Elarqam

Elarqam put up a nice performance to win the Sky Bet York Stakes. Settled well by Dane O’Neill behind a solid pace that Ben Curtis set on Knight To Behold, he travelled easily into the home straight. He moved up just towards the far side of the leader two furlongs out, and he kept on really nicely from there to win well in a good time. Favourite Addeybb, who had his favoured soft ground, didn’t have an untroubled passage through, and he got out after Elarqam into second place, but Mark Johnston’s horse won well. His performance may be under-rated, because he had the run of the race and because Addeybb was checked in his run, but it is difficult to argue that the winner wasn’t the best horse in the race on the day.

Sheikh Hamdan’s colt was beaten by Addeybb in the Wolferton Stakes at Royal Ascot but, while Addeybb won well that day, he wasn’t beaten far. He is immaculately-bred, by Frankel out of Mark Johnston’s dual Guineas winner, and Coronation Stakes and Matron Stakes winner Attraction, and he does go well on easy ground, but he can also operate on better ground, and he goes well at York. His record there now reads 131. But it appears that he is just an improved horse this year since his wind operation, he goes well at Ascot and Sandown and Goodwood and Newmarket too and, while the Juddmonte International would be a big step up in grade, he will be of interest wherever he goes next.

York, 27^th July 2019