York today

once again, a Saturday without a group race, but there are some valuable handicaps, especially at York´s big meeting. It kicks off with the Queen Mothers Cup over 1 1/2 miles at 15.05 CET, one of the best races of the year for lady riders. There are 19 runners, but we narrow tnhem down to just two: Crackentorp (Tim Easterby/ Jackie Coward), who won the race last year and was also a CD winner at the August meeting, and Eagle Rock (Tom Tate/ Hayley Moore), who was noted running on well when third over this CD at the May meeting. Top-weight Troopingthecolour (Steve Gollings/ Serena Brotherton) is very consistent and has the most experienced rider in the saddle, but he is not well handicapped and looks held by Crackentorp on their running here last year.
The following 9 furlongs handicap at 15.35 has a smaller field but looks just as tricky. The two we like here are Navajo Chief (Alan Jarvis/ Kieren Fallon) and Extraterrestrial (Richard Fahey/ Freddie Tylicki), both generally consistent types who have not won for a while, but whose handicap marks now look realistic.
The 6 furlongs handicap for 3yo´s at 16.10 is the toughest race of the day, and qukite a few of the runners have nebver run on ground as soft as this. Furthermore the effect of the draw is still unknown, although yesterday it seemed that the runners drawn low had an advantage. In that case we go for Tioman Legend (Roger Charlton/ Daniel Tudhope) and Nameitwhatyoulike (Mick Easterby/ James Sullivan), while if you prefer those drawn on the stands side, Charlton´s other -and more fancied- runner Priceless Jewel (James Doyle) and Lily´s Angel (Richard Fahey/ Laura Barry), who did not run at all badly in the 1,000 Guineas.
The listed race over a mile at 16.45 has cut up badly and is now down to only 4 runners. Tullius (Andrew Balding/ Jimmy Fortune) is unbeaten since joining this stable, but we are not sure that he can concede weight to Dance and Dance (Ed Vaughan/ Luke Morris), who has been running in top company.
There are small fields at Sandown, where Pearl Secret (David Barron/ Richard Hughes) looks the best bet of the day in the listed Scurry Stakes for 3yo´s over 5 furlongs at 16.25. Undefeated in 3 starts so far, he should take this en route to much better things. Free Zone (Bryan Smart/ Royston Ffrench), who has already won 5 races over this trip, can follow him home.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Eagle Rock - Crackentorp - Troopingthecolour
2. Race: Classic Colori - Dubai Dynamo - Hillview Boy
3. Race: Priceless Jewel - Top Cop - Tioman Legend
4. Race: Dance And Dance - Tullius - Doncaster Rover
5. Race: Jonny Lesters Hair - Rustic Deacon - Musnad
6. Race: Orions Hero - Marhaba Malayeen - Royal Rascal
7. Race: Rasaman - Green Park - Klynch