Talking Horses

Ombudsman and Constitution River ready to light up York

OMBUDSMAN and Constitution River are set to go head-to-head in racing’s latest blockbuster rivalry at York on Wednesday in the Juddmonte International Stakes (3.35), with the reigning Juddmonte International winner facing the season’s outstanding three-year-old in a compelling clash of the generations.

John and Thady Gosden’s five-year-old has stall one as he bids to repeat last year’s brilliant success in the £1 million Group 1, while Ballydoyle’s French Derby and Eclipse winner Constitution River is drawn in seven and will again be partnered by Ryan Moore.

Ombudsman, by Night of Thunder, has been kept ticking over since Royal Ascot, where he produced a career-best effort to land the Prince of Wales’s Stakes for the second-year running, and the decision to miss the Coral-Eclipse sees him arrive here fresher than most.

William Buick was at Clarehaven last week to sit on the Gosden star in a routine piece of work he passed doing all that was asked of him, while reports from the yard suggest he looked really well in himself in his final blowout on Saturday.

There should be a sound gallop with Hawk Mountain, Action, and Devil’s Advocate all capable of ensuring the race is properly run, leaving little room for excuses when the principals straighten for home on the long straight.

Moore has spoken in unusually glowing terms about Constitution River, rating him amongst the best he has ridden, which only adds to the sense of anticipation as his jockey has never been one for hype.Ombudsman still sets a formidable standard. His explosive turn of foot settled this race 12 months ago in a matter of strides and his profile with two further Group 1 wins this season gives him a career tally of nine victories from 12 starts.

Andrew Balding accepts Item must improve again to trouble the market leaders, but the York specialist is not one to write off after returning to form on the Knavesmire last time. A decisive Dante winner over the Juddmonte course and distance in May, Item confirmed his liking for the track when defying a penalty in the York Stakes, a performance that went a long way to erasing memories of his Derby reverse.

Just 24-hours on from the opening day clash of the top colts at the Ebor meeting, York have another treat in store among the fillies and mares when King George winner KALPANA heads to the Knavesmire in the Yorkshire Oaks (3.35) for her Arc prep.

It’s hard to look past her after she beat the beat the boys and is now back against her own sex, but LEGACY LINK won the Musidora at the track and had excuses when finding the Ribblesdale coming too soon after her Oaks defeat behind Thundering On. She is overpriced at 16-1 to at least hit the frame with Minnie Hauk looking vulnerable.

Ballydoyle may also have a live outsider later in the week on Friday with 10-1 Nunthorpe Stakes (3.35) contender MISSION CENTRAL looking a sprinter still on the upgrade. It is not often punters can secure double-figure odds about a Ballydoyle first string.

Mission Central produced one of the performances of the Royal meeting when swooping late to win the King Charles III Stakes over five furlongs, collaring Francis-Henri Graffard’s Rayevka by a head after being delivered from off the pace.

The son of No Nay Never was sent off at 14-1 at Ascot, a price that looks generous in hindsight given he arrived on the back of two confidence-boosting Listed wins and still won despite not having the race run entirely to suit.

Although not usually viewed as a hold-up sprinter, Mission Central came from the rear down the favoured near side and found enough in the closing strides to reel in Rayevka.

The French filly is around 11-2 for the rematch behind US raider 3-1 Bacio, but with rain forecast and the draw still to be made, Moore’s mount makes plenty of each-way appeal at three times the price.

Mission Central disappointed when stepped up to six furlongs in the July Cup at Newmarket, but the return to a fast five at York can help him show his true colours after he failed to see out the trip.

Back with the Balding team, Gentle Hurricane faces a much sterner test on Wednesday in the Group 3 Acomb Stakes (2.25) after making a smart winning debut from a previous winner at Salisbury, but Balding feels the extra furlong should suit and regards him as the type to thrive in a race the yard love to win.

The Dancing Pirate remains a work in progress as a late foal, but there was enough encouragement in his Goodwood effort to think he can be competitive on his second nursery start on the same card in the Sky Bet Nursery (5.20), with first-time cheekpieces expected to sharpen him up.

Jolivette may prove the pick of the Balding pair on home reputation on Thursday in the Lowther Stakes (1.50) despite being longer odds than her stablemate, Moonrise. She has looked keen in her races so far but is held in higher regard than her recent form figures imply. If she can settle over this flat six furlongs, she can outrun her odds.

RISING TIGER has been pleasing at home and there is a feeling he could have been let in off a decent mark for his nursery debut in the Thursday's EBF Stallions Nursery (4.45), while Flora Of Bermuda shaped last time as though seven furlongs is now within range and deserves to win the Group 1 City of York Stakes (3.00) on Saturday. 

TARRIANCE is the standout bet of Balding’s three Ebor Handicap (3.35, Saturday) entries, having won the Melrose over this course and distance and shaping as if in need of the run in his eye-catching prep at Goodwood. Backed into favouritism, the money is not misplaced.

The Gosden yard saves the best bet of the meeting until the last on Thursday when hat-trick seeking STARLIGHT LASS makes her handicap debut off a mark of 87 in the closing British EBF Fillies’ Handicap (5.20).

She followed up her Newmarket win under a penalty in a small field Yarmouth novice and has the pedigree from the family of Skimmer to make a mockery of her opening mark with Saffie Osborne a good booking.

Damysus was a disappointment here last time when very well backed for the York Stakes travelling well only to flounder when asked for a tame finishing effort under James Doyle. He drops down in grade on Saturday in the Strensall Stakes (1.50).

The 9f trip is another a new one for the Wathnan colt who has taken time to recover from an abortive Derby campaign last year, but he can bounce back and may well be fitted with headgear on the Knavesmire. 

Jonquil can expose any failings in the talented but frustrating Damysus, with the trip viewed as his optimum and conditions expected to suit. He escapes a penalty, which gives him a fine opportunity to add another Group-race success to his haul.

James Owen is a master at improving others castoffs and there is strong stable confidence behind KIRCHNER on the Tuesday in the Stayers’ Handicap (4.10) with that man Ryan Moore given the leg up for the first time.

The French import has improved for the stable move like so many others before him and relished stepping up to 2m on his third start for his new yard when narrowly failing to land a big gamble taking the runner-up spot in the Northumberland Plate.

He then went one better in the Brown Jack at Ascot in a muddling affair but winning with plenty in hand. This fast-improving sort is in the right hands to make a relentless climb to the top of the staying ranks.

Roger Varian arrives at the Ebor festival with his yard in excellent form and hopes are high that SUMMERSON can take the next step up the ladder in her stride for the Listed Galtres Stakes (4.10) at York on Thursday.

She has done nothing but impress in her work since scoring at Ffos Llas showing a smart turf foot to open her winning account at the third time of asking under a hands and heels ride. 

Raammee is another heading up to York fancied to defy an 8lb rise for his course and distance success in the John Smith’s Cup success as Varian has kept him fresh for the closing Sky Bet Dav Reid Finale Handicap (5.20) on Saturday.

Others to note:

Course winner RAJAKING missed the cut for the opening York handicap on Wednesday, but his trainer Terry Kent is keen to capitalise on his good form at Newmarket on Saturday in the 6f sprint -Twyford Down Cutting Handicap (2.08).

One from the gallops: 

LANCASTER TOWER has taken a big step forward in his work since making a promising debut in a hot Sandown novice won in fine style by Godolphin’s Quest For Stars who is now unbeaten in three starts after following up in Listed company at Salisbury.

The beautifully-bred Kingman colt was well backed in what is always a strong two-year-old event at the Esher track losing little in defeat in third place after moving up and looking a big danger until the lack of a run took its toll. 

Owned by the HM The King and HM The Queen, he is entered in the Convivial Maiden Stakes (4.45) at York on Friday and is fancied to justify future Group entries in the Royal Lodge and Dewhurst Stakes for John and Thady Gosden.

His work companion, ALGAIHABANE, is an unraced regally-bred Hamdan colt by Dubawi who is showing up well upsides with his more experienced stablemate in his gentle work ahead of his debut in a Kempton 7f novice - the Unibet/British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes (6.30) - on Wednesday.

One for the ATR Tracker:

Andrew Balding’s apprentice academy features such star names as Oisin Murphy and William Buick and their latest 7lb claimer, Alfie Redman, has ridden five winners this season so far.

The stable apprentice struck up a real rapport with the progressive STORMY MUSIC winning comfortably earlier this month at Newmarket where she appreciated the step up to a mile shaping like a filly on the upgrade.

A 4lb rise looked more than fair as she was turned out quickly and the stable apprentice kept the ride. However, she got caught in a pocket and could not recover when a gap opened looking unlucky not to follow up her win over C&D nine days earlier. She is worth another chance granted more luck in running.