Dermot Weld has given a positive bulletin ahead of Harbour Wind's bid for glory in the Sky Bet Ebor at York on Saturday week.
Weld has a long association with preparing winners for the big meeting on the Knavesmire in August but the principal handicap still eludes the master of Rosewell House - something he's hoping to put right with four-year-old gelding Harbour Wind.
Currently rated 109 with the BHA handicapper, Harbour Wind was runner-up in Group 2 company at Longchamp last September and has made just the one appearance so far this season, holding on by a short-head to land the Listed Martin Molony Stakes over a mile and a half on June 22.
Harbour Wind also holds an engagement in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup Stakes on the Friday of the Ebor Festival, but the Saturday feature seems to be the plan as things stand.
"The Ebor a wonderful meeting and I'm delighted this year to have one or two horses to run there," said Weld. "It's some of the greatest racing in the world and it's a relaxed, lovely atmosphere.
In terms of Harbour Wind's progress and potential to continue his arc of improvement, Weld said: "Harbour Wind has just developed, he's come forward this year and has been a lovely horse to train. He's such a love;y laidback individual. He was very immature last year but was still very good. I'd say from around May this year the Ebor was a definite possibility for him.
"He's like a lot of horses I train, I enjoy having those laidback, relaxed individuals because then they're always there for you when you need them at the finish of a race.
"He's a very consistent horse and his run in Paris last year was an excellent run. This year he's only had the one start, mile and a half Listed race and he battled well and won nicely. He never wins by far but always does enough."
So what does it take to win a Sky Bet Ebor?
"It's the old saying, he's got to be a stayer with speed," said the trainer. "We are right at the top of the handicap so he's not that favourably handicapped and he is in the Lonsdale Cup as well - a race I'm been lucky enough to win in the past - but at the moment the Ebor is the plan I would say.
"He has (got room for manoeuvre off his current mark of 109), I hope he has anyway. But I think 109 hits him pretty accurately."
Harbour Wind is a 9/1 shot with the race sponsor for the Sky Bet Ebor, just behind the likes of Queenstown and Epic Poet in the market, while Weld's other potential runners at York next week include Sumiha in the Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks and Shamida in the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup Stakes.
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