Bank on Battaash again to shine in York feature

TIPS: Charlie Hills’ six-year-old can star in five-furlong race

BATTAASH lit up York last summer with a record-breaking run to win the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes – and he is hard to oppose in his bid for backto-back successes in the five-furlong feature.

Looking back on it now, it seems remarkable Battaash had not won this historic sprint in two previous attempts, after he put that hoodoo to bed with a brilliant display.

Charlie Hills’ six-year-old has looked better than ever this season, with wins in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot and a fourth successive romp in the King George Stakes at Goodwood.

His rivals here include a pair of young pretenders in Art Power and A’Ali, who have excellent records and are extremely talented, but Battaash has speed to burn and looks in a different league at this stage of their careers.

Sadly, there is no Stradivarius going for a hat-trick of victories in the

Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup.

NAYEF ROAD can take full advantage of his absence, after finishing second to John Gosden’s top-drawer stayer in the Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup on his last two starts.

The Mark Johnston-trained fouryear-old had the Irish Derby winner Santiago behind him at Goodwood, and a repeat of that performance should be more than enough to see him home.

REWAAYAT can strike in Salisbury’s Pitton Handicap, for Battaash’s trainer Hills.

The five-year-old was a winner over six furlongs at the Wiltshire track last month, having also scored at Lingfield.

Picture: PA. Runners and riders in action in the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Stakes at the Yorkshire Ebor Festival at York Racecourse yesterday.