York water track again but conditions still quick ahead of day three

Racing Post

25 August 2023

York water track again but conditions still quick ahead of day three

Courage Mon Ami's position at the head of the market for the Lonsdale Cup (2.25) has strengthened as punters desert his Goodwood Cup conqueror Quickthorn.

Courage Mon Ami landed the Ascot Gold Cup on just his fourth start, having won two novices and a handicap at Goodwood in May, but was no match for Quickthorn at the Glorious meeting in August.

Under a forceful front-running ride by Tom Marquand, the same tactics that were adopted when winning the Lonsdale Cup last year, Quickthorn went 16 lengths clear at halfway and was not for catching, with Courage Mon Ami finishing eight lengths back in sixth.

However, punters seem to think the quicker ground on offer at York will suit John and Thady Gosden's Royal Ascot winner, with Courage Mon Ami a best-priced 9-4 to land the spoils having opened at 11-4.

Quickthorn, who started the day a general 10-3 shot, has recorded all but one of his nine wins on ground lacking the description of firm and he is now out to 4-1.

Between them in the market, as was the case at Goodwood, is Coltrane, who was also three-quarters of a length behind Courage Mon Ami in the Ascot Gold Cup.

Posted at 12.30pm

Market mover: Marhaba The Champ almost halved in price for opening handicap

Marhaba The Champ (blue and white): won at York in May

A surge of support has seen Marhaba The Champ almost halve in price with some firms as he looks to record a second victory at York this season in the opening 1m4f Sky Bet Handicap (1.50).

The Kevin Ryan-trained four-year-old was making his first start after wind surgery and a 219-day break when getting up late to deny Marie's Diamond over 1m2½f here in May.

The application of a tongue-tie was blamed for a poor showing next time at Epsom, while he was never better than midfield when running on slightly softer ground in the Chesterfield Cup at Glorious Goodwood last time.

The longer trip looks sure to suit and punters are clearly hoping a return to forecast quicker ground and to this track will spark a return to form, with Marhaba The Champ now a best-priced 15-2 having started the day as big as 12-1. He is as short as 6-1 with William Hill.

Ryan Moore, who has ridden two winners at the Ebor meeting, gets the leg-up for the first time and he has a strike-rate of 25 per cent (1-4) when teaming up with Ryan this year.

The Ralph Beckett-trained Balance Play heads the market at a general 10-3 after wins at Chester and Goodwood, while dual champion jockey Paul Hanagan will take his final ride on the Richard Fahey-trained Wootton'Sun, who is second favourite at a best-priced 11-2.

Posted at 10.20am

York water track but conditions remain quick

York: conditions remain quick ahead of day three

Officials at York have applied 3mm of water overnight to maintain conditions after a dry and breezy evening before the third day of the Ebor festival.

Two millimetres was applied to the track on Thursday morning after the forecast shower risk lowered before racing.

The going on day three remains good to firm, good in places – the same as the opening two days of the meeting – but there is now a chance of a shower in the hour before the meeting begins at 1.50.

Speaking just after 8am on Friday, raceday clerk of the course Anthea Leigh said: "Thursday turned out to be quite nice in the end after a cloudy start, the sun came out before the last race and we closed on a nice sunny, breezy evening.

"We put 3mm on last night to replace the moisture we lost during the day, and we've moved rails three metres out from nine furlongs to the entrance to the home straight. It's good to firm, good in places.

"We've got a fairly bright start and it will be mostly cloudy. They have just popped in now, which wasn't in there before, that there is a 50 per cent chance of catching a shower between 1-2pm, and then it's dry and cloudy through racing and into the evening.

"We'll have to play it by ear. It came in spits and spots yesterday and then went away, so we can't be sure if we'll catch the shower or not."

Posted at 8.30am

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