That's rock-solid form and with the fast ground on the Knavesmire very in his favour, I just can't oppose him.
1.45: Heritage Handicap 5f
A fiendishly difficult handicap to solve but BUACHAILL DONA is worth backing over his favourite trip of 5f. He has been campaigned over a variety of trips this season - he was my never-sighted tip in the Stewards' cup over 6f - but his stats strongly suggest he's best over the minimum as his record now stands at four wins, three seconds and one third from 11 starts over that distance.
2.15: Acomb Stakes 7f
The massively in-form Saeed Bin Suroor sets punters a puzzle by running two, but likely favourite Poet's Choice with Dettori up looks their No.1 hope on jockey bookings. He was a good winner at Newmarket last time but was odds-on to win that four runner race and I'd rather back SEA LORD at bigger odds. Mark Johnston's colt showed battling qualities to win at Ascot last time - the form of which is working out well - and like many horses from the yard, he's the type to keep improving with his racing.
2.50: Great Voltigeur Stakes 1m4f
King George fourth Alwaary sets the standard here but I fancy HARBINGER to improve past him. The Michael Stoute-trained colt was a cosy winner of the Group 3 Gordon Stakes last time when not fully tuned up - a muscle injury kept him off the track for 83 days after his highly impressive Chester maiden win in May - and is open to plenty of improvement on what is only his fourth start. Blessed with tactical speed, always an asset at York, he should have too much toe for his rivals and Ladbrokes' 2/1 is unlikely to be beaten.
This is an established St Leger trial and I see Skybet are offering 6/1 that Harbinger wins this race and follows up in the Doncaster classic. However, I'd be wary of taking that price as the way he quickened up off a steady pace to win over 1m4f last time suggests he's hardly crying out for a step up in trip. Besides, I think we saw the St Leger winner on Saturday in the shape of Kite Wood, who is now disputing favouritism with Harbinger.
3.25: Juddmonte International Stakes 1m2f
Only four runners go to post for this Group 1 but it's a fascinating contest nevertheless. Dual Classic winner SEA THE STARS, who is having his final start on British soil this season takes on Aidan O'Brien's Mastercraftsman, winner of the Irish 2000 Guineas and St James' Palace Stakes, in what looks a match - the other two runners are in there as pacemakers for Mastercraftsman.
The latter is fresh from a two-month break and has reportedly improved in that time, but this is his first attempt at beyond 1m and there are mixed messages from his breeding as to whether he'll stay the trip - O'Brien believes he will stay and he rarely makes mistakes. Even on his best form over 1m, though, he has something to find with Sea The Stars who beat him just over four and a half lengths in the 2000 Guineas and has since become the first horse since Nashwan 20 years ago to complete the Guineas-Derby-Ecipse treble.
While Sea The Stars' victory in the Coral-Eclipse was not as visually stunning as his other two wins, it was arguably his best performance. The runner-up Rip Van Winkle has since gone on to beat older horses in the Sussex Stakes, and the third Conduit has won the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. That's rock-solid form and with the fast ground on the Knavesmire very in his favour, I just can't oppose him, although he's unbackable at around the 1/3 mark.
Selections:
Buachaill Dona
Sea Lord (Each-way)
Harbinger (Nap)
Sea The Stars
