York Races will again be packed to the rafters on Friday (Image: Getty)
Front runner NIGHT RAIDER (3.35) has speed to burn for the Group One Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes.
The colt was once a Classic prospect for Karl Burke and ran in the 2,000 Guineas of 2024 won by Notable Speech. Reinvented as a sprinter later that year, the colt showed his potential with two tidy six-furlong successes on the all-weather circuit.
After a 179-break, Night Raider then tried to make all of the running in the same distance Duke Of York Clipper Stakes at today’s track.
Down a furlong, my selection had no extra to offer in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot – a track a bit too stiff – and is better judged on his run in Goodwood’s Group Two King George Qatar Stakes. From stall 11, he led home the stands side group when all of the action was on the opposite flank with the reopposing Jm Jungle in front. The way Night Raider finished his race strongly was encouraging and Burke has been able to run him more this season, which suggests he is coming right over a course and distance which favours early speed. With most of the pace middle to high, Commonwealth Cup second Arizona Blaze can also figure in the finish, along with Sayidah Dariyan who possesses a good turn of foot.
The Scout’s Verdict: 1 Night Raider 2 Arizona Blaze 3 Sayidah Dariyan
NUNTHORPE STAKES RUNNER GUIDE
1 Jm Jungle
Awarded a rating of 102 for his admirable consistency in some of the toughest sprint handicaps of the flat season. Showed there is not much between that level and the Group horses by taking that even higher in the King George Qatar Stakes. Should go well again.
2 Kerdos
Flopped in first-time cheekpieces when conditions appeared ideal at Goodwood. The 2024 Temple Stakes hero has questions to answer now.
3 Manaccan
Group Three and Listed winner for John Ryan’s small yard. Brought back into training following a long lay-off and showed he was on the way to finding some form last time. Stiff ask on ratings.
4 Night Raider
First time on a fast, flat five furlongs with quick terrain. Fizzy sort starting to conserve energy in his races and fancied to show them the way home.
5 Rumstar
Form ties in with a fair few and enjoys passing horses. With the race likely to set up ideally for this £40,000 supplementary entry, could be in the first six.
6 Spartan Arrow
Has improved but did not find as much as expected behind Jm Jungle in a handicap here earlier in the season. Needs more.
7 Washington Heights
Last year’s sixth will do well to better that for the Tom Eaves and Kevin Ryan combination.
8 Ain’t Nobody
Took his first two starts over five furlongs but been campaigned over six of late. Cheekpieces will need to have a major effect if he is to enter the winners enclosure.
9 Arizona Blaze
Had nine outings as a juvenile, a record which includes a close second in the Harry’s Half Million By Goffs Premier Yearling Stakes at last year’s fixture. Even better now having added Group Two and Three strikes to his CV. Led the near side group to the conclusion of the Commonwealth Cup. Rock solid.
It’s day three of the Ebor meeting at York on Friday (Image: Getty)
10 Asfoora
Australian trainer Henry Dwyer has gone on record to say he has has not been happier with the condition of his superstar mare this term. Favourite a year ago when fourth, she is highest-rated here and only has to take a few steps forward to play a hand.
11 Frost At Dawn
Just denied in the King Charles III Stakes and is holding her form. Does have competition for the lead.
12 Mgheera
Yard’s horses ticking over nicely and this daughter of Zoustar finished in front of several of these when breaking her Group Two duck at Haydock. Untried on a quick surface.
13 She’s Quality
Has a case of seconditis but that is no negative as it has taken her career earnings to over £200,000. Rumstar, Mgheera and Jm Jungle have held her off and should be thereabouts again if reverting to prominent tactics.
14 Celandine
Denied on the nod in Chester’s Queensferry Stakes, a race jockey Kieran Shoemark would probably want to ride again if given the chance. Course winner from the 2024 Lowther and has some potential.
15 Sayidah Dariyan
Turbo kicked in for a Group Three strike at this track 42 days ago, proving her Commonwealth Cup fourth at a huge price was no fluke. Ryan Moore’s mount commands respect.
16 Lady Iman
Carries just 8st 2lb as she bids to become the first juvenile to put her name in the record books since Kingsgate Native in 2007. Added to the field like Rumstar, her rating suggests this is not a step too far.
17 Spicy Marg
Juvenile filly with an excellent attitude. Another late entry but form not as good as Lady Iman, with Harry Bentley steering on his summer break from the ten-month Hong Kong season.
REST OF FRIDAY’S YORK CARD
MOUNT ATLAS (1.50) is fancied to navigate his way through the field for first in the Sky Bet Handicap.
The four-year-old has been allotted 10st after he defied a similar weight at Ascot over 1m 4f last month. Well-backed at the market summit, Mount Atlas travelled through the race as the best horse and stayed on for a length verdict.
Runner-up Night Breeze franked the form over course and distance subsequently so a 5lb rise looks within range.
Ascot Cup titleholder Trawlerman holds the aces in the Group Two Weatherbys Lonsdale Cup, having spent quite some time in the shadow of staying titan Kyprios.
Effective at two miles, he has to carry a Group One penalty with Will Buick in charge of getting the fractions spot on again.
Odds of 8-13 reflect his chance, so SHACKLETON (2.25) is put up as a plausible alternative receiving a stone from the favourite, given this less searching test of stamina.
Raced only eight times by Aidan O’Brien, the 200,000 guineas yearling only has a maiden victory to his name at the Curragh in September of last year.
However, from few attempts at longer distances, he made most in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot with St Leger favourite Scandinavia a place behind him in fifth.
Well down the Ballydoyle pecking order in the Derby, Shackleton posted a good effort to earn a 3lb rating nudge in the Michael John Kennedy Curragh Cup.
The winner Al Riffa is a tough horse for the grade and my selection came with a rally to regain second after he lost his place, so the application of cheekpieces could inspire further progress.
Declan Carroll has high hopes of beating the bigger yards in the Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack Stakes with LIFEPLAN (3.00).
The first foal of a dam who ran with credit at seven furlongs as a juvenile, my selection sports the silks of Martin Tedham who owns mostly National Hunt horses.
But Lifeplan showed he was a nice prospect for the flat code when he scuppered several previous winners on his Thirsk introduction.
Kodi Bear’s son would be a more expensive horse than the team would usually buy and this contest is not as strong as some editions have been, so he has an excellent chance of stepping up.
Weighted just 1lb above her last winning mark, POWER OF DESTINY (4.10, Nap) is my value bet on the seven-race card.
She has had excuses on her last couple of turf starts, not striding out effectively on the downhill run at Lingfield in May, disliking Chester’s soft going and then being well off the pace when the gallop was upped at Goodwood.
Power Of Destiny was also caught behind of wall of horses and there will be no excuses at this fair track, for a horse pipped off this mark last summer on one of very few outings on decent ground.
INISHBEG (4.45) cost 500,000 guineas and as a February foal, the Kevin Ryan team have had to be patient before bringing him to the track.
But he is entered to try and go three places better than his half-brother Volterra who finished fourth in this in 2023.
MONTPELLIER (5.20) can round off proceedings in the Sky Bet Mile Handicap, rising a furlong after showing there was room for manoeuvre with his mark at Goodwood.
THE SCOUT’S GOODWOOD SELECTIONS
1.50 Mount Atlas
2.25 Shackleton
3.00 Lifeplan
3.35 Night Raider
4.10 Power Of Destiny (Nap)
4.45 Inishbeg
5.20 Montpellier