York's Ebor Festival begins on Wednesday and Andrew Asquith has two early bets for Saturday's action, including one in the Ebor.
Weekend View: Saturday August 24
1pt e.w. Champagne Prince in the 2.25 York at 14/1 (General 1/4 1,2,3,4)
1pt e.w. Chillingham in the 3.35 York at 25/1 (General 1/4 1,2,3,4)
York’s Ebor Festival is one of the best week’s racing of the year in my opinion – obviously, being a proud Yorkshireman – and it will be good to get back on the Knavesmire this week.
The Saturday is headlined by the Ebor itself and I’m happy that one of my long-range fancies is guaranteed a run, currently number 21 on the list in what will be a 22 runner maximum field.
The horse in question is CHILLINGHAM, who I actually put up in this column at the start of the season for Queen’s Cup at Musselburgh only for that meeting to fall by the wayside.
As a result, Chillingham made his seasonal reappearance over an inadequate 11 furlongs in the Rosebury Handicap at Kempton and he wasn’t seen to best effect in a race which placed the emphasis too much on speed for him.
Chillingham showed the benefit of that outing when beaten three quarters of a length by Sea King at Ripon next time, looming up to the leaders over two furlongs out but he was just unable to quicken at the same pace as the two that finished narrowly in front of him.
He wore first-time cheekpieces – along with his usual hood – on his latest start over a mile and a half at this course in May and he again left the impression he has an even bigger performance in his locker when the time presents itself.
Chillingham finished third to Crystal Delight on that occasion, but he wasn’t seen to best effect ridden more patiently than the other three in the frame, staying on well to take third close home, and the fourth has boosted that form in no uncertain terms since by winning a listed event and a Group 3.
The main selling point with Chillingham is that this will be his first start at beyond a mile and a half this season, and given two of his best efforts to date have come on his only two tries at a mile and three quarters suggests he should have even more to offer.
Furthermore, I like how he’s had a light campaign, given he goes well when fresh and has also had his mark protected. He is much better off at the weights with both Sea King and Crystal Delight and he represents a yard that are in excellent form at present. At 25/1 he looks a very good each-way bet.
The Melrose, a race for three-year-olds which is run over the same course and distance earlier on the card, is another interesting puzzle, and one of the favourites in the market, Align The Stars, could yet run in the Lonsdale Cup on Friday instead.
That would shake up what is already a wide-open market, with several interesting, progressive types to choose from. The one who catches my eye is the totally unexposed CHAMPAGNE PRINCE, who won his first two starts on the all-weather towards the end of last year, and made his seasonal reappearance in the Craven Stakes.
He was also well below form on his handicap debut over a mile at Newmarket on his next start where he was outpaced from halfway and never figured. However, looking at his pedigree, it was no surprise to see him show much improved form upped to a mile and a half when beaten a neck at Ascot last month.
Champagne Prince is out of a smart mare who progressed markedly over middle distances as a three-year-old, while she also finished runner-up in the Lillie Langtry and won a Group 3 over this trip, so he is very much bred to progress further now having his stamina stretched even more.
He impressed with how he travelled at Ascot in what looked a hot race beforehand, and he found plenty for pressure in the closing stages, too, staying on strongly to take second place near the finish even under considerate handling. The handicapper has raised him 3lb for that effort, which seems fair enough given Champagne Prince’s effort can be upgraded further when taking his closing three-furlong sectional into account.
He was nearly half a second quicker in the last three furlongs than the winner and fastest overall. Champagne Prince 3lb claimer Jonny Peate pencilled in to ride and he has the potential to take another big step forward moving up to a mile and three quarters.
Preview posted at 1525 BST on 20/08/2024
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