26th-Aug-2023

I think that Spirit Dancer is over-priced in the Strensall Stakes.

Richard Fahey’s horse is in the form of his life, and he goes really well at York.  He was only eighth in the John Smith’s Cup there last month, but he wasn’t beaten far, having raced against the stands rail on his own up the home straight.  He bounced out of that next time and won again at York, fairly easily, over today’s course and distance.

He proved that he was not just a one-course pony at Windsor last time, when he won a Racing League race off a mark of 102.  A 4lb hike takes him up to a mark of 106, and that puts him onto the coat-tails of the top-rated horses here.

He is going to have to improve again if he is going to win today, but he is on a nice upward trajectory now, this is his distance, and he should appreciate the return to York.  Nostrum is a really likeable, progressive horse, but he is fashionable and he is short, and Spirit Dancer is the value against him in my book.

SPIRIT DANCER WON (ADV 17/2, SP 6/1)