Friday's action at York exemplifies the great diversity of European racing, with the lengthy spectacle of the G2 Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup followed just over an hour later by the untamed velocity of the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. While vastly contrasting in distance and style, both races which represent important links in the chain of the European Pattern have one major factor in common and that is the ability to showcase the people's most beloved equine characters. Very few of those who descend on York's famous “Knavesmire” need an introduction to the marvel that is Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}), who bids to provide more joy to Messrs Nielsen, Gosden and Dettori in the two-miler that acts as part of Britain's longstanding “Cup” series of staying races. One of Europe's more rapid speed tests, the Nunthorpe lacks an established sprinter this year popular with the attendees but it hosts some young guns with the potential to come back in years to come.
This year's renewal of the five-furlong dash is dominated by the 3-year-olds, with Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Westerberg's Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) bidding for compensation for a narrow defeat on his previous visit to Britain in the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot last June. Since that reversal, the colt rated by Wesley Ward as potentially the best he has trained has been gradually honed across the Atlantic, annexing Keeneland's GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint and the GIII Quick Call S. at Saratoga July 15. His pioneering trainer needs no reminding of the slim defeat of his star turn Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy) in the 2017 renewal, two years after Acapulco (Scat Daddy) was also denied in this contest, and so a win from Golden Pal would be a case of amends made. “Our guy has really travelled over very well and has done everything right to this point–I'm very, very pleased and happy,” he said. “I'm happy with the rider and the horse and the race conditions here at York. I can't have anything right now that I can see is going in the wrong direction. We're all smiles and we'll see what happens on Friday afternoon.”
Electric in the G2 King George S. July 30, George Strawbridge's Suesa (Ire) (Night of Thunder {Ire}) will be waiting to pick off Golden Pal and the ultra-fast 3-year-old filly Winter Power (Ire) (Bungle Inthejungle {GB}) and it may be that this is perfectly teed up for her with all that pace laid on ahead. If able to reproduce her emphatic three-length dismissal of Yoshiro Kubota's 'TDN Rising Star' Dragon Symbol (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) in the Goodwood sprint, she is out on her own in terms of form standard which features only one defeat when a combination of heavy ground and six-furlong trip were against her in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot June 18. “All is well,” trainer Francois Rohaut said of Suesa. “We gave her chance to recover after Goodwood. She hasn't worked that much, she didn't need to. It is one of the best races and we have to forget Ascot. It was the ground there and probably the hill was too much for her. William Buick did the right thing with her that day when he eased her in the final furlong. I am not worried about the track and the ground will be probably good, good-to-firm. She looks nice and hopefully she can repeat her Goodwood performance.”
Dragon Symbol, who can hardly be described as one who the fortunes favour, was demoted behind Campanelle (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in that dramatic Commonwealth Cup on the day of the storm at Royal Ascot and has been dogged by unsuitably rain-eased ground on three of his last four outings. His subsequent second placings behind Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket July 10 and Suesa in the King George were hard-fought and may have left their mark, but if that is not the case then this flat terrain will play to his strengths. “Dragon Symbol is very versatile with regard to the ground and I think he goes on anything,” trainer Archie Watson commented. “It was heavy at Ascot and softish at Goodwood, but it was quick ground when he chased home Starman in the July Cup so it won't be a problem if it dries out by Friday. I thought he travelled very well at Goodwood, down in trip, but unfortunately two longshot pacemakers came back in his lap. By the time he had got out, he was on the wrong part of the track compared to the winner. I've no issues about taking Suesa on again and I don't think it's unrealistic to think we might turn the tables.”
One who thrives on this track and trip is King Power's Winter Power, with her two runs over it this term eliciting impressive wins in the May 13 Listed Westow S. and July 10 Listed City Walls S. Trainer Tim Easterby was at pains after the latter contest to stress that she needs to learn to do marginally less in the first part of her races and the mastermind behind past sprint supremos Pipalong (Ire) (Pips Pride {GB}), Somnus (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Fayr Jag (Ire) (Fayruz {GB}) has had over a month to work on that. “She's in great form,” he said. “I'm very happy with the draw [in six]. She hasn't been pushed to her limits yet. I'm very happy with her and the ground will be perfect for her. She's a natural runner and we won't be doing anything fancy with her. She's not a hold-up horse and doesn't have to make the running and she hits the line strong, that's the main thing. You don't want to be kicking for home three from home or you won't win. She's absolutely bang on–she couldn't be better.”
More languid pleasure is available earlier on the card, with Stradivarius returning to the course at which he is unbeaten in four starts during his illustrious career. Denied a run in the G1 Goodwood Cup he had come to own, he has garnered two editions of the 14-furlong G2 Yorkshire Cup and wrapped up the £1million bonus on offer by the Lonsdale Cup's sponsors Weatherbys Hamilton in the 2018 and 2019 runnings of this race. Given that he was denied a clear run when a well-beaten fourth in the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot June 17, any predictions that he has lost his potency remain premature and this will address the doubts one way or the other. “We're going to York, a track he knows well, on ground he likes,” John Gosden commented. “He's in great form. We're very aware that he's not as young as he used to be, but then neither is the trainer or the jockey. If he runs well then I'm happy to have a look at the Doncaster Cup, then you can see how you want to play it. He's still enjoying his training, is enthusiastic as ever, but I'm taking it one race at a time.”
Alan King has yet to commit to Trueshan (Fr) (Planteur {Ire}) running under his three-pound penalty, given his predilection for the testing conditions he made light of in the July 27 G1 Goodwood Cup robbed of its reigning monarch. “The horse has gone up and we'll see in the morning,” he said on Thursday. “He's in very good order, but there's no point saying any more at this stage.” Also taken out of the Goodwood Cup along with Stradivarius was Team Valor and Gary Barber's Spanish Mission (Noble Mission {GB}), who was third in the Gold Cup having won the most recent renewal of the Yorkshire Cup here May 14. “The weather forecast looks good for Spanish Mission if the rain holds off and he's in good form,” trainer Andrew Balding said. “Obviously Stradivarius and Trueshan are tough opponents, but Spanish Mission was good in the Yorkshire Cup and a bit of course form helps. This has been the intention for a while and hopefully he'll run well.”
Also on York's card is the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Gimcrack S. for the 2-year-olds, in which Al Shaqab Racing's Lusail (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) carries a three-pound penalty along with the June 15 G2 Coventry S. scorer Berkshire Shadow (GB) (Dark Angel {Ire}). Lusail beat the subsequent G2 Richmond S. winner Asymmetric (Ire) (Showcasing {GB}) and the G1 Phoenix S. hero Ebro River (Ire) (Galileo Gold {GB}) in the G2 July S. over this six-furlong trip at Newmarket July 8, while Berkshire Shadow may have been outstayed when runner-up in the seven-furlong G2 Vintage S. on soft ground at Goodwood July 27.
Richard Hannon said of Lusail, “The form of his win in the July S. couldn't have worked out any better and that obviously gives us plenty of confidence. The good thing about Lusail is that he's incredibly easy to train. He isn't flashy in his work, but neither is Snow Lantern yet he seems to come alive on the race track and he already has experience at York having won on debut. This is no 'gimme', but there's no doubt he has the best form coming into it and we'll obviously be disappointed if he doesn't go close to winning.”
Soft ground at Goodwood may have played against Clarendon Thoroughbred Racing's Fearby (Ire) (Havana Gold {Ire}) as he was brushed aside by Lusail's stablemate Armor (GB) (No Nay Never) in the five-furlong G3 Molecomb S. July 28. He was impressive on good-to-soft on his prior start when the five-length winner of the Listed Dragon S. over that trip at Sandown July 2 and trainer Edward Bethell is hoping he can find improvement upped in trip. “He goes there in really good form,” he said. “I think the step up to six will hopefully be in his favour and we're going there hopeful. He's not ground-dependent, he'll run whatever the ground and I think a fast ground six will be better than a soft-ground six.”
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