State ready to Star on the Knavesmire
THURSDAY brings us the second of four days of racing from York’s Ebor Festival, with the fillies and mares taking centre stage.
Another 19 two-year-old fillies will take to the Knavesmire to test their credentials for next year’s Classics in the Group Two Lowther Stakes (1.50pm)
The ground has been a big talking point heading into the week and Wednesday’s racing showed it may be slower than first expected, which must come into calculations with most of this season’s form coming on rattling-quick ground.
With that in mind, STAR OF STATE could be the pick of them for Joseph O’Brien and Dylan Browne McMonagle.
The Irish duo have been in red-hot form this season and have pulled off more than their fair share of successful raids at the major British meetings this summer.
Libertango is well fancied at the top of the market but all her form had come on good-to-firm ground and she was a non-runner for her intended debut at Haydock as a result of good to soft conditions.
The same goes for Juddmonte’s exciting filly Livenka, who has done all of her work on good ground thus far.
This looks a good opportunity for Joseph O’Brien to keep his filly going in the right direction after she showed significant improvement in the space of eight days from her debut at Fairyhouse to her next run Leopardstown, when spreadeagling her rivals by nine lengths.
Star Of State can continue her rise here and record a statement win.
Ahead of the feature race, the Yorkshire Oaks, we have the Sir Kevin Sinfield 7 In 7 Grand Finale Handicap (3.00pm), where 17 runners are set to go to post.
Centigrade looks a worthy favourite but he can be taken on in this competitive handicap where you can make a case for a good few.
Richard Spencer is enjoying another fruitful season, and HAWKSBILL is an interesting contender here for the Newmarket yard.
He is yet to hit the frame in his seven runs since joining the Spencer team at the beginning of the year, but he finished with credit in the Golden Mile at Goodwood having not got the run of the race.
He has been dropping down the handicap and is now on his lowest mark since his handicap debut, so looks well worth a go each-way.
Another at the prices is CHECKANDCHALLENGE for William Knight, who is a 20/1 shot with William Hill.
He isn’t getting any younger at seven years old, but he has been a consistent handicapper over the years and looks to be back down to an attractive mark here, having been dropped another pound for finishing third at the track last time out in a competitive enough handicap.
MIRKSY is another with strong course and distance form, who finished second in the race two years ago, and he can run into a place again this year so he’s one to include in a Quinella with Hawksbill and Checkandchallenge.
POINTERS THURSDAY
Star Of State 1.50pm York Ebor Festival
Hawksbill e/w 3.00pm York Ebor Festival
Checkandchallenge e/w 3.00pm York Ebor Festival
Hawksbill, Checkandchallenge, Mirsky
(Quinella) 3.00pm York Ebor Festival