debut at Ascot last month and Defence Of Fort streaked away for a four-and-three-quarter-length supremacy. There is plenty more where that came from.
Forgive a below-par showing at Epsom on Derby day and MRS FITZHERBERT is a definite player in the Group 3 JRL Atalanta Stakes (2.05). A half-length Listed-race call at Lingfield Park at the end of April was a third victory in four starts for Hughie Morrison’s daughter of Kingman, so she shouldn’t be written off.
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