All set for a major celebration

THE final day of the Ebor Festival and though it won't be able to match the curtain raiser of day one with Frankel yet again at his sublime best it still looks a fantastic day of racing at York and across the country.

What a fantastic sight it was to see Frankel gliding through his first attempt at ten furlongs. I have never doubted he would stay ten furlongs just as I never have he would twelve and for me I just hope they reconsider the next step for him and have a crack the Arc De Triomphe. Moving on...

2.30

The Melrose handicap plays support early on the card for the Ebor but it's a quality three year old handicap in it's own right which in previous winners has produced it's share of group winners in the future. A horse that has the potential to make up into a group winner is Gospel Choir, he took another step forward last time out when winning at Haydock to make it a hat trick of successes and he just seems to get better with racing. He was generally well placed last time out through out the race given it was not the strongest race pace but I like the way from three out he found for pressure and as the race went on kept finding more leaving the impression that had it been a stronger run race he would have just been a more convincing winner. For that point the step up in trip holds little fear and I think he will get it with out any problems. The yard currently is in very good form and have been rejuvenated this year after a couple of quiet years by Sir Michael Stoutes standards, typically this is the type of runner he brings on so well and having yet to see Gospel Choir reach his full potential I feel there is a lot more to come yet and he should confirm that today.

2.45

I wouldn't want to look too far beyond Fulbright for this race even with the prospect of having to race from a wide draw. He has been a revelation recently notching up a hat trick between six to eight furlongs which is not an easy task, especially when you consider it was done in class two handicaps and each time under different circumstances. He was pretty well placed through out last time up at today's venue in the Betfred Mile in a race that does traditionally pay to get a good prominent sit position but even taking that into account he was still quite a comfortable winner. Having travelled well down to the two pole when taking it up before heading into the final furlong he quickly put a gap on the field which would prove too much to bridge for the opposition and in the end I feel he was quite a cosy winner. He will have to over come what isn't an ideal draw but he is progressive and with that little bit still in hand he could over come it and keep up the fine form he and his stable and currently displaying.

3.05

Cavalryman has been displaying his class of old this season since being upped in trip and this looks a good opportunity to get competitive at group level again. Frankie needed only hands and heels for a run away victory at Sandown last time out over just his second attempt at two miles against most of tried and tested benchmark two milers and though he will face a tough opponent in Saddler's Rock that was an impressive display. Held up off the pace he started to make good headway from rear into the final two and when coming to take it up into the final furlong, no doubt by design, he quickened sharply and the race was over in a matter of strides. He is a previous group one winner and an arc third to Sea the Stars which is a real reminder of the natural ability and class of him and hopefully he keeps this recent improvement at the longer trip going.

3.20 Celebration Mile

Trumpet Major returned to somewhere near his best last time out over course and distance at the Glorious Goodwood festival and this looks good opportunity to build on that run and get his progress back on track. He travelled smoothly amongst runners near the far side rail and cruised into contention still on the bridle heading to the final furlong, his nearest rival today Aljamaaheer did not get a good passage through in behind him but similarly Trumpet Major had to wrestle his way through the final couple of furlongs to keep himself in contention, though admittedly he had a better run than the eventual third. He was just in front inside the final stages of the race until being narrowly denied and forced into a dead heat but it was a very good performance back from a break and giving away the penalty. I would think he should come on for a run and meeting Aljamaaheer on better terms now I think there is a strong chance he will confirm his superiority and win again.

3.40 Ebor Handicap

For me this years renewal looks a cracker, Gosden, Cumani and Prescott have all managed to produce horse perfectly into the handicap for the race, the latter being the two best in business for it and their runners Qahriman and Motivado have come here peaking at the perfect time. Gosden has used handicaps well as an outlet for improving horse this year such as Gatewood, Aiken, Trade Commissioner and today's runner Camborne and he'll be hopeful Camborne can go on again today. Another runner however that has similarly been produced well through handicaps and has been laid out for this race but has gone a little more under the radar from a smaller yard is Number Theory. He was last seen completing a hat trick in the Old Newton Cup at Haydock when recording his best career success yet and there has been no fluke about how he has gone about this improvement. He has proven a strong traveller at twelve furlongs and has been seeing his races out strongly and for me there is no suggestion he won't see out the extra distance and what is a very competitive renewal he looks well worth a chance.

Selections Summary
Saturday, August 25:
2.30 – Gospel Choir (nb)
2.45 – Fulbright
3.05 – Cavalryman (ew)
3.20 – Trumpet Major (nap)
3.40 – Number Theory (ew)