With the York Ebor Festival drawing to a close today, Mark Scully takes a look at the storylines that could dominate the final day of a fantastic week.
King to rule again?
Litigant (Oisin Murphy) wins the Ebor in 2015
More and more, Alan King-trained runners are commanding respect in big staying contests on the Flat and, after landing the big staying handicap on the opening day of the meeting, the man better known for his National Hunt exploits is back for more at York.
Top Tug is his representative on Saturday afternoon and is not unfancied in the Ebor after a promising run here when last seen in July.
King also landed the Cesarewitch last season and clearly targets these big pots. Punters, take note.
Who can book their trip Down Under?
We have reached that time of the year when thoughts turn to the Melbourne Spring Carnival, with trainers and owners keen to discover whether they possess a horse that could allow them to take part.
Plenty of potential jetsetters will line up on Saturday, with many interested observers in Australia burning the midnight oil to learn as much as they can about some potential rivals in the coming months.
In the Ebor, Northumberland Plate winner Antiquarium carries the hopes of Godolphin and he would surely be a candidate for the Melbourne Cup, a race Sheikh Mohammed is desperate to win, should he run well on Saturday.
Kinema, owned by Australians, also has his passport on stand-by, with the Roger Varian-trained Battersea another who could be on his travels.
Elsewhere, the Charlie Appleby-trained Scottish could also book his trip to Australia, with the Caulfield Cup a potential starting point, should he run well in the Group 3 Strensall Stakes.
More Gimcrack joy for Haggas?
William Haggas is a big supporter of the Ebor meeting and registered his first winner of the week at York when the well-supported Rivet stayed on strongly to win the valuable Convivial maiden on Friday. He will be hoping to add to that success in the Gimcrack, a race which has been kind to him in recent years.
Flashback to York Ebor Ladies Day in 2015
Three times in the last decade, the Newmarket handler has landed this Group 2 contest, including 12 months ago with Ajaya. Approve did the business in 2010, while in 2006 it was Conquest.
Haggas will saddle Mubtasim in Saturday’s renewal, with the son of Arcano unbeaten in two starts to date and firmly among the leading fancies.
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