City Of York Stakes Guide 2021

The four year old was one of the most progressive horses in training last season winning his last four races in fine style including the Group Two Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and the Group One Prix Maurice De Gheest.

The son of Dubawi started last season at Haydock in the Listed Spring Trophy Stakes and was then sent over to ParisLongchamp for the Prix le Porte Malliot, where he again improved to beat stablemate D'bai.

His progressive nature then saw him land the Group Two at Goodwood but his Group One win at Deauville topped off his season.

Back this term in February he picked up from where he left off landing a Sprint event in Saudi Arabia, but he then gave one of the worst runs of his career for a while at Meydan after that.

Given a break, he returned at Goodwood last month in the Group Two Lennox Stakes and despite hating the bad ground he ran on well to finish fourth in a bunched finish.

That run should have put him spot on for this event and he looks hard to oppose on the best of his form.

Primo Bacio has really stepped up as a three year old for trainer Ed Walker, signified by her Listed win at York (8f) upon good ground, finishing five lengths ahead of Snow Lantern who stepped has stepped up since to win a Group One.

The colt was then sent to Newmarket for the Group One Falmouth Stakes where he finished a fair fifth in behind some extremely nice types, with the form of the race working out really well.

However, Primo Bacio couldn't do the same last time out when a tame seventh of 14 in the Group One Prix Rothschild in France, with the soft ground going against her.

Back down to seven furlongs on quick ground brings her into contention, but she does need to give a career best.

This 8 year old has been mixing it over seven furlongs to a mile for most of his career, winning 13 of his 33 career outings.

Having graduated from handicaps, he really made a name for himself in the 2019 season, taking Listed and Group Three honours with relative ease.

Last year he hit new heights, narrowly beaten by Space Blues on comeback; he then went on to win a Listed race at Epsom before coming fourth in this race last year. He left behind his Goodwood performance with a spine tingling display in the City Of York Stakes.

His form tailed off after a mile win at Leopardstown in September last year but he got back to winning ways in a Listed race at Chester.

Again seven furlongs bringing out the best of him, he made every yard of the running around the Roodee to tee him up for another crack at the Lennox Stakes last time out, but something was a miss with him tailing off and finishing last of the eight.

Having won this race so well last year he warrants respect again if being able to bounce back, and he could be interesting if not being caught from the front.

Charlie Appleby also saddles Glorious Journey here off the back of a group success here at Newmarket in June and then trying his hand in Group One company last time out and falling massively short

The son of Dubawi has notched a couple of Group Three and Listed wins in his career having bounced between six and seven furlongs.

His win in the Criterion Stakes at Newmarket was a superb performance, but when mixing it with some of the best sprinters in the game he struggled.

Back down in grade and also at his preferred seven furlongs should bring a better run, but will need a career best against some of these runners.

A highly campaigned handicapper, Sir Busker has amassed 27 runs and five wins in his career.

Most notably when winning the Silver Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot last year. Shouldering top weight, he finished like a steam train under Oisin Murphy to a thrilling success.

He nearly followed it up in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket but found the drop to seven furlongs too sharp to see him get the better of Motakhayyel.

Career best efforts soon followed with a second in the Group Two Celebration Mile and Fourth in the Queen Elizabeth II, finishing just behind Palace Pier.

He was Disappointing on his second start this term at Longchamp, very soft ground probably wasn’t to his liking, but he bounced back in a big way at Royal Ascot in the Group One Queen Anne Stakes when a close third behind Palace Pier again.

Since then he was underwhelming in the Summer Mile at Ascot, but put in a good performance at Salisbury last time out behind the smart Megallan and he warrants place claims off that run.

A frustrating sort to follow, Pogo is the type of horse who’s stuck between being on too lofty a mark to be able to compete in handicaps, carries a penalty in Listed contests but isn’t good enough for group level action.

Highly tried over a mix of seven furlongs and a mile, since his juvenile campaign most of his wins have come over the longer of the two trips.

An inspired run in last year’s Royal Hunt Cup saw him come third behind two smart animals in Dark Vision and Montatham.

He is versatile in terms of going and returned to action this season with a fine win in Listed company at Leicester. The small field was no match for the market favourite and he powered away easily in the last half a furlong.

Contesting the Lockinge Stakes next time out, the stark move up in grade saw him wanting for quality and the five year old could only muster 10th of the 11 runners.

Pitched back into the top level in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot he gave a better run in fifth but still lacked the cutting edge in Group One company.

This is easier and going back to down to seven furlongs is a positive, but he still has it all to do.

Highfield Princess had a very busy three year old season which ran from June through to December and she began to find her feet in handicap company over seven furlongs.

After a pipe opening run, she stormed to victory in a low grade affair before taking a huge step forward to win the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Ascot last month off a mark of 92.

The form was franked recently with Danyah winning at Ascot on King George day.

She’s since taken to Listed company at Chelmsford and again stepped up to win nicely, but her winning run came to end last time out in the Group Three Oak Tree Stakes at Goodwood and this event looks much harder.

The penultimate runner of the race is the Karl Burke trained Lord Of The Lodge who is a 25/1 outsider and off the back of his last two runs, he should be much bigger.

Having started the season so well on the all weather landing decent handicap events and performing well in Listed and Group Three company, he has since gone astray.

Two starts ago at Newmarket he finishd last of nine in the Criterion Stakes and then went to Thirsk in a Conditions Stakes and finished last of the three.

Unless giving a miracle performance he is easily opposable.

The final runner of the race is the Andrew Balding trained Fivethousandtoone who was a smart juvenile but this season has not got going and that leaves him vulnerable.

The three year old made his seasonal debut at Ascot in the Group One Commonwealth Cup over six furlongs and finished last of the 15 runners.

Moved back up to seven furlongs last time out at Haydock in a four runner Conditions Stakes he could only finish a weak third.

Off the back of both those runs he needs much more.