Tag Archive for: Sky Bet Ebor

Irish raiding party again looks powerful for this year’s Ebor

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Top weight Harbour Wind forms part of a strong Irish contingent among the 28 confirmations for Saturday’s Sky Bet Ebor.

Dermot Weld’s four-year-old was a Listed winner on his only outing to date this term and will have to give weight to all bar Brian Ellison’s classy Tashkhan if he is to be successful.

Ellison could also run his Northumberland Plate winner Onesmoothoperator, who will be chasing a famous double.

As well as Harbour Wind from Ireland, Aidan O’Brien could run the strong ante-post fancy Queenstown, Jessica Harrington has left in Yashin and Gavin Cromwell is set to be represented by his smart dual-purpose performer My Mate Mozzie.

Willie Mullins, chasing a third win in the race, may run Hipop De Loire or Lot Of Joy. However, he has taken out Royal Ascot winner Belloccio, who is entered over timber at Kilbeggan.

Magical Zoe, a useful hurdler, is heading for the Ebor
Magical Zoe, a useful hurdler, is heading for the Ebor (Brian Lawless/PA)

Henry de Bromhead’s useful hurdler Magical Zoe is another in the mix from the Emerald Isle.

The trainer said: “Magical Zoe is in good form. She’ll head for the Ebor next weekend and we’ll see how she goes. She had a nice run at Fairyhouse on her last start.”

Those well fancied for the home team include the William Haggas-trained Naqeeb, David O’Meara’s Epic Poet and the Andrew Balding trio of Relentless Voyager, Fairbanks and Night Sparkle.

Naqeeb is owned by Shadwell and their assistant racing manager Richard Hills said: “It’s a competitive race. You don’t want to be drawn on the outside – middle to inside and I think he’d have a really good each-way chance.”

The Sky Bet City Of York Stakes could feature the next clash between Audience and Kinross.

Kinross had AUdience behind him when winning last year's City Of York Stakes
Kinross had Audience behind him when winning last year’s City Of York Stakes (Mike Egerton/PA)

Audience has been a revelation this season for John and Thady Gosden, winning the Lockinge at Newbury and the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood, while despite being seven, Kinross continues to run with credit for Ralph Beckett.

Kinross has five lengths to make up from Goodwood but he did have Audience back in second when winning the race 12 months ago.

Haggas’ three-year-old Lake Forest and Richard Hannon’s Shouldvebeenaring add strength in depth.

In the Sky Bet Strensall Stakes, Alyanaabi, Enfjaar, My Prospero and See The Fire are all involved.

Both of the first two mentioned are owned by Shadwell and Hills said: “Enfjaar is in great nick, he loves York, as he’s proven, so he’s got a massive chance.

“The three-year-old, Alyanaabi, ran a great race in the 2000 Guineas and then the St James’s Palace. He wasn’t quite right last time (at Newbury). Weight for age this time of year, you never really know.”



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Ebor contender Burdett Road closing in on racecourse return

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Burdett Road is nearing a return to the racecourse, with connections hoping to have a shot at the Sky Bet Ebor later in the summer.

A Royal Ascot winner when trained by Michael Bell, the Gredley family-owned four-year-old has since thrived over hurdles for James Owen, winning his first two outings over timber before suffering his first defeat in that sphere at the hands of Sir Gino on Cheltenham Festival Trials day.

He was being prepared for a Triumph Hurdle rematch with Nicky Henderson’s star juvenile before suffering an injury setback which curtailed his jumping progress, but his team always had their eye on returning to the level during the summer in search of valuable staying prizes.

Having now returned to full work, Burdett Road is being prepared for his reappearance before marching on to York for their £500,000 feature on August 24.

Burdett Road winning at Royal Ascot in 2023
Burdett Road winning at Royal Ascot in 2023 (David Davies/PA)

“He is in full training and we are planning to run him at the end of July or early August as a prep race and then he will go for the Ebor,” said Owen.

“That has been the plan for a while, we’re really happy with him, he’s had a nice break and is training well.

“The plan is to go to the Ebor and he could be an exciting horse for the race. He will definitely go back hurdling (at some point), but the Ebor could decide where we go afterwards.”

While Burdett Road has been on the sidelines, it is Too Friendly who has flown the flag for both Owen and the Gredleys in the top staying handicaps, finishing fourth in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle last Saturday.

Too Friendly in action
Too Friendly in action (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

The seven-time scorer is set to go under the hammer at the Tattersalls July Sales, where his training team will be sorry to see him depart.

Owen continued: “I thought that was a great run at Newcastle and he was slightly unlucky – he could have finished third with a clearer run, but he ran really well and he showed he stays the two miles.

“He does go to the July sales, but he is a very good dual-purpose horse that can run in all the big handicaps, whether that is over hurdles or on the Flat.

“For me, if he wasn’t to sell, he’d be an ideal type to go back to Market Rasen for the race he won last year (Summer Handicap Hurdle). He’s given us all a lot of fun and has done well for us.”



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Mullins and Dettori teaming up with Absurde in Ebor

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Frankie Dettori links up with Willie Mullins as the Closutton handler unleashes a two-pronged assault on the Sky Bet Ebor at York on Saturday.

Mullins won the prestigious handicap in 2009 and although always having the race circled on his calendar, has been out of luck on subsequent visits to the Knavesmire.

This year it is Royal Ascot runner-up Absurde and one-time Group Three scorer Jackfinbar that carry the hopes of the multiple champion National Hunt trainer, and he has called up a crack team of jockeys with Dettori set to reunite with Absurde for his York swansong, while William Buick will be aboard the latter.

“Both horses are in good shape and I’m very happy them,” said Mullins.

“We have one inside and one outside after the draw. Both jockeys are in good form and we’re looking forward to the race.

“It’s a race a race we look at every year if we have something good enough and qualified to go for it, so we’re hoping for a good run.”

The Ebor serves as a ‘win in you’re in’ for the Melbourne Cup and even though Mullins already has Flemington favourite Vauban safely tucked away at Closutton, he is not ruling out being mob-handed in ‘the race that stops the nation’ on November 7.

“It would be very interesting if we had that problem,” added Mullins, when asked if Vauban could have company for the trip to Australia.

“I imagine they could and I’m sure both owners would be keen to crack at a race like that, they certainly would.”

Sweet William has seen his reputation grow throughout the summer and will now seek a fantastic four-timer in his stiffest test yet.

The progressive four-year-old made it three straight victories at the Qatar Goodwood Festival, finds himself of warm order as he bids to give John and Thady Gosden back-to-back wins in the £500,000 event.

“He’s obviously progressed well through the year, winning from a mile and a half to two miles and half a furlong.” said Thady Gosden.

“He’s running over the same trip he won well over at Goodwood last time out and he’s been in good form since then.”

Sweet William, who is owned by the renowned owner-breeder Philipa Cooper under the Normandie Stud banner, was at one stage sweating on his place in the final line-up, while the owner herself was hesitant about running in the race.

However, his big-race claims are obvious despite a competitive field and Gosden is keen to take part in one of the season’s most valuable handicap contest.

“The Ebor is a premier staying handicap in the UK and of course one of the features of the Ebor Festival,” he added.

“He is versatile with regards to ground.”

Second to Sweet William at Goodwood was Michael Bell’s Adjuvant, who was the last to sneak into the race after declarations on Thursday morning.

The four-year-old finished third in the Melrose on this card last year and his handler is hopeful of another solid showing on the Knavesmire.

Bell said: “He ran a very nice race at Goodwood and appears to be in very good form this year. I think he has definitely improved from three to four. He ran a nice race in the Melrose at York last year but the form book suggests he’s taken a nice step forward.

“We were surprised to get in and it is very race for a horse rated 95 to get in. Obviously we are delighted to get in and we’ve got a bit of a pull at the weights with Sweet William, but arguably he won with a bit more up his sleeve so we may be up against it. But he heads there in really good order.”

At the opposite end of the scale, Saeed bin Suroor’s Live Your Dream carries top-weight and the classy Godolphin-owned operator, who was a winner at Newmarket last time, is yet to finish outside the top three since returning from a long absence earlier this summer.

“After he won at Newmarket he had an easy time and now he is doing well and has been working well,” said Bin Suroor.

“He’s in good form, but it’s a tough race with some good horses in it and he has to carry a heavy weight.

“I’m happy with him and a mile and six is the best trip for him and I think the track will suit him.”

Andrew Balding’s Scampi booked his ticket when winning the track’s Jorvik handicap earlier this season and could be a popular selection having added to his season’s tally at the Shergar Cup recently.

His owners RaceShare have big ambitions of taking their charge to Australia later in the year, but first the Yorkshire-based operation are hoping their star performer can provide them with a fitting home success.

“Scampi has been brilliantly placed by trainer Andrew Balding and our owners love that he is such a character and so well liked by Andrew’s staff at Kingsclere,” said managing director Lucy Delaney.

“We have plenty of local Yorkshire owners attending too so it’s nice to have an in-form Yorkshire-based jockey in Jason Hart on board. It is all very exciting.”

Sir Michael Stoute’s Real Dream was third behind Scampi here in May and has since advertised his big-race credentials with a taking victory over the Ebor trip at Ascot.

“It’s been the target for a long time, but we didn’t know if he was going to be high enough to get in at one stage. Obviously after his win at Ascot that just put him there right,” said Philip Robinson, assistant racing manager for owner Saeed Suhail.

“The trip’s ideal and everything is good. He worked brilliantly the other morning and really strode out well, so we’re very hopeful.”

Milton Harris will be studying tapes of Dettori’s ride aboard Trawlerman 12 months ago Scriptwriter bids to go one better than his track-and-trip second to Hamish in the John Smith’s Silver Cup from a wide draw in stall 20.

He said: “The horse is in great form and everything has gone well with his preparation. Ground conditions are fine and we have no concerns there, but the draw is really unhelpful.

“We’ll have to go forward I suppose, I’m going to have to talk to the jockey and formulate some sort of plan, but I couldn’t be happier with the horse.

“He had a terrible draw at Ascot when he ran a really nice race and now we’ve got another bad draw in a really competitive race, so the draw gods aren’t smiling upon us I’m afraid.

“We’ll have to find a way and no doubt we will have a watch of what Frankie did last year. It’s not impossible and Clifford (Lee) is a good jockey who has ridden around York plenty of times.

“He has been bought by some people in Australia and is going to race over there and this has been his target before he goes.

“He ran a tremendous race over course and distance last time at York and I have no concerns whatsoever about his well-being, I couldn’t be happier with the horse and I won’t be able to offer the well-being of the horse as any excuse.”



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Sweet William backers guaranteed Ebor run

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Ante-post favourite Sweet William is guaranteed a run as 39 stand their ground ahead of Saturday’s Sky Bet Ebor at York.

The prestigious handicap, which serves as an automatic qualifier for the Melbourne Cup is the highlight of the final day of the Ebor meeting and a maximum of 22 will head to post for a contest which has a prize-fund of £500,000.

John and Thady Gosden’s progressive four-year-old finds himself at the top of the betting following three-straight victories and will be bidding to add to the fine record of the Clarehaven team in the contest having won the race recently with Muntahaa in 2018 and Trawlerman 12 months ago.

It was thought Phillipa Cooper’s thriving stayer may struggle to make the final field for the contest, but those doubts have been allayed following Monday’s confirmation stage.

On the other hand, one horse who always had zero worries about making the final 22 is Saeed bin Suroor’s consistent performer Live Your Dream, who arrives on the Knavesmire on the back of victory at Newmarket’s July Festival and is set to carry top-weight.

Live Your Dream and Kevin Stott coming home to win at Newmarket
Live Your Dream and Kevin Stott coming home to win at Newmarket (David Davies/PA)

“He’s done really well since he won his last race and the Ebor has been the plan for him since he won at Newmarket,” said Bin Suroor.

“He’s in good form, he’s working well, he’s one more piece to do but everything has gone well before the Ebor.

“The one-mile-six trip suits him well – also the track, he’s run well at York before.

“He is good enough to run well over a mile and a half like at Royal Ascot and he almost won over two and a quarter miles in the Cesarewitch Trial, he can run over many trip but the Ebor trip is his best.

“He’s going to have top weight which won’t be easy, but we’ll give him a chance and see how he goes.”

Willie Mullins could look for a second Ebor with his Royal Ascot runner-up Absurde and stablemate Jackfinbar, while there are eight Irish-trained horses remaining in contention at this stage including Joseph O’Brien’s smart hurdler Nusret who won a ‘win and you’re in’ contest at the Curragh in June.

Andrew Balding’s Scampi booked his ticket when winning the track’s Jorvik Handicap earlier in the season and will head to the race on an upward trajectory having landed a telling blow at the Shergar Cup, while Sir Michael Stoute’s Real Dream and Milton Harris’ Scriptwriter are two others who feature high up the betting lists.

Michael Bell’s Adjuvant finished second to Sweet William at Goodwood earlier this month and at present looks the highest-profile name not to get a run.



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Cheshire sights set on York date for Golden Rules

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Owner Gareth Cheshire has only the Sky Bet Ebor on his mind for Golden Rules, despite having his doubts that his star stayer will make the cut for the prestigious York handicap.

Trained by Deborah Faulkner, the former John and Thady Gosden runner made a winning start for his new connections following a long lay-off at Kempton in March and then went close to justifying the team’s supreme confidence ahead of the Northumberland Plate when a silver medallist in the Gosforth Park marathon.

A crack at the Ebor has been the ambition ever since for the 97-rated gelding, but although being as short as 12-1 for the one-mile-six-furlong showpiece on August 26, the fragile six-year-old is not guaranteed a place in the £500,000 contest which has a maximum field of 22.

“He’s the love of my life and the stuff of dreams,” said Cheshire.

“He’s been fine since Newcastle and he’s been tipping away. I leave everything to Deborah and Tom (Faulkner) and our vet and as I’ve said before, you just have to mind him. We take each day as it comes and we are doing what we normally do. We take it day by day with him and he is a superb horse.

“I don’t think we’ll get in the Ebor. We will make any further plans after the Ebor is out of the way because he is qualified for the all-weather final at Kempton, but I don’t really know. We’ll get the Ebor out of the way, whether he’s in or out, and go from there.

“I didn’t sleep before the Northumberland Plate as I was in Ibiza. It took some negotiating to get home early and it cost me a handbag, but now I don’t like think to about him. I’ll leave that to everyone else and if he gets in he gets in, that’s great, but if he doesn’t and he gets balloted out, then he was clearly a certainty!”

Cheshire made headlines in the days leading up to the Northumberland Plate with his bullish prediction about his horse’s claims and Golden Rules came within half a length of proving his owner right having suffered a luckless run up the Newcastle home straight behind winner Calling The Wind.

However, he explains he had plenty of reason for the confidence and said: “I don’t spend as much time at the yard as I would like to, but I was convinced he would be in the first three.

“Having lived on and off with him for two years and the way he won at Kempton and the feedback from Oisin Murphy had me really confident.

“Oisin Murphy, one of the leading riders in the world, was really happy to come and sit on him at home which tells you something and the last piece of work he did, Oisin said to us ‘just get him to the Plate, that will do’.”

The enthusiastic owner rates Golden Rules as the best horse he has ever been involved with and having been bought for 6,000 guineas in the autumn of 2021, he showed real patience and perseverance to get his charge to the racecourse following 638 days on the sidelines.

Cheshire is full of credit for both his fledgling training team based in South Wales and his vet, who has helped nurse Golden Rules back to peak condition.

He added: “The reason I got him for 6,000 was because he had a problem and my vet and the training team have done amazingly. He’s done more miles in the pool than Mark Spitz and they have done a magnificent job. Every day with the horse is a bonus.

“He’s like one of these superstars who will sign autographs and have selfies done, Golden Rules is a complete gentleman. They say never meet your heroes, but he is like meeting your hero and they turn out to be a nice bloke as well.

“I’m very lucky to have him and every time I see him, I tell him he’s Grandad’s favourite and feed him his apples. I’ve had racehorses since I was five years old and you wait a lifetime for a horse like him. I don’t think I will find another one.”



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Osborne to retain Scampi ride in Ebor assignment

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Saffie Osborne is set to continue her association with Scampi when he bids for Sky Bet Ebor glory at York on Saturday week.

The 21-year-old was in the saddle aboard Andrew Balding’s charge when he registered his second victory of the season on the Shergar Cup card at Ascot last Saturday, and connections are delighted to have retained her services when Scampi heads to the Knavesmire for the prestigious handicap.

Owned by the RaceShare syndicate, the five-year-old is as short as 14-1 for the £500,000 contest, having secured his spot in the race by winning the Jorvik Handicap at the track earlier in the season, and plenty of his supporters will be making the trip to cheer him on in his quest for further glory.

Hayley Turner, Saffie Osborne and Hollie Doyle at the Shergar Cup
Hayley Turner, Saffie Osborne and Hollie Doyle at the Shergar Cup (Steven Paston/PA)

“We’re all on an absolute high at the moment,” said Lucy Delaney, managing director of RaceShare.

“We have confirmed that Saffie Osborne keeps the ride in the Ebor, which we are really thrilled about because she gave him an absolute cracking ride at Ascot on Saturday.

“York have been fantastic in supporting us and we hope to have a really big group of owners there cheering him on and he’s obviously reached new heights really.

“Scampi’s name and his style of running just really connects with people and he has a bit of a following now. I think not just his RaceShare owners, but the wider racing public have latched onto him because he has become a really consistent Saturday horse.

“We’re just hoping everything goes well in the Ebor and he is able to put up one of his always consistent runs.”

Scampi and Saffie Osborne after victory at Ascot
Scampi and Saffie Osborne after victory at Ascot (Steven Paston/PA)

A bold showing in the Ebor could help fulfil ambitious plans from the owners to race in Australia later in the season, with Scampi holding nominations for both the Caulfield Cup on October 21 and the Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

The Ebor also serves as an automatic qualifier for the ‘race that stops the nation’ on November 7, so there is plenty on the line when the Kingsclere inmate heads north on August 26.

“He went up 6lb for his win and obviously it is still a dream, but if he did run well in the Ebor and goes up a bit more, Australia is a possibility,” continued Delaney.

“Andrew entered him in the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup with the feeling being he was going so well at home and if he did come out and win the Ebor and he wasn’t entered in those races, we might regret it.

“He confirmed how he is flying at the moment with his win at Ascot on Saturday and we’re trying not to get too excited, but his community of owners are all counting down the days to the Ebor.

“We are massively keen on Australia. He would need a further jump in the ratings, so he would need to do well in the Ebor or even a race soon after to get into the Australian races. But if he does continue on his upward curve, we would be really keen to take on the Australians.”

Although Scampi’s legion of syndicate members may still be holding fire on booking their tickets to Australia, he has easily become the standard-bearer for the fledgling RaceShare operation since being purchased for 85,000 guineas last October.

He has secured over £100,000 in prize-money for his owners and his importance is not lost on Delaney, who via RaceShare attempts to enhance the ownership experience through interactive means, such as live shows on racedays, broadcasting not only the Raceshare horses in action but also showing behind the scenes footage from the track with key participants.

She said: “We only launched in November last year with the five horses and we’ve grown from there and in fairness they have all done all right.

“There is still probably a lot to come from Treasure Time and Red Mirage will find his form, and I think Jolly Nellerie is going to be a typical Venetia Williams long-term project.

“But Scampi really couldn’t have done much more for us than he has, he’s an absolute hero. There’s over 1,000 people involved with Scampi and all our horses are divided into 4,000 shares.

“You can buy from one to 250 shares and the aim is, while we want to make the raceday experience on course brilliant, we want to do a really good job of creating a really good experience off course as well, because the majority of owners are never going to actually get to the course most of the time.

“We’ve built up a lovely community of owners in a really short space of time and the form of Scampi is just the icing on the cake.”



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Ellison hoping wet spell continues ahead of Tashkhan Goodwood run

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Connections of Tashkhan are willing the rain to keep falling ahead of his shot at the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup Stakes.

Brian Ellison’s five-year-old has been an ever-present in the top staying contests in recent years, counting a second in the 2021 British Champions Long Distance Cup and a fifth in the following year’s Ascot Gold Cup as some of the highlights.

Seen just three times this season, he skipped this year’s Ascot feature on account of fast ground and was beaten just three-quarters of a length in his most recent outing in the Silver Cup at York.

Ellison believes he will come on for that first appearance since April and is keen to test his star stayer in Group One company once again, especially with Tashkhan’s favoured soft ground entirely possible on the Sussex Downs.

He said: “Hopefully it will be the Goodwood Cup next, that’s the plan.

“He’s fine and in good fettle and he will come on for the run at York. He hadn’t run for a while and making the running was a bit of a disadvantage to him, he’s always better coming to challenge horses, so it was a good run really. I’m really happy with him.

“He stays longer than the mother-in-law, but knowing our luck, things will start drying up. He doesn’t need to have it heavy or anything, but obviously the softer the better for him, that will give him more of a chance.”

After Goodwood, Ellison has his sights on a return to the Knavesmire for a tilt at the Sky Bet Ebor and a hefty share of it’s £500,000 prize-fund.

“You can’t keep him out of the top four really in these top races and there’s good prize-money and the plan is to go to Goodwood and then to the Ebor.

“I think the Ebor will suit him, a good handicap and a good gallop that he needs.”



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Ebor winner to be given automatic Melbourne Cup slot

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York’s chief executive and clerk of the course William Derby hailed news that the Sky Bet Ebor winner will be handed a “golden ticket” into the Melbourne Cup field as “fantastic”.

The arrangement was announced on Thursday with the Ebor, won by the Frankie Dettori-ridden Trawlerman last year, becoming the seventh win-and-you’re-in race for the £4.4m event in November.

The Ebor, worth £500,000 itself, is the first international race to provide automatic entry into the Australian showpiece event, which has drawn the interest of plenty of European-based trainers over the years.

Dermot Weld was the first to taste success in 1993 with the legendary Vintage Crop and he repeated the feat with Media Puzzle in 2002.

Alain de Royer-Dupre and Mikel Delzangles then provided France with back-to-back wins with Americain (2010) and Dunaden (2011), while Andreas Wohler struck gold for Germany in 2014 when Protectionist was ridden to victory by Ryan Moore.

Charlie Appleby is the only UK-based trainer to date to win the Melbourne Cup
Charlie Appleby is the only UK-based trainer to date to win the Melbourne Cup (David Davies/PA)

More recently Joseph O’Brien twice (Rekindling 2017 and Twilight Payment 2020) and Charlie Appleby’s Cross Counter (2018) have improved the overseas raiders’ record.

The Cup itself will be in York during the Ebor meeting with the feature race taking place on August 28.

“It is fantastic to officially connect two iconic races in the Sky Bet Ebor and the Lexus Melbourne Cup with the introduction of a golden ticket for the Ebor winner into the race that stops a nation and indeed much of the world,” said Derby.

“With the York winner having finished in the top 10 at Flemington in three of the four years preceding the pandemic, this great news will give confidence to winning connections that that their start at Flemington is secure, further linking two great races.

“We look forward to welcoming the 2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup on all four days of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival (23-26 August) on its annual tour across the world. This makes us more hopeful that it can return to Britain after the first Tuesday in November.”

Victoria Racing Club chief executive Steve Rosich said the alignment with York was a natural progression.

“The Ebor handicap has been a proven pathway into the Melbourne Cup over the years and it is fantastic to be able to build on the association with Flemington and York racecourse,” he said.

“The introduction of a seventh golden ticket is exciting for both clubs and the connections of all potential Ebor runners. It further cements the Lexus Melbourne Cup’s international reach and appeal.”



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Baker plotting Ebor route for Cemhaan

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George Baker is eyeing up a tilt at the Sky Bet Ebor with Cemhaan following his gallant effort in the Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot.

The six-year-old has been somewhat of a stable star for Baker, winning five of his 18 starts since joining the the Robins Farm handler from John Gosden in 2020 and this year competing at the Royal meeting for the second successive season.

He bettered last year’s seventh in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, with a fine effort to finish third in the opening day’s concluding contest – a run which can be marked up given the impressive nature of the winner Vauban and the fact Cemhaan only lost second in the dying strides when pipped to the runner-up spot by another Willie Mullins-trained runner, Absurde.

“It was a wonderful run,” said Baker.

“I thought a leg had fallen off because he drifted so much. I genuinely thought he was around a 20-1 chance and to see him on the boards at 66-1, you do wonder if a leg has actually fallen off.

“He ran a hell of a race and he has been a star for us. He’s been in great form recently and Pat Cosgrave gave him a lovely ride. Pat said he would have been second if he hadn’t had to commit to chase the mighty Vauban which just paid in the last 20 yards and we got done for second, but it was a huge run and we were clear of rest.

“Take out the annoying Mr Mullins – who luckily is a mate of mine – and we have won the race really nicely.”

Delighted with his charge’s performance, Baker now feels the £500,000 Ebor on August 26 is the obvious long-term target for his ever-improving son of Muhaarar and options ahead of the valuable York contest include possible trips to Germany and France next month, or even an early sighter of the Knavesmire in the John Smith’s Cup on July 15.

Cemhaan exiting the stalls in the Copper Horse Handicap during day one of Royal Ascot
Cemhaan exiting the stalls in the Copper Horse Handicap during day one of Royal Ascot (David Davies/PA)

He continued: “We’ve got much to look forward to and the Ebor would be the obvious plan. We’ll revolve the season around that.

“He’s in a Group race in Germany in July and he’s in the John Smith’s Cup which is back to a mile and a quarter, but I think this horse is pretty flexible and a mile and a quarter up to one-mile-six and maybe even further is fine for him.

“For now, all roads lead to the Ebor and if we have a run in July, we may sneak over to Germany or France for a Group race. That may make sense as some of those sometimes do cut up between festivals.

“He’s an exciting horse and we’re lucky to have him.”



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