Roger Varian: York Ebor Festival stable tour
Roger Varian looks to be taking a strong team to the Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival at York next week and he talks us through his main chances.
Roger Varian had a terrific Welcome To Yorkshire Ebor Festival at York last year when Postponed won the feature Juddmonte International while Barsanti landed one of the valuable handicaps.
The Newmarket handler looks to have formed another strong team for the Knavesmire highlight this year and here he talks us through his major chances for the meeting.
Nezwaah – Juddmonte International or Darley Yorkshire Oaks
"I was delighted Nezwaah was able to win at the top level in the Pretty Polly Stakes and she is an improving filly who continues to thrive. She was due to run in the Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, but she is a good-moving filly who wants top of the ground, and we didn’t want to run her on a soft surface. She is entered in both the Group One Juddmonte International and the Group One Yorkshire Oaks and she’ll be confirmed for both races before making a decision closer to the time. I think she is capable of further progress."
SKY BET ODDS: Nezwaah 14/1 for the Juddmonte International
SKY BET ODDS: Nezwaah 12/1 for the Darley Yorkshire Oaks
Madeline – Sky Bet Lowther Stakes
"Madeline is a fast-improving two-year-old who strung out her rivals pleasingly when winning the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes at Newbury and the third has narrowly been denied at Listed level since. She is right on course for the Group Two Lowther Stakes and I think a strongly-run, fast six furlongs on a flat track will see her skill-set in its best light. She is versatile in terms of ground and she was still green in front last time out, so I hope there is more in the locker. I am excited about stepping her up into Pattern company next week."
To Wafij – Gimcrack Stakes or Julia Graves Stakes
"To Wafij is another horse who is getting better with every run and I like how the front three pulled clear in the Group Three Molecomb Stakes earlier this month. The handicapper took a positive view of his run in the Dragon Stakes and that opinion was vindicated by the result at Glorious Goodwood - his form is very good. I think he will appreciate the return to better ground and while he is entered in the Group Two Gimcrack Stakes, which would mean stepping up in trip, we will probably enter him in the Listed Julia Graves Stakes, run over 5f, on the same afternoon. There is also the 6f Listed Two-Year-Old Trophy at Ripon the following Monday, so we will keep our plans fluid for now, but he certainly looks capable of winning at stakes level."
Battersea and other Ebor options
"We have three horses remaining in the Ebor – Battersea, King Bolete and Mount Logan. Battersea finished fourth in the race from a wide draw last year and is 2lb lower now. This has been the plan for a good while and a strongly-run test at this trip suits him well. He is most effective on fast ground and I hope he will run well. Plans for the other two horses are very much up in the air at the moment and neither would be a definite starter."
Other possible handicappers
"For the remainder of the week, we are set to run Appeared in the 1m4f handicap on the Friday. He is a course and distance winner who was unsuited by the soft ground at Ascot last time out. We won this race last year with Barsanti and these conditions suit the horse well. UAE Prince could line up in the 1m2f handicap on the Saturday – he was unlucky at Glorious Goodwood and he remains capable of landing a nice prize, while Dubawi Prince is in line for a potential tilt at the Melrose Handicap although, as with all of our string, plans won’t be finalised until declaration time.
"All in all, we have a nice team pencilled in for the meeting and I hope we can enjoy a successful week."
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