Our man tipped last year's Sky Bet Ebor winner Sonnyboyliston antepost at 25/1 and now looks to highlight the York value in his latest long-range preview.
The last four winners being rated 108, 108, 108 and 109 tells you just about all you need to know about the modern-day Sky Bet Ebor.
In short, class conquers all and that’s underlined by the fact the first and second from last season – namely Sonnyboyliston and Quickthorn (who could return in a bid to go one better) – have since won four quality staying races between them including a Group One, a Group Two and a Group Three.
Quickthorn’s subsequent body of work may provide a strong clue as to this year’s race as he had no fewer than six fellow Ebor contenders in behind him when winning the Coral Henry II Stakes at Sandown towards the end of May.
They include the seventh home, and one-time Derby fancy, John Leeper who, on top of the winner going in again in France, has helped give the Sandown form a more than respectable look by twice finishing second in Listed and Group Three company here at York.
He looks like he may have been handled with an Ebor campaign in mind all season, but the official assessor has taken note too and nudged him up a couple of pounds for his troubles, so I’m not entirely convinced the plan is going to come to fruition.
The one from Sandown who has been relatively overlooked in regards to York is the 110-rated ENEMY for trainer Ian Williams, who saddled 2013 Ebor runner-up Genzy.
A beautifully-bred son of Muhaarar who set Qatar Racing’s David Redvers back £420,000 as a yearling before winning one of just five starts for John Gosden, he seemed to do quite well after being sold to France and gelded last year, but it’s since joining Williams and being stepped up in trip that he’s really started to flourish.
Middle-distance races playing to the strengths of a horse whose half-sisters include Magic Wand and Chicquita (won the Ribblesdale and the Irish Oaks respectively) probably shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, while former sprint champion Muhaarar does seem to be producing more and more stamina-laded horses now, including class acts like Albaflora and top-class winner Eshaada.
Enemy began the year in Dubai and immediately showed the first sparks of encouragement for his new yard when switched from nine furlongs to 14 furlongs, finishing well from off the pace to end up fourth in a Group Three event at Meydan.
His subsequent three and three-quarter length success in Musselburgh’s Betway Queen’s Cup (replay below) over the same Ebor trip has worked out exceptionally well, that race throwing up six individual subsequent winners (landing eight races between them) and Enemy was then arguably unlucky not to win the Group Three Sagaro Stakes at Ascot having travelled best, been denied a clear run two out and then got squeezed up on the inside of eventual winner Princess Zoe close home.
He had Wordsworth and Tashkhan (both also in the Ebor) behind that day and being bumped up 2lb from a mark of 108 on the back of it looked perfectly justified, if not a little generous given Princess Zoe was kept on 113, with high-class handicaps still very much on the table from his revised rating.
And although disappointing on the face of it last time out, I can forgive the confirmed hold-up horse a slightly lesser effort that day as the first two were out in front throughout and he only had one behind him on turning into the straight.
Enemy made up ground quite stylishly to pass Alounak and John Leeper, before that effort took its toll on the steep climb to the line, and I’m convinced the performance should be marked up considerably.
What comes next is going to be interesting as a prominent showing in the Goodwood Cup on Tuesday (William Buick booked) could leave the selection significantly well-in for the Ebor, but even if things don’t pan out for him in another relatively small-field contest on the Downs, he looks just the type to thrive when pitched back into handicap company where he can travel away without expending much energy, before picking off rivals in the straight.
The general 25/1 makes plenty of appeal with the sponsors among those offering five places already.
Published at 1500 BST on 24/07/22
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