3 minute read

It may not be beachside racing but at least the recent floods in York didn't affect the Knavesmere.

Wednesday's start of festivities is in the Acomb Stakes G3 for the 2yo over 1400m.  There are some talented youngsters here but we prefer to put the hard-earned on horses that have a couple of runs under their girths and Persuasion 7/2 and Vitalogy 4/1 come under that category.  Richard Fahey's Valdemorro has had a couple of runs and is also a "local" so 5/1 attracts, and for a bit better price look to Harpocates 8/1 who is having his 7th start for Aidan O'Brien and you get Ryan Moore on board as well.

The Great Voltigeur G2 is for the 3yo c&g over 2400m and has 5 starters but should still be a very competitive race – Logician is 11/10 for Gosden-Dettori, Constantinople 9/4 for Coolmore but he was beaten last time by Nayef Road and Mark Johnstone's horses are always worth following here.  9/2 is the quote and Silvestre de Sousa the hoop.

The Juddmonte International G1 has 9 runners and while Crystal Ocean is the top rated horse in the field he's on Evens which we are always wary of.  There's a Gosden-Dettori further G1 in the offing with King of Comedy, but we are going very wide and will have a small e/w on Japanese runner Cheval Grand on 33/1.  He didn't handle the soft on his last outing so should find this more to his liking as well as being properly acclimatised to UK conditions by now.  Oisin Murphy knows the horse and York.