Day one of the Ebor meeting looks set to be a great day of action. The 5f handicap is a fine race to kickstart the meeting and with the quick ground forecast I would say the front runners will take some pegging back. With that in mind I think DEMOCRACY DILEMMA is the one to be on despite having to shoulder top weight. 3 year olds don’t have a great record in this race so I’m unsure why so many are at the front of market and would advise people to look elsewhere. The selection is a hardened, top quality sprinter who hasn’t had the rub of the green yet this season but a race like this looks made for him. At 12/1 he looks a good each way play.
My best bet on Day 1 is undoubtedly CALANDAGAN who in my eyes on what I’ve seen so far is the best 3 year old around this year. Unfortunately he is a gelding so connections won’t be able to run him in the Arc at the end of the year which I’m sure they would have loved to have done but it shouldn’t stop him enjoying a productive campaign otherwise. The good ground at Ascot bought about plenty of improvement and he hosed up in a competitive King Edward Stakes where he confirmed to me his vast ability. This is more open than the market suggests with City Of Troy looking vulnerable after an underwhelming performance at Sandown and if the selection is as good as I think he is I think he takes him down.
The 2m handicap looks as good a renewal as I can remember and I’m sticking with TRITONIC who I was keen on last time at Goodwood. I thought I was in the money when he travelled into the straight but he failed to see out the extended 2m 4f trip. The drop back 2m here should see him in a better light and I think 20/1 is a very fair price.
York 1.50 – Democracy Dilemma
York 3.35 – Calandagan
York 4.10 – Tritonic
