THE first day of the Sky bet Ebor Festival was run on ground officially described as good to firm (good in places). The times produced would suggest that it was on the soft side of good, but they were significantly affected by a headwind in the home straight which was gusting at up to 29mph through the afternoon. The Race IQ average Time Index for the meeting was 2.8 out of 10 and was made up of the following individual values.

Race 1: Trefor 2.1

Race 2: Gewan 1.6

Race 3: Pride of Arras 2.3

Race 4: Ombudsman 3.4

Race 5: Santorini Star: 5.2

Race 6: Star Of Mehmas: 3.2

Race 7: Ruby's Angel: 2.0

Those numbers are way too low for races run on fast ground but with no evidence that the ground was softer than advertised the headwind must be held responsible for below average scores. Three races from this opening day come under the sectional microscope this week starting with the Juddmonte International Stakes.

Juddmonte International Stakes (Group 1)

A race that has prompted much debate about the use of pacemakers, in essence Birr Castle who finished third was of no use at all in that role with the rest of the field rightfully ignoring him as he went too hard in front. He set a searching gallop with four of his first five furlongs much faster than par. On the other hand, Ombudsman ignored him with his comparative furlongs rated slower than Par.

For analysis purposes the pacemaker is of no relevance. The field were in essence taken along in steady fractions by the keen going Danon Decile and they did not go in pursuit of Birr Castle until the seventh furlong. In essence this became a test of speed with Ombudsman recording an FSP of 109.56% (Par: 105.10%). He effectively raced in second place and was well placed when the sprint began. His final three furlongs of 10.94s (Fast) 11.22s (Very Fast) 11.99s (Fast) were too much for Delacroix (2nd) who also quickened up well, but he was at a positional disadvantage given the steady pace and shaped as if still in good form.

Final two Furlong Splits:

1st Ombudsman: 34.15s / FSP: 109.56%

2nd Delacroix: 34.49s /FSP: 109.00%

3rd Birr Castle: 38.58s / FSP: 97.50%

Ombudsman has never run faster than this in his career. His top speed here of 41.13mph faster than the 40.71mph he achieved on debut at Newmarket. He also recorded the fastest furlong of his career with that eighth furlong of 10.94s. Following his win in a very strongly run Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot and subsequent defeat in the Coral Eclipse it was thought that a strongly run ten furlongs was what he needed, but the speed that he showed here suggests that he won't need a pacemaker again not that this on was of any use.

It is not impossible that Delacroix will reverse the form should they clash in the Irish Champion stakes. When interviewed on Racing TV Aidan O Brien was adamant that you learn more from defeat than victory and that Delacroix can make the running. The data will tell him that trying to catch a top-class horse who is quickening in front of you as happened here is not as easy as catching one who is slowing down as was the case in the Coral Eclipse.

THIS race produced the slowest overall time of the day with Gewan clocking 1m25.27s for the seven furlongs. He is now unbeaten in two starts, thus far following in the footsteps of Chaldean who was also trained by Andrew Balding and won the Qipco 2000 Guineas in 2023.

The relatively modest overall time was a function of the headwind and the steady early gallop.

Two of the first three furlongs were slower than the Race IQ par which resulted in Distant Sorm (3rd) racing far too keenly early on. Gewan was also a little keen racing in second place. The pace picked up after three furlongs with Gewan recording his fastest two furlongs in the race through the fourth (11.45s) and fifth furlongs (11.04s). This took him to the front and thereafter he finished his race off evenly recording a Finishing Speed Percentage through the final two furlongs of 101.07% which is slightly better than the Race IQ Par of 99.12%. It looked as if he would be run down by Italy in the final quarter-mile, but he repelled that challenge by staying on strongly in the final furlong as displayed below.

Final Furlong Splits:

1st Gewan: 12.56s (Fast)

2nd Italy: 12.64s (Par)

In seeing the trip out strongly here it would seem that Gewan will not be inconvenienced by stepping up to a mile and the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster next month may be his next assignment with he Qipco 2000 Guineas being his ultimate target for which he is generally available at 25/1.

A GELDING operation and a return to York saw Pride Of Arras return to the winner’s enclosure. He comprehensively reversed the English and Irish Derby form with Lambourn who could only finish fifth. This was more a test of speed than stamina as Thrice took them through a steady first seven furlongs which rendered the race something of a tactical affair. Lambourn is a strong stayer at this trip, and he could have done with his stable companion setting a more even gallop notwithstanding that he may have needed the run after a seven week lay-off.

The pace only picked up after a mile turning the race into a test of speed with Pride Of Arras quickening well to record an FSP of 108.83% (Par: 105.05%). His tenth furlong of 11.14s (Fast) where he recorded a top speed of 40.07mph took him from fourth place to the lead and he backed that up with a penultimate furlong of 11.41s (Fast). This surge won him the race in what seemed to be an ideal scenario for him.

He had produced a similar performance when he won the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante Stakes in May where he produced a similar two-furlong burst recording 11.38s (Fast) and 11.43s(Very Fast) through the eighth and ninth furlongs. Pride Of Arras produced a final furlong of 12.37s which although rated as fast when compared to the Race IQ par was still slower than his two closest pursuers suggesting that he didn’t see out the trip as well as them and that his main asset is his speed.

Final Furlong Splits:

1st Pride Of Arras: 12.37s

2nd Carmers: 12.24s

3rd Arabian Force: 12.17s.

It is impossible to know whether the gelding operation played a part in this victory. I am more inclined to put it down to a return to a flat track where the emphasis was on speed and not stamina. The stern test that he faced at Epsom and the Curragh just didn’t allow him to flash his speed, but he got the set up that he wanted here and he will be suited by trips short of a mile and a half going forward.