Season resumes after four-week break
THE Yorkshire Area season resumes after a four-week break with tomorrow’s Yorkshire Jockeys Club fixture at Wykeham near Scarborough where a seven race card with 116 entries starts at 12.30.
The opening Conditions Race looks a competitive affair with 22 entries. Camdonian came from off the pace each time when completing a hat-trick in the space of five weeks last season and scored in effortless fashion on his reappearance at Duncombe Park last month. Jack Teal’s charge is still on an upward curve and can complete a five-timer at the main expense of Penrith raider Senor Lombardy.
Some expensive recruits to Pointing figure among the 17 entries for the 2m4f Goffs Young Horse Maiden Race. Warwickshire-based champion trainer Tom Ellis holds a strong hand with debutants Daytime Dreaming and George Darling, who were bought for a combined total of 97,000 euros in Ireland last June. On paper, either one will take all the beating – however the form of the Ellis yard is a concern with only 10 winners from 53 runners this term. The locally-trained contenders are headed by Follow The Leader and Shalliorshanti.
The Ladies Open Race features a re-match between Dundrum Wood (Martha Reeve) and Ballydonagh Boy (Rosie Howarth) with preference for the former. Reeve’s mount receives 5lb from his main rival who could only finish one-and-a-half lengths third when they met at Alnwick five weeks ago.
The former Mark Walford-trained gelding Buster Valentine could spring a surprise on his first start for Will Milburn’s yard in the Men’s Open Race. Last seen finishing third over fences at Carlisle eleven months ago, having been runner-up over hurdles in a Grade 2 contest at Cheltenham in his younger days, the elevenyear-old is sure to be fully tuned up for his return to action.
The 17 entries for the Restricted Race include recent winners Duke Account, Fire In Her Eyes, Grangeclare Diego, Main Stage and Red Delta. Ideally suited by a stamina test, the latter had plenty in hand at Duncombe Park last time and has scope for further improvement.
The 3m Maiden Race has 27 entries and might well be divided on the day. The one that takes my eye is Alma De Dios who made a pleasing debut in a competitive Members contest at Duncombe Park when staying on past more experienced rivals to finish runner-up to Rue Galilee and should be able to get off the mark in this lower grade with a repetition of that effort.
The concluding Intermediate Race should be a penalty kick for Warwickshire raider Latenightrumble against a handful of lower rated rivals.