York review and free video replays from day two of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival

Celandine blossoms in Lowther

The speedy Celandine (13/2) made practically every yard to win the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes at York.

The Group Two attracted a strong field and Celandine was among the less fancied runners after two pattern race defeats in the Prix Robert Papin and Molecomb Stakes but those races were against the boys and she relished the return to racing against her own sex.

She was always on the pace under Tom Marquand and got the better of a sustained duel with 15/8 favourite Heavens Gate before Time For Sandals launched a late challenge on her other flank. Celandine, however, had just enough in hand to claim a third success.

The difference between the two fillies at the line was just a neck with the pair one and a half lengths clear of Leovanni in third.

Leovanni, who was conceding weight all round, was one of three runners in the nine strong field for trainer Karl Burke who said: "She's physically developed and is a lot stronger. She ran through the line really well, just got a little bit further back than ideal, my other horse was partly the cause of that, just went in front of her and took her ground a little but she's run a great race and on the form book, giving 3lbs to those fillies she's probably the best filly in the race and I'm sure that will prove going forward."

Betfair Sportsbook cut Celandine to 8/1 from 16s for the Cheveley Park Stakes at Newmarket and her trainer, Ed Walker, nominated that race as a likely target before an international foray.

"The Cheveley Park if the ground is not too bad has to be right up there and the Breeders' Cup has got to be under strong consideration as well," he said. "I think everyone is quite up for it and the ground over there will be in her favour.

"I probably overthought it hunting around for some fast ground and, in hindsight, I should have gone to Newmarket for the Duchess of Cambridge but back against fillies, I think, really helped. We freshened her up, we didn't ride her for a week after Goodwood, just let her get fresh and put on weight and be out in the paddock and I think it's really done the job and she's bounced out of it.

"Today Tom was saving the whole time, he gave her a peach of a ride as he always does and she was so gutsy at the end; that's what I love about her. She looked beaten, as though we might cling on for a place, and then she wins and that's just her. She's really cool."

Scenic double for Walker

Scenic was in a class of her own as she blitzed the field to claim the British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes for Walker.

The four-year-old was at ease under the hands of three-time champion jockey Oisin Murphy, slotted in second from last for much of the mile-and-a-half contest on the Knavesmire. Murphy continued to bide his time on the daughter of Lope De Vega, as he slowly crept up on the field, who were already off the bridle with three furlongs remaining.

Scenic joined Karmology, who took up the favouritism tag at 7/4 after the leading duo of Simon and Ed Crisford’s Fairy Glen and the William Haggas-trained Sea Just In Time were declared non-runners in the morning, at the front at the two-furlong pole as they jostled for supremacy.

However, she showed a tremendous turn of foot in the closing stages to streak clear of Karl Burke’s charge to complete a three-and-three-quarter-length success at the price of 8/1 and land a black-type double for her trainer.

Walker said: “It took us 10 races to win one with her eventually, but there were always excuses as to why it wasn’t happening.

“She stays very well and the race panned out perfectly for her today, Oisin gave her a peach of a ride and I think she just outstayed them really. Last time over further she probably should have won but got to the front too early, she took Saffie (Osborne) there too soon and just pricked her ears. She was beaten in a novice making the running, she doesn’t do a lot in front.

“It’s fantastic for David and Sue Ward who are big supporters and obviously had Starman with us. It’s a really big result. Oisin rode her in this last year and was pretty cross with himself so he kept it really smooth today.

“We’ll think of the Park Hill but we might have a look at the Prix Royallieu as she probably won’t stay in training next year, David and Sue like to breed.”

Blaze extinguished in Harry's Half Million

Arizona Blaze was all the rage for the Harry's Half Million By Goffs Premier Yearling Stakes and having been in the firing line throughout the six furlong contest, it looked as though the support was going to be justified.

Diligently (22/1) and Rossa Ryan had other ideas, though, as the pair gradually started to pick up the leaders well inside the final furlong to run down the 11/8 favourite near the line to claim the £249,908 first prize.

Arizona Blaze was matched at a low of 1.02 (1/50) in-running on the Betfair Exchange where Diligently hit a high of 85.

The winning distances were a head, a length and a nose with Sensorium filling third spot and Jorge Alvares taking fourth.

Diligently, trained by Clive Cox, was a five race maiden and rated just 77 after finishing last on his handicap debut. Victory secured back-to-back wins in this valuable contest for Cox who took the 2023 renewal with the rather more fancied contender, Dragon Leader.

"We went a hell of a gallop," said Ryan.

"We went down nice and chilled so I was happy to give him a dig out of the gates and get him up there and then just let him find his own way. The betting said it was hard to fancy him but his form actually ties in with a couple of those horses that run in the five furlong Listed race later in the week.

"Clive said to me just get him out, ride him to run well and if you can pick up the pieces then great. I was riding for a place really and Arizona Blaze had been in front a good while; I was on his hindquarters from the four pole so I thought if I stay near enough to him I won't be far away.

"Arizona looked like he just tired a small bit and my lad, to be fair, when I asked him to dig really deep for me he did. So he's a good mentality and he tries very hard. It's good to see an owner like Jason (Goddard) getting rewarded with this sort of prize money, he buys plenty of yearlings every year for Clive so it's brilliant."

Cox added: “It was enormously satisfying to win Harry’s (Beeby, the late chairman of Goffs) race last year, he was a very special person to me and to win it two years running is amazing.

“He’s a very nice horse, especially with his pedigree (son of Harry Angel), that makes it all the more pleasing. He was one of those horses I wanted to run over five furlongs just to put his brain into gear. I thought he’d run well at Sandown last time, but he got absolutely murdered down on the rail and that’s why he finished nine lengths behind.

“He clearly put that result well and truly behind him today with a very satisfying reward. He’s got a wonderful mind and it’s really pleasing that he’s got a bit of scope to go on next year as well. It’s always a step-by-step process, but I’m really pleased that he’s confirmed he is what I hoped he might be. He cost a bit (£100,000), but he’s made up for that investment today and hopefully he’ll continue to progress as well.”

Adrian Murray said of Arizona Blaze: “He looked home and hosed, but he ran a blinder, we’re delighted with him. He looked like he had it 200 yards out, but the winner came very late at him, had he come at him sooner we might have hung on.

“We were a little bit slow out of the stalls, it probably cost us a length and David said it probably cost us the race. It will be back into Pattern company now, I think Kia (Joorabchian, owner) is anxious to go to America with him for the Breeders’ Cup.”

Thunder delivers in feature handicap

Thunder Run (6/1), owned by the race sponsors, belied his inexperience to win the Clipper Handicap over a mile.

Karl Burke's three-year-old was having only his fifth career start and was turned over at odds-on on his handicap debut at Thirsk last time. He was always on the front end under David Egan and fought off challenges on both sides in the straight.

He was pushed last by Mirsky who briefly looked like landing the money for our Punting Pointers column (advised each-way at 33/1) but his run flattened out in comparison to Thunder Run who was well enough on top at the line, winning by half a length.

Holloway Boy, a stablemate of the winner, took third, a length adrift, with James McHenry fourth and Bennetot fifth.

Egan said: "He got an uncontested lead and gradually wound it up from the bottom of the straight and the way the race has unfolded probably suited a horse like him. For an inexperienced horse, when we turned in, the wind really hit him. It's not head-on and it's not a tailwind, it's definitely coming in from an angle and I think the fact that I could gradually wind him up, ask him to extend but still holding on to him probably helped him finish out as strongly as he did.

"He's the type who maybe would get 10 furlongs but the fact that he's such a strong traveller, when things go right he probably just stays the mile out really well and it's such a flat track here when you get out in front it gives you every chance to see it out. He's a big individual who should improve with every race."

Burke also felt the best was still to come from Thunder Run, adding: "He's a horse for the future. A lot of people have been after him, we've had a lot of interest in him, but he doesn't always trot up the best and the vets never put you on a horse, they only put you off a horse I find and thank god they did put a few clients off this one!

"This was the plan. We went to Thirsk thinking we needed a penalty to get in this race. Danny wasn't happy with him that day and gave him a very easy run but thank goodness he didn't get a 6lb penalty as he might not have won today.

"It wasn't the plan to go out and make it but he jumped well and David said he didn't feel he was going that quick and the horse was in a nice rhythm so like all good jockeys he changed plan as he went along."

Angel benefits from Moore magic

Angel Hunter (8/1) defied a high draw to win the sensory-junction.co.uk Autism Awareness EBF Stallions Nursery Handicap for Ryan Moore and Richard Hannon.

Low numbers have held sway in a number of the races on the Knavesmire on the first two days of the Festival so a draw in stall 17 presented Moore with a problem. He was able to obtain a prominent position on the son of Acclamation, albeit they were forced to race a little wide, and then produced his mount with a perfectly timed challenge in the straight.

It briefly looked as if the prominent racing Qaseem had stolen a march on the field but they were soon being stalked by Angel Hunter and Moore who powered past the leader inside the final furlong. At the same time, Age Of Gold was finding his stride in the middle of the track but he had been left with too much to do and couldn't overhaul his rival despite a fine finishing burst.

Angel Hunter was only a neck up where it mattered with the pair a length clear of Qaseem in third. A length and a half back in fourth was Spell Master with King Of Angels fifth.

"I wanted to run him in the sales race but it would have been a bit sharp," said Hannon.

"We've always thought a lot of the horse and it's actually very fitting compensation because Claire and William own Witch Hunter who I thought had won the Hungerford at the weekend so that was lovely and they've got all the family here today.

"He's got a few nice entries. There's the sales race at Doncaster over six and a half and we might keep plying our trade in nurseries but he's a horse for next year."

Alfa lands finale

There was a thrilling finish to the day as Alfa Kellenic (17/2) edged out Queen Of Mougins and Elim to win the British EBF Fillies' Handicap.

Miss Information attempted to make the most of her good track position by kicking for home early in the straight under Oisin Murphy and it looked as though that tactic might pay off only for her rivals to reel her in.

There was little to choose between Alfa Kellenic and Queen Of Mougins while Elim began her challenge from much further back in the field.

Tom Eaves and Alfa Kellenic proved just the stronger in the finish, with the winner completing a five-timer for trainer Craig Lidster.

A short-head back in second was Queen Of Mougins. Miss Information held on for third with Elim an eyecatching fourth with those three separated by a neck and the same.

Lidster said: “Five wins in a row, unbelievable. She’s tough filly and what an accolade for the yard, the owners and all my staff. I’m chuffed to bits.

“She’s versatile and we know she can win over six furlongs and stays seven now. Do we go to the Ayr Gold Cup? What do we do? This has opened up lots of different avenues for us now and it’s back to the drawing board.

“We’ve still got our plans over six and now we need to look at options over seven at the same time.

“She’s a filly we have always took our time with and thought a lot about. Everyone has had patience and she has delivered in the end.

“To win this at the Ebor meeting, I’m chuffed to bits. I’m chuffed for the owners, everyone at the yard and also all the owners within my yard as well, it’s just a huge team effort.”

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