Rory Delargy

YORK SATURDAY

1:45 BETFRED SUPPORTS JACK BERRY HOUSE STAKES 1M 2F 88Y

Snoano and Stargazer may be parked very wide on the track, but that hasn’t been a bar to success over course and distance in recent times (in terms of impact values, stalls 15, 16 and 20 have scored best in big-field mile and a quarter handicaps at the Knavesmire in the past decade), and that pair could well dominate.

Snoano has been on my radar for a while and did tremendously well under a terrible tactical ride at Glorious Goodwood, heavily restrained from a wide draw and having a hopeless task after a few furlongs, unlike the winner, who raced prominently from the next-door stall.

I do hope Paul Mulrennan will not make the same mistake that David Allan did in West Sussex, as there is no doubt that Snoano is best served by coming with a sustained run, and hauling him back behind horses on the inside would merely be inviting disaster.

He has shown in the Old Newton Cup and subsequently at Ripon that he has the weapons to win a big handicap at this trip, and he was an impressive winner on his last visit to this track in June.

Stargazer looked all over the winner on his return from a break at Goodwood in what was the Extel Handicap, and he will be a danger to all given how unexposed he is. Once again, he has a very wide stall to deal with, but that will not stop him unless the tactics are negative.

2:15 BETFRED MOBILE STRENSALL STAKES (Group 3) 1M 208Y

It’s intriguing to see Sir Mark Prescott revert to pattern company with Celestial Path after the four-year-old colt finished in the ruck behind the ill-fated Franklin D at Goodwood, and he seems to face a very stiff task against higher rated rivals at first glance.

On the other hand, he was a top-notch juvenile who has got his career back on track for his in-form yard, and was an excellent second at this track on his penultimate outing, while a high draw was a massive negative in the Betfred Mile. The fitting of a visor should help him travel better, and he has a trio of front runners to help set things up for him.

Prescott is the prime practitioner of the adage “keep yourself in the best company and your horses in the worst”, so the very fact that he would consider Celestial Path for this task speaks volumes.

Countermeasure has performed remarkably well in his role as pacemaker for Time Test in the Eclipse and York Stakes on his last two starts, and he can be expected to race in similar fashion here, which could prove a thorn in the side of both Scottish and Custom Cut, who bids to give David O’Meara a third consecutive win in this contest.

2:50 BETFRED MELROSE STAKES 1M 6F

Michael Bell suffered the misfortune of losing the talented Franklin D on the gallops earlier in the week, but a win for Forth Bridge here will put a smile back on his face, and the trainer can see his patience justified having put this promising colt aside after winning a maiden at Haydock in June.

That form is nothing special, with the runner-up beaten in similar company at Newcastle a few days ago, but Forth Bridge’s earlier second to Harbour Law at Salisbury is very strong for the grade, with the winner placed in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, and the third an unlucky loser in the Shergar Cup Classic two weeks ago.

The Queen’s colt has foregone handicaps since to wait for this prestigious prize, and he looks a surefire improver stepping up to the Ebor trip for the first time, his dam being a winner over two miles from a stoutly bred family.

4:00 BETFRED EBOR 1M 6F

I put up Seamour for this in an ante-post piece last week, and said I wouldn’t desert him on the day, so despite what many will consider a terrible draw, I will row in again. Brian Ellison’s charge ran poorly here on his latest start, and has now finished unplaced on all three runs at the track, which must mean that the layers will look to oppose him, and I can see him drifting badly from a general 12/1 at the time of writing.

I’d be a bit reluctant to get involved at those odds given the obvious black marks against him, but the positives are that he’s looked to find two miles just beyond him in the last year, shaping like a very well handicapped horse in the Northumberland Plate before paddling badly in the last hundred yards, and he was presumably still feeling the effects of that when below form next time.

His previous runs at the track were both eyecatching, seeming to need the run on his return, and needing the outing to qualify him for a race at Haydock which he subsequently won with ease. He’s essentially been laid out for just two targets this year, with the big Newcastle race one which is close to Ellison’s heart, but the stamina demands of an Ebor are more up his street despite that patchy profile, and he will hopefully take a walk in the betting market in the morning.

SANDOWN SATURDAY

3:05 TCA ABU DHABI SOLARIO STAKES (Group 3) 7F 16Y

Monticello has work to do in order to turn the tables on Apex King after finishing second to that rival in the Listed Pat Eddery Stakes at Ascot last month, but the selection probably did a bit too much in front that day, and with Sandown a better track to employ such tactics, he can gain revenge.

Mark Johnston’s colt has improved with every run, preceding Ascot with wins over this course and distance and in a novice at Musselburgh, and he’s bred to go on progressing, as his dam a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Mile and dual Jacques Le Marois winner Spinning World.

3:40 NATIONAL FEED & FLOUR PRODUCTION HANDICAP 1M 2F 7Y

Baydar seemed to hate the fast going at Newmarket last time, but won cosily in spite of that, and gives the impression there is plenty more to come from him in handicaps, especially with a 5lb rise for Newmarket leaving him with a very workable mark.

He gets lumps of weight from the redoubtable Fire Fighting, who has also gone up a similar amount for winning at the same venue a week ago, and it would be some performance for Mark Johnston’s gelding to defy a mark of 113 on what will be his 63rd career outing.

Oasis Fantasy was just behind Fire Fighting at Goodwood, despite a poor run through, but he’s been booted up the handicap as well, and that may end his aspirations again.

RECOMMENDED:

SNOANO 1.45 York – 1pt e/w @ 7/1 (SkyBet)

FORTH BRIDGE 2.50 York – 1pt win @ 10/1 (William Hill)

BAYDAR 3.40 Sandown – 1pt win @ 3/1 (SkyBet)

SEAMOUR 4.00 York – 1pt e/w @ 12/1 (SkyBet, BetVictor – paying 5 places)