Sky Bet City Of York Stakes (Group 1) (Class 1) (3YO plus)
7f Good to Soft (Good in places)
handy, pushed along 2f out, ridden and led approaching final furlong, ran on well to readily assert
mounted in chute, wore earplugs to start, mid-division, headway 3f out, pushed along in third 2f out, soon ridden, stayed on, not pace to challenge winner
wore red hood to post, led, ridden well over 1f out, headed approaching final furlong, kept on one pace
mid-division, pushed along over 2f out, ran on well over 110yds out, never nearer
chased leaders, pushed along well over 2f out, kept on, never threatened
prominent, pushed along 3f out, no impression on leaders and faded well inside final furlong
wore red hood to post, held up in rear, some headway well over 2f out, ridden and held 2f out
wore red hood to post, front mid-division, improved into third 3f out, ridden over 1f out, no extra and soon faded
wore earplugs to start, front mid-division, pushed along over 2f out, weakened 1f out
wore red hood to post, blindfold removed slightly late, mid-division, pushed along over 2f out, no progress
chased leaders, ridden and outpaced well over 2f out, soon beaten
close up, ridden and dropped away well over 2f out
towards rear, lost touch over 2f out
towards rear, tailed off and eased over 2f out
| Type | Winnings |
|---|---|
| CSF | £15.96 (4, 1) |
| Tricast | £191.12 (4, 1, 2) |
| Win | £3.25 (4) |
| Place | £1.55 (4), £2.50 (1), £5.60 (2) |
| Swinger | £18.70 (1, 2), £6.70 (1, 4), £11.95 (2, 4) |
| Exacta | £25.60 (4, 1) |
| Trifecta | £281.50 (4, 1, 2) |
Notable Speech stamped his class all over this Group 1, for a dominant success. Dropping back a furlong from a mile, he showed his customary turn of foot and was able to sustain that finishing effort up the straight, ridden pretty efficiently as he produced four consecutive sectionals close to par.
NOTABLE SPEECH was never too far away here, and William Buick didn’t complicate things on the best horse in the race. The drying ground on Saturday may have helped too, but in truth he was a league apart here. He hit the front outside the furlong pole and ran all the way to the line on the stands rail for a comfortable success. A trip to the Breeder’s Cup looks likely as an end of season target after returning to winning ways here.
LAKE FOREST ran well in defeat, returning to his preferred distance here. He was further back than the winner, but it made no difference to the result. The gap was widening between he pair at the line as Lake Forest needed most of the straight to get by Marvelman.
MARVELMAN set an even pace out in front here after a quick enough opening furlong. He brought the field towards the stands side in the home straight and travelled well for a long way. He looked likely to hold second until close home, but it was his best effort since his Group 2 success at Doncaster last September.
TEN BOB TONY was doing all his best work at the finish. It was a race very few got into anyway, and while he was probably too far back given how it played out, I’m unsure it affected his finishing position. He stayed on well in the final furlong, but his progress was marginal rather than anything more significant.
ZAVATERI was the same distance back here as he was in the Sussex at Goodwood. Dropping back in trip from last time, he appeared to get outpaced early in the straight but stayed on again late. He might just need his sights lowered.
PUERTO RICO ran well to a point and appeared likely to hit the frame at least a furlong out. Rather surprisingly though, he faded in the final furlong.
ROGUE DIPLOMAT was given his customary patient ride and the race wasn’t really run to suit. He stayed on well in the closing stages, without ever threatening.
PABORUS was close to the early speed and had a good position to attack from early in the straight. He didn’t see it out though and his effort in the final furlong was quite weak.
SATONO REVE tracked Notable Speech as the race developed but couldn’t go with that rival and Lake Forest moved by him on his outside as he weakened outside the furlong pole.
FLORA Of BERMUDA raced in mid-division but never really got any closer and she faded out of it from inside the two-furlong pole.
LIFEPLAN was prominent but came under pressure early in the home straight and dropped out of contention soon after.
POWER BLUE led early but dropped out quickly as the race developed in the straight.
NATIVE WARRIOR was always towards rear and couldn’t go with the main group from early in the straight.
POWERFUL GLORY never got into it and was beaten a long way out before being eased.
| Year | Going | Ran | Winner | Draw | Age | Weight | OR | Form | Last run | Trainer (Distance) | Jockey | SP | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Good to Firm | 10 | Never So Brave | 7 | 4 | 9 8 | - | 720-211 | 42 days | A M Balding (216 miles) | Oisin Murphy | 7/ 2 | 1:22.93 |
| 2024 | Good to Firm | 6 | Breege | 3 | 4 | 9 5 | - | 2-31727 | 24 days | J & S Quinn (18 miles) | Colin Keane | 33/ 1 | 1:24.09 |
| 2023 | Good to Firm | 11 | Kinross | 6 | 6 | 9 8 | - | 113-731 | 25 days | R M Beckett (251 miles) | Frankie Dettori | 9/ 4 | 1:22.57 |
| 2022 | Good to Firm | 9 | Kinross | 5 | 5 | 9 8 | - | 549-382 | 25 days | R M Beckett (251 miles) | Frankie Dettori | 5/ 1 | 1:22.97 |
| 2021 | Good | 9 | Space Blues | 1 | 5 | 9 6 | - | 111-194 | 25 days | C Appleby (163 miles) | William Buick | 11/ 8 | 1:22.60 |
| 2020 | Good to Soft | 8 | Safe Voyage | 4 | 7 | 9 6 | - | 343-214 | 25 days | J & S Quinn (18 miles) | Jason Hart | 4/ 1 | 1:25.47 |
| 2019 | Good to Firm | 9 | Shine So Bright | 2 | 3 | 9 1 | - | 5333-16 | 112 days | A M Balding (216 miles) | James Doyle | 6/ 1 | 1:21.00 |
| 2018 | Good to Firm | 9 | Expert Eye | 2 | 3 | 9 1 | - | 19-2012 | 24 days | Sir Michael Stoute (163 miles) | Frankie Dettori | EVENS | 1:23.10 |
| 2017 | Good | 18 | Talaayeb | 8 | 3 | 8 6 | - | 1-47 | 71 days | Owen Burrows (202 miles) | Chris Hayes | 9/ 1 | 1:24.08 |
| 2016 | Good | 10 | Nemoralia | 7 | 3 | 8 6 | - | 123-124 | 40 days | J Noseda (163 miles) | Jamie Spencer | 15/ 8 | 1:22.16 |
| 2015 | Good to Soft | 14 | Fadhayyil | 4 | 3 | 8 4 | - | 212-527 | 21 days | B W Hills (202 miles) | Paul Hanagan | 5/ 1 | 1:23.12 |
| 2014 | Good | 13 | Absolutely So | 6 | 4 | 9 0 | - | 372102 | 41 days | A M Balding (216 miles) | Oisin Murphy | 6/ 1 | 1:22.82 |
| 2013 | Soft | 6 | Sirius Prospect | 3 | 5 | 9 0 | - | 3-04010 | 22 days | D K Ivory (193 miles) | Robert Winston | 5/ 2 | 1:26.84 |
| 2012 | Good to Soft | 9 | Gordon Lord Byron | 8 | 4 | 9 0 | - | 120342 | 13 days | T Hogan | William Buick | 5/ 1 | 1:24.25 |
| 2011 | Good | 11 | Doncaster Rover | 8 | 5 | 9 0 | - | 032455 | 7 days | D H Brown (49 miles) | Silvestre De Sousa | 5/ 1 | 1:23.56 |
| 2010 | Good to Firm | 10 | Yaa Wayl | 6 | 3 | 8 9 | - | 42-1214 | 27 days | M A Jarvis (163 miles) | P Robinson | 5/ 1 | 1:21.93 |
| 2009 | Good to Firm | 12 | Confront | 12 | 4 | 9 0 | - | 4-12422 | 8 days | Sir Michael Stoute (163 miles) | Ryan Moore | 3/ 1 | 1:23.18 |
| 2007 | Good | 16 | Duff | 3 | 4 | 9 0 | - | 373-243 | 17 days | E Lynam | Declan McDonogh | 14/ 1 | 1:23.50 |
| 2006 | Soft | 11 | Quito | 6 | 9 | 9 5 | - | 321060 | 23 days | D Chapman (1 miles) | Robert Winston | 4/ 1 | 1:26.30 |
