Thursday is arguably the quietest day of the four-day York’s Ebor Meeting spectacular, but it is far from a lull in proceedings. The feature Yorkshire Oaks (3.35) has been won in recent years by subsequent Arc winners Enable and Alpinista, while other big names like Love and Sea Of Class also appear on the roll of honour. Here we look at some of the major races at York on Thursday, focusing on three of the five contests which are set to be shown on ITV.
York’s Ebor Meeting: Arizona Blaze (2.25)
A race worth more than half a million pounds, open to two-year-olds sold at public auction last year. It can make for a bumper payday for the right sort of horse, and no one knows better how to lift these big prizes than Richard Hannon.
He has won this five times in the last eight years and it is no surprise that his sole runner, the Ryan Moore-ridden An Outlaw’s Grace, is popular. Even so, a draw in stall 13 could prove tricky as most recent victors have come from the far side, in lower-numbered stalls.
The best form belongs to ARIZONA BLAZE (2.25), who has won a Group 3 at the Curragh. He has also run with credit in a Listed race there (second to Whistlejacket) and finished third in the Norfolk Stakes, the Railway Stakes and the Phoenix Stakes. His most recent run was his best, which suggests that despite his busy campaign he is still improving. He is a class-dropper who can make his presence felt from stall four.
York’s Ebor Meeting: You Got to Me (3.35)
A real generational clash in today’s feature, as the Irish Oaks first and second take on a progressive four-year-old, plus a grand lady of the division in Emily Upjohn. The last-named has form that would give her claims on being one of the best 1m4f horses in Europe, once weight-for-sex is factored in. The issue is that she has not shown that level in a while now, arguably not since last year’s Eclipse when she went toe-to-toe with Paddington.
It is hard to see why Irish Oaks second Content is clearly shorter than the winner, YOU GOT TO ME (3.35). Not only did You Got To Me come out on top, but she is also an improver with just as much right to go on from the run as Content. You Got To Me’s inexperience was there to see in the Oaks – Epsom catches out the unwary all too often – and she was also given a strange ride in the Ribblesdale.
The money came at the Curragh and she justified it, sweeping past in the last furlong and never really giving Content a look in. She could be on the way to showing herself one of the best in the division, and if so, her price is tempting.
York’s Ebor Meeting: Fairy Glen (4.10)
There is a theme continuing here, in that reputation is trumping form in the early market for this fillies’ race over 1m4f. It is hard to argue with Sea Just In Time being the favourite. It is less than four months since she looked like an Oaks filly on her debut. The issue is that she is priced up as though her two runs since, which have not been on the same level, never happened.
It is a bit of a slight on second favourite FAIRY GLEN (4.10). She is improving by the run, which is in line with her pedigree. Her sire Farhh was a late bloomer, as was her dam Natural Scenery who finished third in the 2017 Ebor at the age of four.
Fairy Glen had two runs on the all-weather in winter, then returned to win at Kempton in July. She made her turf debut last time, and the undulations on the July course at Newmarket seemed to catch her out but that is no disgrace for a filly used to Kempton and Wolverhampton. York is much flatter, and Fairy Glen can improve again. If she does so, maybe she will belatedly be given the credit she deserves.
By Jack Ogalbe
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