Tag Archive for: York

Estrange on course for Yorkshire Oaks, with Paris on the horizon

/in /by

Estrange is poised to step up to Group One level at York next month.

The David O’Meara-trained four-year-old has been beaten only once in her five-race career to date and created a huge impression when winning the Group Three Lester Piggott Fillies’ Stakes at Haydock in a canter in May.

In fact so impressive was she that day, an entry made by owners Cheveley Park Stud for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe did not look too fanciful.

She returned to the Merseyside track for a more hard-fought success over Scenic in the Group Two Lancashire Oaks, and now a test of her credentials at the highest level awaits on the Knavesmire in the Yorkshire Oaks on August 21.

Estrange was in cruise control at Haydock in May
Estrange was in cruise control at Haydock in May (Martin Rickett/PA)

“She’s come out of the Lancashire Oaks great,” O’Meara said of his star filly.

“She hardly had a race really, it was a two-and-a-half-furlong dash that day really which turned into a sprint. She’s fine, she’s in good order.

Estrange is a best-priced 25-1 for Paris, although as short as 12-1 in a place, and O’Meara added: “York (is the next port of call) and if she carries on going well then the Arc de Triomphe is the ultimate goal.”

‘Different gear’ Almaqam primed for York return

/in /by

Ed Walker is preparing to take the wraps off Almaqam in Saturday’s Sky Bet York Stakes.

The four-year-old has been limited to just two starts so far this year, finishing third in the Gordon Richards Stakes on his initial outing before securing a first Group Three success when beating Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May.

While Ombudsman has since gone to win the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and finish a narrow second in the Eclipse, Almaqam has not run subsequently due to his need for a little ease in the ground – but conditions could be right on the Knavesmire this weekend.

Walker said: “I left him in the King George but didn’t feel Ascot was the right track in which to test him over a mile and a half for the first time against the Ballydoyle horses.

“At York the ground should be ideal, as well as the track and the trip. It’s the natural progression into a Group Two and if he wins well, I will throw him into the deep end and take him back there for the Juddmonte.

“I thought 5-4 was quite a punchy price and it mirrors his reputation being bigger than what he’s actually achieved in beating Ombudsman.”

Walker has high expectations for the son of Lope De Vega, who has won three of his eight career starts and counts a Listed triumph on his CV, as well as a couple of Group race places.

The trainer said: “I’ve always thought the world of him as he’s seriously exciting. My hopes and expectations make the nerves kick in as I think he’s very special, and personally I will be very disappointed if he doesn’t win a Group One as he’s got everything you want in a racehorse.

“I’ve tried to be responsible and not to get impatient, and hopefully his big time will be in the autumn as the Irish Champion is a perfect target after which we might look at the Arc. But 10 furlongs is where we are going for now.

“He’s certainly the best I’ve ever had so far, he’s different gear.”

Doncaster Classic firmly on the agenda for unbeaten Carmers

/in /by

Paddy Twomey and connections of Carmers are working back from the Betfred St Leger with their Queen’s Vase hero, as they plot the best route to Doncaster in September.

Unraced at two, the Wootton Bassett colt is a perfect three from three this season, most latterly in the Group Three at Royal Ascot, where he showed his stamina for a mile and six furlongs.

“Carmers is in good form. The plan is to go for the Leger and how we get there remains to be seen,” said Twomey.

“The owners are keen on going for the Voltigeur (at York) and there is also the Vinnie Roe in Leopardstown. We could stay at home and just go straight there, so we’ll see.”

Twomey – who said his beaten Ribblesdale Stakes favourite Catalina Delcarpio would be coming back to 10 furlongs – added: “He’s a grand horse and doesn’t show you much at home.

“He went to Ballinrobe and won, eight days later went to Navan and won, a month later went to Ascot and won. It’s hard to find a horse like him.”

Inisherin fine after Newmarket frustration

/in /by

Kevin Ryan has given Inisherin a clean bill of health after his star performer was a late absentee in Saturday’s Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai July Cup.

Owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, the four-year-old was 17-2 to register a second Group One success in the Newmarket feature before being withdrawn at the start on veterinary advice, with the Yorkshire-based handler appearing frustrated in the aftermath.

However, Ryan reported last year’s Commonwealth Cup hero to be 100 per cent and is now looking ahead to the future – which could include a trip to Deauville for the Prix Maurice de Gheest or a move up to seven furlongs for York’s newly upgraded Group One City of York Stakes on August 23.

“Inisherin is fine, he’s perfect,” said Ryan.

“He spread a plate and they withdrew him, but it’s past tense and gone now.

“He’s in the Group One at York and he’s also got the option of the Prix Maurice de Gheest, but I’ll discuss what we do with Sheikh Mohammed Obaid nearer the time.”

A trip to France on August 10 would represent Inisherin’s first outing on foreign soil, while he is as short as 8-1 with Paddy Power for success closer to his handler’s Hambleton home and at a track he made a winning reappearance over a shorter distance earlier in the season.

Another try at the Nunthorpe on the cards for Washington Heights

/in /by

A second crack at the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes could be in store for Washington Heights after returning to winning ways at York in the City Walls Stakes.

Kevin Ryan’s five-year-old may have been winning for the first time on the Knavesmire when scooping Listed honours, but has rarely performed badly at the venue.

After a solid display in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot, Washington Heights registered a first win since April 2024 when obliging favourite-backers on Saturday to book a return to York and the chance to better last year’s sixth-placed finish in the Ebor Festival’s feature Group One sprint.

“I think he’s very likely to head straight to the Nunthorpe, kept fresh and get him there in one piece,” said Cosmo Charlton, racing manager for owners Hambleton Racing

“He goes well at York, and as well as winning there he was second in the big sales race as a two-year-old and also ran well in the Nunthorpe from the wrong side of the track last year behind some good horses.

“I think he’s definitely capable of winning a big one if things drop right for him, so we’ll keep our fingers crossed.

“He’s been a great servant to us and won some good races and also run brilliantly in defeat many times as well. He’s a horse who leaves everything on the track and tried really hard which is what you want and he’s been a great horse for the syndicate .

“He had been running well all season and it was great to see him win, we’re delighted with him really.”

Hughes eyeing York return for thriving Sayidah Dariyan

/in /by

Fresh from training his first Group One winner with No Half Measures in the July Cup, Richard Hughes feels he has another contender for top honours in Sayidah Dariyan.

A Group Three winner at York on Friday on the back of a creditable run at Royal Ascot in the Commonwealth Cup, the filly could return to the Knavesmire for a crack at the Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe Stakes next month.

“I thought her run at Ascot was huge and to be honest I’d have been really disappointed had she got beat at York,” Hughes told Racing TV’s Luck on Sunday programme.

“I had a good chat with Billy (Loughnane) about how to get the best out of the filly, which was to ride her the way he did, and it was a very brave ride, I was very proud of him.

“I told him about riding in these big races, don’t worry if you get beat and I’d rather you come too late than too soon, but she really showed how good she was and she’s a very high-class filly.

“She could win the July Cup next year. We’ll have a chat with Jaber (Abdullah, owner) and see what he wants to do as he’s a big breeder as well.

“We might think about the Nunthorpe as the way she travelled the other day I don’t think five furlongs will make much difference to her.

“If I have to wait until September and the ground goes on me there isn’t much left because Ascot will be soft. If I need a shot at a Group One I probably need fast ground.”

Fox Legacy too smart in John Smith’s Cup

/in /by

Fox Legacy struck in good style at York to take the valuable John Smith’s Cup Handicap.

The four-year-old, who is owned by King Power Racing and trained by Andrew Balding, was not far from the action when last seen in the Royal Hunt Cup at Ascot and was a 10-1 chance under PJ McDonald.

Always prominent when racing from stall 19, the bay progressed nicely through the race and was comfortably able to pull clear when asked in the final furlong to prevail by a length.

“It’s a testament to the horse that from that draw I was able to get a position and then take him back and relax where I was,” McDonald told ITV Racing.

“The only thing I had to do was to make sure not to go too soon, he travelled around beautifully for me and he gave me a great spin.

“I was still going nicely into the two (furlong pole). I thought if I let him stretch out and take it (the lead) they’d have to come and get me. Andrew’s horses are absolutely flying.”

Al Qareem showed there a few more reliable horses in training when seeing off all challengers to claim the John Smith’s Silver Cup Stakes.

Karl Burke and Nick Bradley Racing’s seasoned six-year-old won a Listed contest over the same course and distance last time out and was well backed as the 4-7 favourite under Clifford Lee.

He took up the lead at an early stage and was never passed, shrugging off every horse that attempted to challenge him in the home straight to claim victory by a dominant two and a half lengths.

“He always seems to look as though they’re going to get him but he just grinds it out, he’s so honest and a superstar of a horse to train,” said Burke.

“I’d say the weight will rule him out of the Ebor, presumably he’d get a penalty as well.

“It’s always been the target, the Irish St Leger, I think it’d be a nice race for him to roll the dice in.”

Washington Heights claimed a well-deserved success in the John Smith’s City Walls Stakes at York, justifying his status as the 9-4 favourite.

Trained by Kevin Ryan and ridden by Shane Gray, the five-year-old has run with real credit in a range of Group sprints and was most recently seen finishing a close-up seventh in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot.

On the Knavesmire he tackled the same five-furlong trip but was dropped down to Listed level, taking on seven rivals and proving the best of them with a smart three-quarter-length victory.

“He’s a great horse for a syndicate like this, he takes them to all the right meetings and as you can see today, they support him well,” said Adam Ryan, assistant to his father.

“It’s great for him to get his head in front. The thing with him is he’s as tough as bell metal, I thought they were going to get to him a furlong down but it was going to take a brave horse to get past him.

“Thankfully he dug deep, which he always does.”

Sayidah Dariyan swoops late for Summer success

/in /by

Billy Loughnane rode Sayidah Dariyan with plenty of confidence and the filly delivered in style in the William Hill Summer Stakes at York.

The Richard Hughes-trained three-year-old was sent off the 9-4 favourite on the back of her run at Royal Ascot when she was fourth, beaten just over a length, in the Group One Commonwealth Cup.

Dropped in class to a Group Three and back in against her own sex, the 9-4 favourite could be spotted travelling ominously well with two furlongs to run but she had a wall of horses in front of her.

Loughnane managed to weave his way through the pack to take up the running and the race was over in a matter of strides.

Nighteyes, who herself had outrun market expectations in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Ascot, stayed on for a length-and-a-half second, catching the returning Celandine, last year’s Lowther winner who was making her first start of the season.

Loughnane told Racing TV: “Richard told me to be as confident as I could on her as she relaxes lovely behind, she conserves so much energy and she’s got an electric turn of foot when you let her down.

“She ran well at Ascot but I’ll leave future placing to Richard and the team. She’s in great nick and is definitely a filly on the up.

“She’s got the best mind ever. She yawns in the gate and when they open she gets down to it.

“To be honest I’d have liked a smoother passage through, but I just had to wait. It probably did me a favour as it meant I didn’t get there too soon.”

It capped a good 10 minutes for Hughes who also won at Ascot with Sayidah Hard Spun.

Camacho changes course to tackle John Smith’s Cup with Naqeeb

/in /by

When Julie Camacho recruited Naqeeb she had her eyes set on plundering a major prize at York – but it was not the John Smith’s Cup.

However, the former William Haggas-trained inmate has been displaying more speed than he had for former connections so instead of looking at the Ebor next month over a mile and three-quarters, he heads to the Knavesmire on Saturday over 10 furlongs.

Third at Royal Ascot in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes over a mile and a half, Malton-based Camacho feels they have nothing to lose by running the half-brother to Group One winners Baaeed and Hukum in the £200,000 feature.

“We’d bought him originally to be an Ebor horse. But we haven’t put him in and decided we want to try a mile and a quarter,” she said.

“We were delighted with his run at Ascot. We always felt – and my brother Matthew, who does all the analysis and everything, felt – that he was worth a try at a mile and a quarter. And we just thought this was the race to try him.

“We’re excited to try him at a mile and a quarter, to be honest. He travels strongly in his races. And if we’re wrong, we’re wrong – we just go back up to a mile and a half with him.

“Fast ground is what he wants. He doesn’t want soft. Ryan (Sexton), unfortunately is not available, so Kevin Stott takes over.

“It’s our local track – a track we all want to do well at. We’re really looking forward to it.”

Haggas has a good record in the race and runs recent course winner Archivist, while Jim Goldie, successful in 2018 with Euchen Glen, is represented by Faylaq, another formerly in the care of Haggas.

Celandine thriving ahead of Summer Stakes tilt

/in /by

After being considered for an audacious July Cup bid, Celandine will return to the scene of past glory as she makes her reappearance in York’s William Hill Summer Stakes on Friday.

Although not seen since fifth in the Cheveley Park Stakes as a two-year-old, trainer Ed Walker gave serious thought to supplementing the daughter of Kingman for Saturday’s Newmarket feature such is quality of her work at home.

However, she will instead be in Group Three action a day earlier on the Knavesmire, a place that proved a happy hunting ground when she claimed the Lowther Stakes last summer when getting the better of subsequent Commonwealth Cup scorer Time For Sandals.

Walker said: “It’s really exciting to have her back and she’s been working really well, so much so that I toyed with supplementing her for the July Cup what with the fast ground.

“We saw sense and have gone the sensible route and she seems in great nick.

“Hopefully she can prove she’s trained on, which is what she’s been showing us at home, she’s certainly grown and is a very exciting filly.”

The Richard Hughes-trained Sayidah Dariyan finished a close up fourth in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and drops back in against her own sex.

“I was very confident going into Ascot, although her price was huge, and she didn’t let us down. She ran a blinder,” said Hughes.

“The flat six furlongs at York will really play into her strengths, I think. She’s quite a fast filly, so we’re hoping for a big run.

“She’s an angel to train. She only lost three kilos at Ascot, so that convinced me I’d be able to back her up at York. She’s easy, just ticking over and she’s fit.”

David O’Meara’s Nighteyes, fourth in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at 100-1, James Tate’s Electric Storm and the William Haggas-trained First Instinct are among a field of 12.

Cinderella’s time for the spotlight

/in /by

Cinderella’s Dream can reverse Royal Ascot form and claim Group One glory in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket.

The Godolphin runner found the reopposing Crimson Advocate just under two lengths too good in last month’s Duke of Cambridge Stakes but there are valid reasons to think she can turn that verdict around.

Firstly, Charlie Appleby’s charge was conceding 3lb to the winner that day and they are off level weights this time, while jockey William Buick also felt a straight track is a better fit for this daughter of Shamardal.

Cinderella’s Dream had previously impressed over nine furlongs in the Dahlia Stakes on the Rowley Mile course and while she is at a weights disadvantage with the likes of January, it has been honours even between the older fillies and the three-year-olds over the last 20 years so perhaps that is not too much of an obstacle to overcome.

Appleby and Buick also have an eyecatching newcomer later on the card as €1.9million breeze-up buy Distant Storm makes his racecourse bow in the Weatherbys British EBF Maiden Stakes.

Venetian Sun was very impressive in victory at Ascot and trainer Karl Burke follows a familiar route by now tackling the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes.

Burke successfully took this route with Dandalla in 2020 and while Venetian Sun did not match that filly’s six-length verdict in the Albany Stakes at the Royal meeting, her one-and-a-half-length win was more than good enough.

Having won on debut at Carlisle – beating Argentine Tango who tries her luck again – Burke headed to Ascot with plenty of confidence and Venetian Sun justified that faith with a comfortable verdict that hinted at much more to come.

Story Horse can gain compensation for the narrowest of defeats last time by landing the bet365 Trophy.

A short-head winner on the Rowley Mile at the Guineas meeting, he then clashed with French Master at Goodwood at the end of May, beaten just a neck.

The winner gave a huge boost to the form when landing the Copper Horse Stakes at Ascot and Story Horse should have every chance of adding his own flourish.

Nighteyes can emerge best in a really classy renewal of the William Hill Summer Stakes at York.

She outran her 100-1 odds to finish fourth in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes last month, beaten just over four lengths by impressive winner Lazzat.

David O’Meara’s charge had plenty to find on the ratings that day and a similar effort should see her involved in the finish here.

Ghaiyya can bring up her hat-trick in the Investec Out Of The Ordinary EBF Fillies’ Handicap at Ascot.

Stepping up to a mile and a half has been the making of this Ghaiyyath filly, with victories at Thirsk and Chester in recent weeks, and a 4lb rise may not be enough to stop her.

SELECTIONS

ASCOT: 2.00 Lady Of Arabia, 2.35 Better And Better, 3.10 Sea Force, 3.45 Ghaiyya, 4.20 Ride The Thunder, 4.55 Fast Track Harry.

CHEPSTOW: 5.35 Happy Chandler, 6.10 Blooming Legend, 6.40 Miakoda, 7.10 Abundance, 7.40 Ajrad, 8.10 Darkened Edge, 8.40 Douglas Dc.

CHESTER: 5.55 Steel Drum, 6.25 Wicksey, 6.55 Annsar, 7.25 Brielle, 7.55 Love Beach, 8.25 Never Dark, 8.55 Petra Celera.

CORK: 5.12 Speakasyoufind, 5.45 Harry’s Legacy, 6.15 Prince Of Air, 6.45 Killinure Lass, 7.15 Empire Succes, 7.45 Tag Man, 8.15 Beir Bua.

KILBEGGAN: 4.25 Eye Of A Tiger, 5.00 Saint Peregrine, 5.30 Boston Rajj, 6.00 Freddie Robdal, 6.30 To The Wire, 7.00 County Champs, 7.30 Flash De Touzaine, 8.00 Luckinthecity.

NEWMARKET: 1.50 Marharba Ghaiyyath, 2.25 VENETIAN SUN (NAP), 3.00 Story Horse, 3.35 Cinderella’s Dream, 4.10 Distant Storm, 4.45 Leadman, 5.20 Nogo’s Dream.

YORK: 2.10 Sword, 2.45 Nighteyes, 3.20 Secret Echo, 3.55 Yokohama, 4.32 Perfidia, 5.07 Brazen Bolt, 5.40 Sir Edward Lear.

DOUBLE: Venetian Sun and Nighteyes.

Walker on weather watch for Almaqam target

/in /by

Ed Walker has a circle around the last weekend in July on his calendar, as his frustrating wait for suitable conditions with Almaqam continues.

The high-class colt beat subsequent Royal Ascot scorer Ombudsman in the Brigadier Gerard in May, but the Lambourn handler has had to settle for the role of keen observer during the continuing dry spell, with Almaqam bypassing both the Prince of Wales’s Stakes and last Saturday’s thrilling renewal of the Coral-Eclipse at Sandown due to fast ground.

“I’m just waiting for soft ground really which is a bit frustrating,” said Walker.

“We would have loved to have been a part of the Eclipse, although to watch it was pretty messy and we’re kind of all dressed up with nowhere to go at the moment.”

Walker’s weather watch looks set to continue throughout July, but he is optimistically hoping the end of the month could signal Almaqam’s eagerly-awaited return, with the Sky Bet York Stakes on July 26 or the following day’s Grosser Dallmayr-Preis – Bayerisches Zuchtrennen in Munich both options at 10 furlongs.

The son of Lope De Vega has also been left in the same weekend’s feature King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot, but his handler is inclined to wait until later in the season before stretching out in distance.

Walker added: “We’re looking at running him in the York Stakes which is a Group Two and all being well we could go there, he’s also in a Group One in Germany over 10 furlongs the same weekend and we’ve also left him in the King George, so we’re keeping the options open and tracking the weather.

“I think the King George may be the least likely and I’m not convinced I want to try him first time over a mile and a half at Ascot. I think I’d rather try it on a slightly more conventional flat, galloping track, but we’ll keep the options open.”

Charlton expects York trip to suit Hand Of God

/in /by

Harry Charlton is keen to heed the advice of William Buick, as he drops Hand Of God back in distance for a shot at York’s ultra-competitive £200,000 John Smith’s Cup on Saturday.

The smart four-year-old excelled over 10 furlongs when striking in the Golden Gates Stakes at Royal Ascot last year and remains lightly raced having been seen just twice since.

He stepped up to a mile and a half when a respectable sixth in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at the latest Royal meeting, but will now swiftly return to a mile and a quarter after feedback from his Ascot rider Buick.

Charlton said: “William got off him at Ascot and just said ‘he’s run great, I’ve come there two down like I’m going to win but he hasn’t stayed – get back to 10 furlongs’. So, this was the obvious next step on a nice, galloping track over 10 furlongs.

“I think he wasn’t quite ready for his seasonal return at Newmarket when he ran. He was ready for Ascot obviously, but we were just running at the wrong trip. So, I’m hoping it lands nicely for him at York on Saturday.

“He’s not needed to do too much since Ascot because it’s only a 22-day gap, but he seems in good form.”

Maranoa Charlie on course for City of York test

/in /by

The Maranoa Charlie team are counting down to the Sky Bet City of York Stakes after an excellent first outing in the Bond Thoroughbred colours when agonisingly denied in the Prix Jean Prat.

Christopher Head’s son of Wootton Bassett was a headline purchase by the Yorkshire-based Bond Thoroughbred operation – the racing entity of the late Reg Bond now overseen by son Charlie – prior to the Deauville Group One and proved himself to be a quality acquisition with a fine run amongst a stellar cast.

“It’s exciting times and it was quite a pressure run having invested a lot of money but it worked out well and he backed everything up that we had seen previously,” said Charlie Bond.

“Christopher was very complimentary of him and told us after we had purchased him he thinks this is the best horse he has ever trained, so we knew we had bought into a serious horse and he went and proved it.”

Attempting to make all on the Normandy coast, Maranoa Charlie was able to repel the likes of Aidan O’Brien’s The Lion In Winter and Charlie Appleby’s Shadow Of Light before being thwarted by the narrowest of margins after the late thrust of the Francis-Henri Graffard-trained Woodshauna.

Bond added: “He sort of ran four races and three horses took him on, he eyeballed them and got the better of them, just unfortunately the fourth one didn’t give him enough time to react, even though the jockey said he went after him and a stride after the line he was getting back on top of him again.

“The jockey said this horse just does not like to get beat and it’s incredible how three of them came there on the bridle, but once he eyeballed them he saw them off and they were proper Group One contenders, so you can definitely upgrade our run.”

Christopher Head won the Prix Djebel with Maranoa Charlie
Christopher Head trains Maranoa Charlie (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Although trained in France by Chantilly-based Head, Maranoa Charlie will be seen as a local hero if able set the record straight and register a first victory in the famous yellow and black colours of his ownership team on their home soil in York’s newly upgraded Group One on August 23.

“I think Christopher and the jockey may try some different tactics at York, but you’ll see what they decide on the day,” continued Bond.

“It’s a kink at York rather than a straight and a bit of a dogleg, which I think will benefit us and we hope he loves the Knavesmire as it’s the race Christopher has in mind for him.

“It’s exciting times for Bond Thoroughbreds, so we can look forward to York and go again.”

Ground crucial for Defiance’s John Smith’s Cup bid

/in /by

Leading John Smith’s Cup fancy Defiance will only run at York on Saturday if there is sufficient cut in the ground.

The Roger Varian-trained four-year-old missed the second half of last season after successive runs on fast ground at Lingfield and York and he will not be asked to race on quick surfaces in the future.

“He’s a lovely horse who had his problems last year, he got very jarred up in the Lingfield Derby Trial and we couldn’t really get him back,” said Harry Herbert of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, who own the gelding.

“We had to give him a lot of time and he’s come back this year in really good shape, had a run at Epsom where he could have been a bit closer but he was just caught too far back.

“I think he’s come on again for that run according to Roger, but we will take a look at the ground. If it’s rattling quick we won’t run and will wait until Goodwood. It looks like it is going to be hot up there but we’ll see where we are the day before.

“It will be Roger’s call but the horse is in great form, he looks fantastic and he’s well thought of. We’ve not seen anything like the best of this horse yet, so it will be disappointing if he can’t run as this has been his target for such a long time.”

Karl Burke’s course-and-distance winner Thunder Run has been left at the head of the weights following a host of withdrawals at the five-day stage, which included ante-post favourite Burrito.

William Haggas’ Archivist sits alongside Defiance in the new market with Arabian Force, See That Storm, Hand Of God and Naqeeb others in the mix