Ebor Festival preview: Harry Eustace on Ziggy and Crystal Delight

Ziggy's form gives trainer cause for optimism

Winning the Sky Bet Ebor Handicap at York on Saturday week would not only be a feather in the cap for trainer Harry Eustace, but it would be a welcome change of luck for his family in the historic race.

The 36-year-old will be double handed in his bid to win the £500,000 prize with both Crystal Delight and Ziggy on course to make a trip to the Knavesmire for a tilt at the mile and three quarters contest which was first run in 1843.

However, there is unlikely to be anyone willing the Newmarket handler on to glory quite as much as his dad, and now retired trainer, James Eustace, who endured two near misses in the race during his own long career.

Eustace senior said: “During my first job in racing with Mark Tompkins I actually looked after Lusitanica, who was second behind Another Sam in the 1982 Ebor.

“In 1995 I then had Midyan Blue beaten a short head by Sanmartino. I thought he had won, but Emma Balding, who was standing behind us, said I think you have been beaten. It turned out she was right and I will be forever grateful for that as it stopped us from making fools of ourselves.

“I’ve said to Harry I’m looking for him to set me straight and his two would be much classier than the two I was associated with."

It has already been a profitable season for Crystal Delight, who since joining Eustace from the now retired William Jarvis, has landed the Lilley Plummer Risks City And Suburban Handicap at Epsom Downs and the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap at York (replay below).

And while coming up short at Listed level in the JCB Fred Archer Stakes at Newmarket last time out, the Bury Road trainer believes a line can be put through that effort.

Harry Eustace said: “He is from a family that is notorious for improving with age. He had good form last season, but just didn’t quite put it together. The race he won at York was a 'win and you're in' for the Ebor, but it was slightly immaterial because of his mark, and we then deliberately missed Goodwood.

“We ran him in the Listed race just to see where we were, however it just didn’t work out as we got taken on for the lead which messed our plan up. His form is pretty solid, and having that York form is always handy. He is bred, and built like he will stay the trip, but until we do it we won’t know."

Choosing the right tactics in a race like the Ebor can be the difference between victory and defeat, but Eustace admits there is only one way to ride Crystal Delight, who could be in need of a new jockey for the big race on Saturday week.

He said: “We feel the best way to get everything out of him is to ride him from the front so we are always vulnerable to tactics of the race. Jim Crowley has a good rapport with him, but whether he can ride him I don’t know as William Haggas has a Shadwell runner (Naqeeb) in there so we might have to see who is about.

“In a handicap no one has pacemakers as everyone wants to win so I hope there is less chance of someone taking us on from the get-go. In a race like this no one will want to sacrifice their chances to keep up with us.

“In an ideal world we would get a high draw as that gives us a bit of time and space. If you get a low draw you have to jump and bounce them out and that could just light him up."

What threatened to become a campaign of near misses for Ziggy was rectified last time out over a mile and a half at the track in the Sky Bet, For The Fans Handicap (replay below). And while the Sixties Icon gelding requires a handful of runners to come out to ensure his place in the final field, Eustace is optimistic of his chances.

He added: “We were desperate to make him a winner as he has been fantastic for us this year. His owners have been very patient because he has not been the most sound horse.

“He is bred to get this trip, and he shaped on a few occasions like he will and he is more versatile as regards to how he can be ridden. Since his three-year-old season we have never had a clear run with him, but we always felt if we could he was up to this sort of grade of race.

"The winner of the Duke Of Edinburgh, Crystal Black, won a Group Three in Ireland the other day, while Fairbanks, who finished sixth, has won a nice race at Newmarket, so his form has worked out really well."

Stable star could represent in Juddmonte International

Before the Highfield Stables handler takes aim at the Ebor he will bid for a breakthrough Group One with stable star Docklands in the Juddmonte International Stakes.

Eustace said: “I think Docklands will go for the Juddmonte. The Strensall Stakes is his other option, but we have to make the decision on the Juddmonte before we know what the Strensall looks like.

“His form from the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot is picking up all the time with Charyn winning another Group One on Sunday. This is his first time at a mile and a quarter, but we have been looking forward to running him over it for a while. From an older horse point of view he has every right to be there.”

Others on the radar for Eustace camp

Docklands will be joined on Wednesday’s card by stablemates Divine Comedy in the Sky Bet Stayers Handicap and Boadicia in the Ire Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Filles’ Handicap.

Eustace added: “Divine Comedy won well at Haydock and then ran a great race in the Ascot Stakes. We did have her in the Lillie Langtry at Goodwood, but to be competitive she would have needed soft ground.

“Over two miles, in a handicap on a track like York, we are less worried about the ground as it was quick at Ascot. Frankly, she has been remarkable since joining us.

“Boadicia won the other day in a lower class race, but she won tidily up at Doncaster. She is pretty quick, and it looks like off a mark of 80 she would get in the five furlong fillies handicap where she would have an each-way chance.”

Twenty four hours later Time For Sandals will get her chance to test herself at pattern race level in the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes, before Chasing Aphrodite contests the Sky Bet Finale Handicap which brings the meeting to a close on Saturday.

Eustace added: “Time For Sandals ran a very big race back at five furlongs in the Super Sprint at Newbury. We were up against it being drawn in stall one. She got quite a long way out of her ground, but she looked quite smart to make herself competitive.

“I think she has deserved a chance to have a crack at a black type race. I think a fast six furlongs is probably ideal and this will tell us what sort of filly we have.

“Chasing Aphrodite is not a bad horse and the drop back to a mile and a quarter here which will really suit him. He is rated at a mark where it might be hard for him, but we are keen to support York as there is always good prizemoney there.

“Overall we are very excited about our team going to York and It is lovely to have these sorts of horses to allow us to take up these options."

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