York review and free video replays day one of Sky Bet Ebor Festival

Lion roars to head of Guineas and Derby betting

The Lion In Winter roared loudest at York to come out on top in a Tattersalls Acomb Stakes showdown with Ruling Court.

The duo were dominating the top of the markets for next year’s Classics having both impressed in their respective debuts and a change in race conditions saw the stellar two-year-olds lock horns on the Knavesmire on just their second career outings.

Charlie Appleby’s son of Justify was billed as the star attraction following his spectacular display at Sandown and was settled in mid-division by William Buick, as Ryan Moore aboard The Lion In Winter was at the head of proceedings alongside Hugo Palmer’s The Waco Kid.

Buick asked the even money favourite to move into contention as the race entered the final quarter mile but there was no way past Aidan O’Brien’s son of Sea The Stars, who grew stronger the further he went.

The Lion In Winter came home with a length and three-quarters advantage as the 2/1 second favourite, with Ruling Court eventually giving way to Wimbledon Hawkeye for second, James Owen’s colt outrunning odds of 22/1.

The winner was made 8/1 favourite for next year’s 2000 Guineas with Paddy Power, with the firm also making him the 6/1 market leader for the Derby.

O’Brien said: “He won very well the last day and people gave him a very high rating, everyone thought he was a very good horse.

“Wayne (Lordan) rode him and loved him. He’d been working very well, he’s always been a lovely straightforward, uncomplicated horse.

“We came here as we wanted to give him experience ahead of the Goffs Million as we felt it looked a lovely race for him. We thought it could be sharp enough for him but he hit the gates well and Ryan had him in a lovely position, he didn’t even touch him with the stick and he broke the track record, so obviously he’s a very smart colt.

“I’m delighted, you couldn’t be happier really. The Goffs Million was the target, we have Henri Matisse going for the Futurity this weekend to split them up but the lads will decide – they always do.

“We came here for experience but we were a little bit afraid as this place can be sharp enough. It’s a quick seven furlongs but obviously he has loads of class. You’d have to be very impressed.

“He’s the only Sea The Stars we have, he’s very good looking which is why the lads bought him, you’d have to like everything he’s doing at the moment.

“I think he’d be OK at the top level this year looking at what he did there. We knew the third horse was very good but we know having come through the breeze-ups, sometimes they take a few runs to show how good they are, so he might not have been as good as he was at Sandown so we knew he might be vulnerable today.

“It looked a good Acomb, looking at him he’d have no problem at a mile and further next year.”

Owen expects his colt to move up in distance now.

He said: “He’s run a great race and I think we’ll definitely step him up to a mile – he’s a mile-and-a-quarter horse for me all over.

“We’ll see how we go, the Gredleys (owners) know more than I do and hopefully we’ll get it right.

“Beforehand I would have been delighted to come in the first three and I’m over the moon.”

Alex Merriam, Appleby’s assistant trainer, felt Ruling Court had fallen a little short of expectations.

He said: “On the face of it it’s disappointing, he looked like he travelled into it quite nicely and then just slightly flattened out.

“Ryan was on the front end and it might just turn out we were beaten by a better horse. The first three pulled clear, (but) it is a little bit disappointing.”

Asked whether he felt Ruling Court was better than he showed, he added: “It’s hard to say, you’d like to think so and we’ll see what comes out in the wash.

“He hasn’t totally disgraced himself and finished out the back, but we were excited about him.”

Jungle enjoys change of fortune in Ebor Festival opener

Jm Jungle went two better than last year when running out a relatively convincing winner of the Symphony Group Handicap at York.

Victory for the John and Sean Quinn-trained sprinter ensured the Ebor meeting began with a local winner as the Malton-based duo landed the first prize pot of over £60,000.

Third last year off a mark of 92, having won at Goodwood previously, he had dropped to a mark of 88, having gone winless this term.

With an extra 89 yards further than his normal five-furlong trip to conquer, Jm Jungle travelled sweetly having tracked the pace-setting top weight Democracy Dilemma before Jason Hart asked for his effort.

He quickly put the race to bed and beat the prolific Jordan Electrics by three-quarters of a length, with Looking For Lynda back in third.

John Quinn said: “He hasn’t had a lot of luck and he got his luck today.

“He was just beaten in this race last year when he was drawn on the stands’ side. It didn’t work out for him at Goodwood last time and he ran a great race here in May when he was drawn on the wrong side as well.

“He was fourth in the Rockingham at the Curragh too, so he’s had some fairly solid runs and he got his break today.

“When the draw (stall six) came out and the ground was dry, we were delighted and it’s great to get a winner here so early in the week. We’ll look at all the big sprint handicaps and just roll away.”

Rest of day one

There was an all-Irish finish to the Sky Bet Stayers Handicap as Pat O’Donnell’s Extensio followed up his Fairyhouse success with supreme authority to account for Gordon Elliott’s 3/1 favourite Samui.

Ridden by Joey Sheridan, the seven-year-old – who was sent off at 14/1 – romped home two lengths clear of his compatriot to ignite dreams of a Royal Ascot bid next year.

“He’s a lucky horse. I got him cheaply and got him luckily – and I don’t think we’re finished yet,” said O’Donnell, who was a Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer in 1995.

“I gave Joey no instructions, I just said ‘be the last to challenge’, and he was. He was one of the first off the bridle, I could see Joey rowing along and I loved to see that, as I knew he would come home strong – and he did.

“I have to admit, we spoke about it and said if he won today we would work back from Royal Ascot next summer. That is a big shout, but he’s a family horse and I think we’re entitled as a family to aim there with him. We won’t be going for the scenery either.

“I’ve entered him in the Irish Cesarewitch and what can I say? We’re here in Yorkshire, Peter Easterby is here – he is one of my idols. It’s unbelievable.”

There was no catching David O’Meara’s Star Of Lady M as she scorched up the Knavesmire to land the Visit Irish Yearling Sale With ITM Fillies’ Handicap with ease.

Sent off at 13/2, she left the opposition trailing in her wake to strike by four and a quarter lengths and follow up her win at Newmarket last month.

“She obviously enjoyed the fast ground and she was probably on the right part of the track over there, which looked like where the action was all day,” said O’Meara.

“It is a surprise, as she has been running so much, we didn’t think she had that much in hand. But fast ground and the tailwind and everything may have exaggerated it.

“She was a good filly at two and like a lot of those good fillies, they can lose their way a little bit, but she’s come back with a bang.

“We love having winners here and a winner on the first day of the Ebor meeting is great. It’s a five-furlong race today and we hope we run well in the one-mile-six race on Saturday.”

There was also a Yorkshire-trained winner of the concluding Sky Bet Nursery Handicap, as Yes I’m Mali proved best of Richard Fahey’s three runners to land the spoils at odds of 12/1.

“He would have been the least fancied for me but it just shows you what trainers know, I suppose,” said Fahey

“I’m just delighted to get a winner here, it takes the pressure off (for the week) and I can just relax now.

“He had run a good race at Goodwood (when fifth) but I’m delighted he has won today.”

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