York Ebor meeting: first day

the Ebor meeting which starts today at York is probably the second best U.K. fixture of the entire year (after Royal Ascot) and proud Northerners will tell you that it is fact the number one. Certainly today´s card leaves nothing to be desired and features among others the winners of the English, French and Irish Derby.
Star of the show is undoubtedly Australia (Aidan and Joseph O´Brien) who will be at odds-on in the Group One International Stakes over 10 furlongs at 16.40 CET. This very well-bred colt out of Oaks winner Ouija Board has always been highly rated and the trainer has said that he is the best he has ever had; high praise indeed, although he has also said this about other runners of his. After a narrow defeat in the 2,000 Guineas (pretty good form in any case) he went on to win the Derby at Epsom and then the Irish version at the Curragh easily enough. Today´s distance is arguably even more suitable and we cannot see him getting beaten. The trainer has warned that he might need the race (he often says that as well) and there is also a slight doubt about Joseph´s being able to do the weight, but we certainly expect him to win. The Grey Gatsby (Kevin Ryan/ Richard Hughes) won the Dante over this CD and then took the French Derby before flopping in the Grand Prix de Paris on very bad ground Conditions will suit him today and he could .prove best of the rest, as Arod (Peter Chapple-Hyam/ Jamie Spencer) was fourth in the Derby but unlikely to get any nearer to Australia now. The two older horses Mukhadram (William Haggas/ Paul Hanagan) and Telescope (Sir Michael Stoute/ Ryan Moore) are both very smart and were the placed horses in the King George. Over this trip the first-named, who earlier won the Eclipse, could be the more dangerous, but basically we think that they are all running for the very generous place money.
The Epsom form could in any case have received an earlier boost when Derby runner-up Kingston Hill (Roger Varian/ Ryan Moore) runs in the Great Voltigeur at 16.05, usually the best trial for the St. Leger, He had no chance in the Eclipse, but today´s distance is far more suitable. Hartnell (Mark Johnston/ Joe Fanning), winner of the Queen´s Vase, and Snow Sky (Stoute( James Doyle), who won the Gordon Stakes, are both very promising young stayers who could fight it out for the places, although O´Brien´s two runners Granddukeoftuscany (Joseph) and Indian Maharaja (Seamie Heffernan), both lightly-raced and taking a huge leap in class, could be dangerous.
It could be another big day for the O´Brien stable and we also expect that Jamaica (Joseph) has a good chance in the Group Three Acomb Stakes for 2yp´sover 7 furlongs at 15.30. This looks a very competitive event, but we liked the way Jamaica scored at Galway last time and he looks a colt with a big future.


Betting forecast:
1. Race: Robot Boy - Move In Time - Mass Rally
2. Race: Jamaica - Basateen - Growl
3. Race: Kingston Hill - Hartnell - Granddukeoftuscany
4. Race: Telescope - Mukhadram - The Grey Gatsby
5. Race: Itlaaq - Spacious Sky - Bantam
6. Race: Felix Leiter - Mattmu - Burnt Sugar