York Saturday review and free video replays from the Sky Bet Ebor Festival
By Sporting Life
17:37 · SAT August 24, 2024
A review of the rest of the action from York on the final day of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival.
Talk of the town
Tabletalk (12/1) denied The Equator with a tough performance in the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap at York.
The winner looked in trouble when The Equator took up the running travelling strongly about two furlongs from home and it looked as though another winner for Aidan O'Brien this week was on the cards. Tabletalk and Rossa Ryan had other ideas, however, as the son of Camelot responded gamely for pressure as he was switched to the inside of the runner-up.
With the rail to help, his stamina kicked in inside the last of the 14 furlongs and he crossed the line a length to the good.
Master Builder and Wild Waves finished off their races as well to complete the places with Sun God, who showed signs of inexperience under pressure, fading into fifth having briefly threatened to have a bigger say.
"There might have been a slight concern about the trip," said Ryan. "But he had the right attributes to get the trip and he's as tough as they come.
"We went hard for the first three furlongs but by the time we finally got to the mile pole they started steadying up. Around that bend it's soft enough and we got a couple under pressure early. He travelled everywhere I needed him and he's a good, strapping colt so you'd imagine when he gets to four he'd be better again."
It was a welcome winner for in-form trainer Tom Clover whose Al Nayyir was only beaten a short-head in the Group Two Lonsdale Cup at York on Friday.
Tabletalk only made his racecourse debut in December and was having his fifth career start and second in a handicap having contested the Derby at Epsom on his third outing and Ryan felt he was improving with experience.
"He was a bit loud at Chelmsford and it (the Derby) probably did him the world of good, it turned him from a boy into a man and I'd imagine he was a horse that benefited from going there. That run the last day at Ascot I thought was a massive run and I'd say he'd get better as time goes on.
"Tom's done an incredible job, fair play to him and his team."
Clover said: “That was extremely pleasing. He looked the winner the whole way round. He’d been shaping up nicely at home and he seems to be improving. I was thrilled to see him handle the ground so well, as that was a slight question mark for me, and he stayed on strong over the trip.
“He’s a very exciting prospect. It’s great for the whole team at home who’ve worked very hard. He ran in the Derby and that was a really tough experience so we gave him a bit of time, he’s a big horse and I think he’ll make up into a lovely four-year-old.
“He has a very patient owner who let me train him where we wanted to go. He ran a very good race at Ascot last time and he’s come to himself nicely.”
Victory secured Tabletalk a berth in next year's Sky Bet Ebor.
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Elmonjed strikes for Haggas
The 7/2 favourite Elmonjed had to work harder than looked likely at one point to win the Sky Bet Constantine Handicap.
When the three-year-old moved alongside eventual runner-up Strike Red - with the pair racing against the inside rail which has been favoured all week - it looked as though Elmonjed would pull right away but Tom Marquand had to keep the winner up to his work as the field kept snapping at their heels.
Elmonjed was always doing enough however, providing trainer William Haggas with a second winner of the week.
Commanche Falls was back in third with the well backed Two Tribes fourth and Cover Up fifth.
Marquand had taken a fall from the fatally injured Crystal Delight in the Ebor and Haggas was quick to pay tribute to the rider, saying: "He's a very tough man. He is determined but he was sore in his shoulder and he probably isn't 100% so I'm absolutely delighted with him.
"Jim (Crowley) ride our horse and said he clattered into Tom, he never saw him at all, and the first thing he said was 'I hope Tom's alright, I gave him a good beating'. He's a very fit young man and told everyone he was absolutely fine and acted like he was fine but we know him quite well now and I think he was a bit shook up. I don't think he's going to ride again but he shows his talent and his determination that he came out and rode the horse but he'll be getting a lift home from the races today.
"He's a naughty horse because he's lazy and he needs driving but Tom is a determined guy, a star. He races lazily but he won at Windsor and kept finding and he did well again today. He had a good draw and he got a good ride and he won.
"We've ended up somehow with two winners, I don't know how it's happened, we had a few nice bullets so it's been, ultimately, quite disappointing."
Marquand added: "I got down to do 8-7 because I thought this fellow had a right chance and I got lucky.
"You'd like to think (there's more to come). Got the headgear on now which is a big help, you'd like to think having got his head in front again that he can keep improving."
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Storm a force in Julia Graves
It all appeared to be very straightforward for 5/2 favourite Tropical Storm who provided Andrew Balding with a third winner of the week in the Julia Graves Roses Stakes.
Low numbers have held sway for much of the Sky Bet Ebor Festival and Oisin Murphy jumped Tropical Storm out sharply from stall 1 and the pair were always front rank in the five furlong Listed contest.
There were one or two nervous moments inside the closing stages as the winner's advantage dwindled but the line came in good time.
Magnum Force was the nearest pursuer at the line with Sir Yoshi and Mr Lightside next best.
It was a maiden success for Tropical Storm on his fifth start but he had finished second in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot third time out.
"It's a nice way to break his maiden," said Balding. "We've just been learning a bit about him, we've always liked the look of him obviously. He just did too much in the Richmond, just didn't get home, so the obvious move was to come back to five and his half-brother finished second in this race last year for us. Talented family and it's all about speed.
"The Flying Childers would look the obvious race and possibly look at the Breeders' Cup as well. It looks a doable programme."
It was a fourth winner for Murphy who said: "He was super chilled today, he didn't grab hold of the bit at all, unlike Goodwood where I was out of control. He has a fantastic disposition so it was just one of those days. I'm delighted he put it together.
"He didn't win by far but I just felt he got idle, actually pulling up he took hold of the bit again. He might be a horse that gets faster, he's quite close coupled and finds going fast easy."
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Special Busker wins private battle
Sir Busker (14/1) beat stablemate Dual Identity as William Knight saddled a one-two in the aptly named Sky Bet Finale Handicap.
It had already been a fair day for Knight whose Checkandchallenge returned to form in the Strensall Stakes but the best was still to come as his pair had the 10 furlong contest between them in the final half a furlong.
Brandon Wilkie hardly came off the inside on Sir Busker before weaving his way through in the final furlong, getting first run on his rival and keeping on well to score.
Chasing Aphrodite was third from Cockalorum and the admirably consistent Ron O.
Both horses run in the colours of Kennet Valley Syndicates whose Sam Hoskins said: "I feel sorry for Callum (Shepherd, rider of Dual Identity) as he's done such a good job. It was hard but obviously to put Brandon's 5 (lb claim) on the top weight, there was nothing in it.
"Brandon is a promising young jockey, about to lose his 5lb claim I believe. Great sportsmen both. The only instructions I gave were 'don't get in each other's way'! To have a winner anywhere is great but to have a winner here....
"Sir Busker is special. He's just everything. We'll retire him and give him a great home when he says he's had enough but he's still got a bit in him. It's so special, he so deserved that."
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