York set to stage thrilling clashes

By Rory King

Let’s face it – after the devastating news about Harbinger, racing needs a pick-up. Hopefully this will be provided in some shape or form this week. The two races I am looking to for this are the International on Tuesday and the Yorkshire Oaks on Thursday.

If Rip Van Winkle blasts back to his very best of the Sussex Stakes last year, and there were definite signs back at Goodwood last time that he was close to doing so, we could be in for an excellent race, as the opposition features the progressive three-year-old Dick Turpin; the impressive Byword; and the ultra-consistent Twice Over. We could be in for a real treat on Tuesday.

The Yorkshire Oaks looks like being just as tasty a contest, with the three-year-old double Oaks winner Snow Fairy taking on her elders for the first time. Not just any elders either – two of the best British-trained fillies for several years. While the head-to-head between Sariska and Midday stands at 3-0 to the Michael Bell-trained filly, there is reason to believe Midday could have her revenge this time, as the way she picked up again when Stacelita came alongside her in the Nassau last time showed her to have plenty in reserve. She is still improving in my book. Whether she is good enough to concede weight to Snow Fairy is another matter and I very much look forward to finding out.

Another race that looks like developing into a cracker is the Nunthorpe. If the prospect of the winner and runner-up from the July Cup, the so called machine Starspangledbanner and the very speedy Equiano, dropping back to five furlongs wasn’t enough, we have two very interesting two-year-olds running too. In receipt of upwards of 22 lbs all-round, Dinkum Diamond and Stone Of Folca have to be severely respected, not least due to their respective trainers, Best having landed this with Kingsgate Native as a two-year-old in 2007, and Candy a very good trainer of sprinters – he trained Kyllachy to win this in 2002. Presumably they would both know how good their horses would have to be to feature in this and their presence should not be taken lightly.

I would like to finish with a few words about Cheltenham’s decision to re-site their ‘notoriously tricky second-last to a new position in the home straight’ on the Old Course. I know the move is due to safety concerns, and has reportedly been welcomed by trainers and jockeys, but I can’t help but feel like it has taken something away from the unique challenge of the Old Course. The Cheltenham management team have cited horses jumping the fence well enough and then falling on landing and the high profile fatalities the fence has caused over the last few years as the reason for the move, but for me, that fence was part of what made Cheltenham such a thorough test for horse and rider. Not only did they have to get over the second-last, but then, especially if they were in front, put their heads down and gallop up the hill. I am not meaning to come across as not caring for horses’s welfare, and I totally understand the reasons for the move, but that second-last provided much of the drama of festivals in years gone by – just look at My Way De Solzen’s Arkle where Twist Magic and future Grand National winner Don’t Push It both came down there, or either of Latalomne’s runs in the Champion Chase where he came down at the fence when still in front of successive runnings of the race. The fence is part of what makes Cheltenham the most demanding test of a steeplechaser.

By Rory King