Saturday 28th June

A small piece of history would take place at York as this standalone one day meeting would take place for the first time. This late June fixture was a mainstay in Newmarket's racing calendar, but the decision was made at the end of 2024 to move the fixture up North and give it a much needed boost. The move would be slightly contentious as it landed on the same day as Newcastle's biggest meeting of their year as it would potentially defect runners to York instead of Newcastle. Despite this, the meeting would go ahead and it would be a day of quality racing with the added bonus of a post racing concert to send punters home happy. 
The raceday would be sponsored by regular partners to York, Al Basti Equiworld Dubai, and the showpiece would be the Group Three Criterion Stakes over seven furlongs. Elsewhere, there would be plenty of tough handicaps at various grades and distances for punters to get stuck into as well as an informative novice contest.

The day would begin on a sad note as news broke earlier in the morning of the passing of legendary trainer Barry Hills. The Lambourn maestro was a high profile name in the training ranks from the 1970's to the 2000's and his absence will be felt around the sport. His legacy will be continued on by sons Michael and Richard, both former top jockeys, as well as Charlie who took over the license once his father retired in the early 2010's. Tributes were paid before racing and jockeys wore black armbands out of respect.

Race One: The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Mile Handicap - Class Three - One Mile - Runners:12

This brand new meeting to York would get underway with a feel of normality. A very competitive class three handicap over a mile would attract plenty of well known regulars to the Knavesmire and plenty of form lines crossing over for this contest. The mid-season point in the calendar would see a fascinating clash between three year olds and their more experienced, elder counterparts.

Heading the weights for the opener would be the late developing Cadarn, who began his career over two miles, but has gradually stepped down in distance for George Boughey and has found the winning touch. The four year old has now won both of his starts this season over a mile and looks to be on the rise at a quick rate.  The Daniel and Claire Kubler stable often have horses who run well on the Knavesmire and they would saddle Shamrock Bay on this occasion. The four year old won his first two starts and continues to show ability with a second on the all-weather last time out. David O'Meara's Capital Guarantee completed a hat trick of wins in 2023 when first joining the stable, but has found his form again with two more wins this year. The five year old was fifth over slightly further here at the previous meeting. Winners from the Mick and David Easterby are always well received at York and they would be represented by Stanage here. After winning on seasonal debut, he wasn't disgraced in a better race in May at a rare attempt over a mile. The Robert Eddery-trained filly Madame de Sevigne would take her place in the line up. The four year old has run well at this venue in the past and continues to remain a solid type at this level. A trio of fillies would be completed by Ed Walker's chestnut Vicario. She has finished second over seven furlongs on a number of occasions but this would be her first try over a mile in an interesting move by connections. The dual purpose stable of Ben Brookhouse enjoyed a notable success at the previous meeting here and would look for more with Global Skies. The four year old gelding took part in some decent contests last year, but was last seen fading into fourth over hurdles. This would be his first race of any sort since August last year. The quirky Theme Park has plenty of experience of the Knavesmire for the Nigel Tinkler stable and the four year old is often a strong traveller through his races. He wasn't at his best on his most recent start here a fortnight ago however. First of the three-year-olds would be Archivist for William Haggas. The well bred colt found it difficult to win initially, hitting the post on numerous occasions, but he won in stylish style for the first time on his latest run and would make his first handicap start. Barley would make a quick return to action for Tim Easterby having raced as recently as earlier in the week. The six year finds winning hard to come by, but is a solid sort at this level and has placed at this course in the past. The Ian Williams stable would rely on Beylerbeyi, who found a good vein of form last year with four wins for the yard. He has shown he is capable at this grade by staying on into a never closer sixth at Haydock last time out. Another runner for the Karl Burke stable would be the three-year-old Nordic Norm, who made his first start on turf. The newly gelded runner ran to a decent standard on the all-weather, but was disappointing in listed company when last seen in April.

Winner: ARCHIVIST (#9) (Dubawi x Provenance) - T. Marquand - W. Haggas

The afternoon's racing would get underway with bright sunshine and white clouds overhead as the enclosures swelled with a bumper Saturday crowd. 

The race would get underway and from the outset, Capital Guarantee was the first to move forward and led through the opening strides. Cadarn would sit just behind him alongside Barley, Shamrock Bay and heavily backed favourite Archivist. Towards the rear, Global Skies would miss the kick slightly and had to sit and wait at the rear as the early pace was just a modest one. There would be a handful of runners who raced keenly in the opening few furlongs and Cadarn pulled his way to front approaching the home bend and Will Buick allowed his horse to dictate the pace. Rounding the bend into the home straight, the pack remained in the centre of the track. As the race entered the final two furlongs, Cadarn began to look vulnerable and was pushed along. Capital Guarantee regained the narrow lead and Barley also made his move into contention. Another to challenge would be Archivist and the three year old found plenty for pressure in the final furlong, gradually edging clear of Barley.  The colt would maintained his advantage all the way to the line and won a little more comfortably than the length margin suggested. Barley would run an excellent race with his quick turnaround by taking second and Vicario made the most headway in the final stages, keeping on into third, demoting Capital Guarantee to fourth.

It would be a perfect start to the meeting for punters as the strong favourite Archivist lived up to expectations that he is better than this grade. The son of Dubawi comes from the family of high class mare Inspiral, a multiple Group One winner, but he is also a half-brother to very useful handicappers New Kingdom and Cruyff Turn, a winner in the past. The colt began his career with the now retired Sir Michael Stoute and proved frustrating initially. Despite finishing second in four successive starts, he kept chasing home very talented winners, including Group Three winner Starzintheireyes and listed race winner Smoken. After joining the William Haggas yard this year, he belatedly gained a first success at Leicester on his latest start where he won easily, so he passed his first real test here. The three year old is a potential late developer, but is on a roll now and could be aimed at better races, with the Clipper Handicap at the Ebor Festival a possibility in August. 

Race Two: The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Criterion Stakes - Group Three - Seven Furlongs - Runners: 8

Next up would come the feature race of the day, the Criterion Stakes. The race is a recognisable one as it bears the name of one of the all time greats of the early 1900's and has his own statue on Newmarket high street. Open to three year olds and older, the Group Three has been won by some old favourites and high class seven furlong specialists over the decades and this would be the start of a new chapter for the race. In the late 80s, the high class pair of Cadeaux Genereux and Zilzal would add this contest to their glowing CV's and in more recent times, Libranno and Limato have won two runnings each. Other popular horses to win this race include Sir Dancealot, Glorious Journey, Pogo and Audience, who won this in 2023 before winning at the highest level in the 2024 Lockinge Stakes. Twelve months ago, the Godolphin-owned Noble Dynasty would fend off a small but select field and land his first Group race win.

The classy field would be headed by the Dylan Cunha-trained Prague, who was the bargain buy of the year in 2024 as he landed the Group Two Joel Stakes at Newmarket with ease. The five year old was last seen taking part in the Champion Stakes at Ascot and this would be a drop in distance and grade for his seasonal comeback. William Haggas's Lake Forest landed the Gimcrack Stakes two seasons ago before winning a valuable prize in Australia at the end of last year. He would run an excellent race when fifth in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot recently and this would be an easier race. High class handicapper Lethal Levi would give Karl Burke a strong hand in this race and the six year old has graduated to pattern class with two very close defeats over six furlongs this year. Another horse making a first start for a new stable would be Nostrum, with David O'Meara. Coincidentally, the five year old finished second in this race last year at Newmarket and would aim to go one place better with the race taking place closer to home. The rising star in the contest would be Ed Bethell's Paborius, who has been purchased by Wathnan Racing since his smart victory in a minor race at Thirsk earlier this year. The gelding is progressing nicely and made his first start in Group company. Stuart Williams's Quinault is another quality handicapper who has won at York in the past and won a trio of listed races last year. He has also placed over this trip in group company in recent starts, so he would possess the ability needed to feature here. The Kevin Ryan-trained Room Service ended last season with a listed race victory at Doncaster over six furlongs, but took his form to a new level with a close up fourth in a similar contest at Haydock, finishing ahead of some of his reopposing rivals. The field would be completed by the smart filly Formal, who carried the silks of Cheveley Park Stud. The three year old bounced back from a poor comeback to win very impressively at Epsom and would be in receipt of some helpful allowances. 

Winner: QUINAULT (#6) (Oasis Dream x Queimada) - J. Hart - S. Williams

The new look Group Three would feature a very classy field as all eight runners went to post.

From the outset, the speedy Quinault made the perfect start under Jason Hart, perfectly anticipating the gates opening and gaining a few lengths on his rivals. The five year old used his natural speed to build up a comfortable lead in the first few furlongs as Lethal Levi led the chasing pack with Prague and Formal. As the leader escaped incident at the start, the favourite Lake Forest was slightly crowded for room and found himself shuffled towards the rear under Tom Marquand. As the race entered the home straight, Quinault was still enjoying life in front, racing keenly and setting a good gallop. There would be little change in the order as the furlong poles were ticked off one by one. As the final furlong approached, Quinault began to hang to his left, showing a possible sign of tiredness. From out of the pack, Room Service emerged as the only challenger as Lethal Levi began to retreat. Despite doing all the donkey work, Quinault would bravely keep on and crossed the line to an all-the-way victory by a length to the staying on Room Service and Paborus, who was another to make headway from the rear. Lethal Levi would produce a solid effort to take fourth.

This may have been a messy race and some of the leading protagonists may not have fired on the day, but nothing should be taken away from Quinault, who has been brilliantly trained by Stuart Williams. The gelding was sold relatively cheaply by Godolphin back in early 2023, but since joining his current stable, he has improved out of recognition. During the summer of 2023, the son of Oasis Dream rose through the ranks by winning an amazing six races in a row, which culminated in a pair big six furlong handicaps at York and Newmarket that summer. The winning run was paused briefly, but he would win once more in 2023 to record seven wins and an improvement of 38lbs in the ratings. The progress wasn't finished yet as in 2024, Quinault won three listed races in a row over six furlongs, including at York in September. His comeback run this season was a low key one in the John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock, but he was able to dominate the race and win for the first time in Group company. This race also guarantees the winner a place in the newly upgraded Group One City of York Stakes in August. The predicted lineup for that race will be a stellar one and Quinault is entitled to take his place, but a repeat of these tactics will be hard to replicate at a higher standard of race. 

Race Three: The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dash Handicap - Class Two - FIve Furlongs - Runners: 7

The theme of regularity would continue with yet another valuable and hotly contested Saturday Sprint race on the Knavesmire. The class two handicap, which is open to horses aged three years old and over, is worth a cool £65,000 in prize money, so it wasn't a surprise to see a classy field of sprinters and big yards represented. 

Seven Questions would drop back in grade and carried top weight for the Robert Cowell stable. He won a Group Three contest back in May last year, but the four year old has struggled in pattern races on his two runs this year and returned to handicap company. From the same stable and ownership, Democracy Dilemma is another high class handicapper who struggles to cut it in Group company. The five year old is very speedy and has finished in the placings over course and distance in the past. Another regular to York is the John and Sean Quinn-trained JM Jungle, who finally landed a big handicap last time by taking the Epsom Dash, the world's fastest race. His form this season has also been boosted in no uncertain terms and he would be verging on pattern quality. The rapidly progressive Regal Envoy lined up for the William Knight stable and the six year old has won three of his five starts this year alone. He would arrive on the Knavesmire in top form following a pair of all-the-way wins at Windsor. The locally trained Venture Capital is a talented sprinter on his day, but Kevin Ryan's four year old has shown some inconsistency of late. After an impressive win at Ripon, he would run flat in a similar contest over course and distance last time out. Terry Kent's Newmarket stable goes from strength to strength and his good form continued as Habooba landed a similar race at York at the end of May, causing a bit of a surprise. The mare won that day in the style to suggest she may not be finished with just yet. The Nigel Tinkler-trained Squealer is another former winner at York who spent a spell out in Bahrain without success, but has slowly returned to form with a pair of placings in recent starts. Ed Bethell is capable of training progressive sprinters as shown in the past and Azure Angel could be the latest one. The five year old mare dropped back to five furlongs last week at Redcar and showed plenty of speed to win comfortably. King Of Stars is now an eight year old, but he held plenty of potential a few years ago for Mick Appleby. The grey was listed class at his best, but has been running in lower grades recently. 

Winner: SQUEALER (#8) (Mehmas x Sunny Hollow) - R. Scott - N. Tinkler

An unusually small sized field for a big Saturday handicap at York would be reduced even further as the long absent King Of Stars and recent course winner Habooba were announced as non-runners which left a field of seven to go to post.

The experienced sprinters entered the stalls without issue and were soon on their way as the gates opened. The early lead would be taken by the in form Regal Envoy, but he would be hassled all the way down the straight by Democracy Dilemma and Azure Angel. After a furlong, Venture Capital would also join in and help to force the pace as JM Jungle, Squealer and Seven Questions sat back and watched from the rear. With plenty of front runners taking each other, the general pace would be a good one and the field arrived at the final furlong pole within a matter of seconds. As Venture Capital, Regal Envoy and Democracy Dilemma would feel the effect of their early pace setting, they would weaken out of contention and it would leave Azure Angel as the last one standing in the lead. JM Jungle received a bump from a rival two furlongs out which affected his momentum, but he rallied bravely to overtake Azure Angel inside the final furlong. It looked to be a race winning burst of speed, but on his outside, Squealer had a trouble free run and clear air to aim at. He would run down JM Jungle and take the win at the line, winning by a comfortable three-quarters of a length. Azure Angel ran a bold race to take third, as the front three pulled clear of Seven Questions who made modest late headway. 

This would be career win number four for the Nigel TInkler-trained five year old who has always threatened to win a good race and has bounced back to form. After breaking his maiden tag over course and distance in September 2022, the gelding went on to win at Beverley and Doncaster subsequently, but his last win was back in August 2023. The son of Mehmas has a much higher placing strike rate with five second placings at venue such as Windsor, Doncaster and even Bahrain in early 2024. A return trip to the Middle East this winter failed to produce much luck, but upon his return to Britain, his form has gradually improved. An eye catching third after a break at Thirsk was a better run and he was then narrowly denied at Ripon last time out. Therefore, this win wasn't a huge surprise and it showed he is back to his best now. A return trip to one of his favourite tracks York or Doncaster could be on the cards with plenty of identical races to this one on the calendar.

Race Four: The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Novice Stakes - Class Two - 2-y-o Only - Seven Furlongs - Runners: 7

The focus would switch to the next generation as this class two novice contest over the intermediate trip of seven furlongs had the potential to unearth an exciting prospect for the rest of the year. The juvenile championship races at Royal Ascot may have been and gone for another year, but there are a whole host of big race targets to aim for later in the season, as well as next year's 2000 Guineas. The classy nature of this race attracted a fascinating lineup of youngsters to the Knavesmire.

Heading the racecard would be William Haggas's Brotherhood Of Man, in the Royal silks of owners The King and Queen. The son of Siyouni was given a nice introduction when fourth at Haydock a month ago and should be able to improve on that run. Charlie Appleby's juvenile failed to shine at Royal Ascot, but they have been showing promise everywhere else. He would saddle Commanding Officer, a son of Teofilo, who showed inexperience at Haydock, but still managed to finish narrowly ahead of the reopposing Brotherhood Of Man. The Jack Channon-trained Crest Of Fire made his debut in a maiden at Newbury that has worked out exceptionally well. The grey colt wasn't beaten far in fifth and could have some progress to unlock. Another newcomer from a leading stable would be Hankelow, from the Karl Burke stable. The son of Night of Thunder has plenty of stamina in his pedigree, but his trainer enjoyed Royal Ascot success with a juvenile last week. The Ed Walker stable enjoyed a good Royal Ascot meeting and introduced his newcomer colt, Jeddaal. The son of Lope de Vega is a distant relative to some very smart types who also ran in the silks of his owner Sheikh Ahmed al Maktoum. The Andrew Balding stable was also responsible for a Royal Ascot winning juvenile and looked ahead to the future with the colt Last Verse. The son of Camelot is beautifully bred as he is out of a Classic winner and showed encouragement on debut at Haydock behind a wide margin winner. Yet another debutante in the field would be the George Scott-trained Shadow Brigade. The son of Acclamation's only sibling has already shown plenty of ability at listed level, so this colt will be hoping to follow in his footsteps. 

Winner: HANKELOW (#4) (Night of Thunder x Sagaciously) - C. Lee - K. Burke

This contest looked a very tricky one to solve, but many notebooks would be wide open and ready with an eye towards the future.

Despite a widespread lack of experience on display, the seven juveniles would behave well at the stalls and got away to a level break. After nosing into the lead after the first few strides, Brotherhood Of Man was surpassed at the head of the field by the newcomer Hankbelow. He would be challenged by Godolphin's Commanding Officer for the lead and Last Verse would also move forward into a front rank position. They grey Crest Of Fire settled into a rhythm in fourth, just ahead of Jeddaal, the restrained Brotherhood of Man and Shadow Bridge, who brought up the rear early on. Approaching the final two furlongs, Last Verse was still right there in the lead as Commanding Officer was caught flat footed as the pace increased. Last Verse would begin to feel the pressure and the smooth travelling Hankbelow began to unwind down the centre of the track. He would then show a telling change of gear to kick clear in the final furlong, stretching clear of Crest Of Fire. The grey had no answer to Hankbelow and it would be yet another juvenile winner for trainer Karl Burke as Hankbelow crossed the line two and a half lengths clear. Back in third, Brotherhood Of Man showed more promise by staying on into third, in turn reversing the Haydock form with Commanding Officer who could only manage fourth.

The Middleham stable of Karl Burke have become the leading stable in the North for two year old colts and fillies. After introducing a list of promising debut winners over the last few months, the yard also took in Royal Ascot glory in the Albany Stakes with Venetian Sun. This son of Night Of Thunder cost connections £750,000 at the yearling sales, so he already had a reputation to live up. He would look professional on debut and stretched clear to suggest he could be better over even further. The colt is also a half brother to Epic Poet, who has shown big improvement this year to place in Group company over a mile and four up to two miles this year. Wherever Hankbelow goes next, he joins a host of horses who will make the rest of this season and next season very exciting for the Burke stable. 

Race Four: The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Handicap - Class Four - One Mile, Six Furlongs - Runners: 6

The quality would reduce slightly as the stayers took to the stage, but the competitiveness would remain strong with this class four handicap over the Ebor Handicap distance of fourteen furlongs. Races of these nature often attract interest from stables near and far and there would be little to split the runners based on their handicap ratings. 

Top weight would be carried by the Andrew Balding-trained Turquino. The four year old didn't make his debut until this year, but quickly made into a useful sort by winning his first two starts. His form has stalled since then, but he remains totally unexposed in this contest. The Alan King-trained Nap Hand would line up here for his first attempt on the flat beyond ten furlongs. The five year old should be able to stay as he placed over hurdles last winter. The James Owen stable have enjoyed a breakthrough couple of seasons and would be represented by Percey Shelley, a quirky six year old who clearly possesses ability, but hasn't been able to deliver wins since he moved to Britain. The David O'Meara-trained Heathen caught the eye in the Queen Mother's Cup last time where he overcame a tardy start to finish second and is a useful type when starting on level terms. Tim Easterby would also be represented by Kitsune Power in this contest. The six year old has placed over this distance in the past at a lower level, but his record at York is a relatively poor one. Another Malton-based runner would be Richard Fahey's My Harrison George. The five year old has been reinvented as a stayer, winning at a lower level at Beverley, but failed to stay two miles at Catterick last time out. Completing the field would be the three-year-old Gravitas, from the Charlie Johnston stable. Making just his fourth start here, he looked a strong stayer when getting off the mark at Doncaster last month. 

Winner: TURQUINO (#1) (Teofilo x Pleisiur) - O. Murphy - A. Balding 

The longest race of the day would also turn into the smallest sized field of the day as Tim Easterby's Kitsune Power was deemed to be a non-runner on the morning of the race. 

It would leave a group of six runners and an intriguing clash of the ages with a range between three and six year olds. Starting from the furthest point away from the stands, the race got underway with Turquino making the best start of all to lead under Oisin Murphy. He was in no rush to grab the inner rail and raced wider than the rest down the back straight, maintaining his handy advantage. Gravitas would follow him in second as the runners raced in single file in the early stages. Nap Hand would race alongside My Harrison George with Heathen just ahead of Percy Shelley as the pace was only an ordinary one. As the group rounded the bend and faced the grandstands at the other end of the home straight, Oisin Murphy kept the pack to the far side rail and began to squeeze the pace higher. The long striding gelding had his rivals outpaced at the two furlong pole and began to open up a gap. Gravitas attempted to follow the leader, but he would have nothing left to give before weakening. The margin in front kept on growing as Turquino looked better with every stride, eventually crossing the line a massive seven and a half lengths clear. Percy Shelley would pick up the pieces by taking a modest second away from Gravitas and Heathen could only plug on into a well beaten fourth.

This was a dominant display from a gelding who is going places quickly. The son of Teofilo has seemingly had issues earlier in his training career as he would make his debut as late as March this year, as a four year old at Southwell. Once the penny dropped that day, he pulled clear to win on debut and then kept his unbeaten record alive by winning again at Newcastle in determined style. He then raced too keenly on turf debut in a warm contest at Ascot, but a return to the all-weather saw a glimmer of potential when returning fifth at Kempton. In all of his previous races, Turquino had been held up so this was a dramatic change in tactics, but a well judged ride by Oisin Murphy. The sizeable gelding is a distant relative to Yorkshire Oaks winner Pleascach and has the potential to reach a higher level before the season ends. Turquino could even be a dark horse for Cup races in the near future.

Race Six: The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sprint Handicap - Class Four - Six Furlongs - Runners: 18

The sprinters would return to the fray with the second of three consecutive class four contests. This contest would be exclusively for three year olds which would lead to a potential minefield for punters to navigate in their search for the winner. These sprinters may have missed the boat for Royal Ascot, but a win here could set them up for the remaining big festivals of the season.

The weights would be headed by Ralph Beckett's Topwarrior for this contest. After winning at the second time of asking, the colt went close over this trip and was outpaced at a critical moment over five furlongs when second last time out. The Clive Cox stable often do well with their sprinters and they would be represented by Good Banter. The colt looked a smart prospect at the end of last year with two victories, but his form hasn't been quite as good this year, albeit in similar races to this one. A second runner for Clive Cox would be Mystical Composer, who broke his maiden tag last season in emphatic style. As well as placing over course and distance in the past, the colt has run with credit this season. The Declan Carroll-trained grey Fuji Mountain was sharp enough to win twice around Chester last year but had raced mostly over five furlongs. He plugged on into seventh on his first try at this distance last time out. Nigel Tinkler's Lord Roxby looked to be a smart prospect last year and added a second win to his tally earlier this year at Hamilton. He would return to the Scottish venue again last time out where he bumped into a runaway winner that day, but proved his ability to stay this distance. Another Newmarket challenger would be the Alice Haynes-trained Far Above The Law. The gelding finished in the placings at last year's Ebor and St Leger festivals before winning nicely at Windsor two starts ago. He would run poorly at Hamilton recently, but sprinters can often bounce back to form.  Richard Fahey's gelding Lesley's Boy looked decent last year by winning twice, but he has shown a lot of reluctance to race this year. The quirky sort reverted to sprinting here in a bid to revive his career. The filly Magic Basma won on debut for the Kevin Ryan stable and was considered good enough to contest a listed race at the end of last year. She would return this season over seven furlongs where she didn't stay, but could be a useful type back over sprinting distances. Another Thirsk-based trainer, Bryan Smart, would be represented by Station X. The grey progressed with experience and won twice at the end of last season before making a bold return to action at Hamilton where he was caught on the line. Yes I'm Mali's biggest moment came here last season where he landed a nursery handicap at the Ebor Festival for the Richard Fahey stable. He has now been gelded ahead of his return action having contested in some decent quality handicaps on the all-weather. The Charlie Hills stable remains in good form of late and would be represented by the colt Hoodie Hoo. He would make a decent impression when winning earlier in the season and has finished in the pack in two similar races recently. Mick Appleby's Ardennes has a little more experience than some of his rivals and has shown mixed form to date. He would be relatively highly tried last year, but hasn't been at his best this season. Kevin Ryan's Territorial Knight has visited York plenty of times already and ran a very respectable race a fortnight ago when sixth in the big sprint handicap at the previous meeting here. The filly Educating Rita started her career brightly for the Michael Dods yard, winning twice, before finding the step into listed company too far. She would improve on her seasonal reappearance by finish a close up sixth on her latest start. Grant Tuer's Farandaway has remarkably yet to win a race, but has placed in all bar two of his starts so far. The gelding would finish on the podium once again here at a similar level over five furlongs two weeks ago. Balzarini has just the one win to his name so far, but ended last season at Group Three level for previous connections. This year has seen a mixed bag so far since moving to the John Butler yard, so he would need to improve. Oisin Murphy and Andrew Balding combined to great success in handicaps at Royal Ascot and would do the same again with the consistent Dream Out Loud. The gelding has quickly made into a useful type since his debut in February and was narrowly denied at Chester a fortnight ago. Completing the field would be another filly would be Miss Hathaway, who is another with plenty of miles of the clock. Tim Easterby's runner finally broke her maiden tag at Pontefract in April, but has been slightly outpaced over six furlongs in recent starts. Tarlac would represent the Ursa Major Racing and Katie Scott combination here and the gelding landed his first win two starts ago. He is slowly getting the hang of things and posted another solid effort in fifth last time out. Richard Fahey's Tuscan Point has been a regular at York but remains winless and frustrating. The gelding has yet to show much over a range of distances and revert to six furlongs now. The field would be completed by Tim Easterby's Genius Mistake, a filly with a very light weight to carry. Despite racing over five furlongs for the most part, she has finished in the placings over the this trip in recent times. 

Winner: DARE OUT LOUD (#17) (Mehmas x Deadline Diva) - O. Murphy - A. Balding

A full field of eighteen would take the start and the race looked an extremely difficult one to work out with plenty of pace angles and unexposed types in the lineup.

The race got away to a level break and the main group would race down the centre to far side. The grey Station X would hold a narrow lead from his central berth, but had the likes of Miss Hathaway, Dream Out Loud and Magic Basma all breathing down his neck. Over on the far side, Territorial Knight would race on his own but showed enough pace to race on level terms with the leaders down the middle of the course. A smaller group would form the stand's side group which was led by Good Banter and featured the likes of Fuji Mountain and Hoodie Hoo. At the halfway stage, Dream Out Loud had taken over in front and led narrowly with plenty of chances queuing up behind. Station X was still right there in the firing line, but as the race reached its closing stages, his challenge would peter out. Territorial Knight was able to live with Dream Out Loud's pace throughout and these two went head to head in the final furlong. It would be Dream Out Loud who found extra under pressure and dug deep to repel all comers and win by just under a length. From the rear of the main group, Far Above The Law finished strongly to take second away from Territorial Knight, who in turn held on for third in front of Magic Basma.

Just like the winner in the previous race, the winner would be a lightly raced type who made his debut earlier in the year for Andrew Balding. The gelded son of Mehmas has been largely consistent since his debut second place at Southwell in February and got on the scoresheet three starts later at Kempton in April. He has confirmed his liking for turf as well recently as he finished fourth behind Far Above The Law at Windsor before finishing late and fast over six furlongs at Chester just a fortnight ago. With this first taste of a big field handicap, he coped well with the challenge and continued his streak of finishing no lower than fourth so far. It would be yet another double of winners for Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy, a partnership that found a number of wins at Royal Ascot. It would be a timely boost for Oisin Murphy who is shrouded in a high profile case which is part of his personal life, but the dual champion jockey continues to show why he is a fantastic horseman.

Race Seven: The Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Amateur Riders' Handicap - Class Four - One Mile, Two Furlongs - Runners: 17

Rounding out the racing action for the afternoon would be this middle distance handicap for amateur riders. This contest would be another opportunity for the lesser known riders to display their talents as part of their fledgling careers in the saddle

Heading the weights in the finale would be Daniel and Claire Kubler's Hamlet's Night. The four year old arrived from France at the start of the year and built up a good run of form, but ran poorly on his latest start. Tim Easterby would be another local yard to be represented with the talented but quirky Leadenhall. The five year old looked well beaten at one point last time out, but rallied strongly to lose out by a narrow margin in third here a fortnight ago. Thomas Easterby would take the ride and it would be a family occasion as brother Will joined him in the race on stablemate Financer. The four year old has a hit and miss look to his form book, but is useful on his day. Despite this, he failed to stay the extra two furlongs in the Queen Mother's Cup here at the previous meeting. The Horse Watchers silks would be present with David O'Meara's Westernesse. The six year old is another who is smart on his day, but won for just the third time ever at Ripon on his latest start. He would have the positive booking of Simon Walker in the saddle too. Ben Brookhouse saddled the first-past-the-post runner in the Queen Mother's Cup two weeks ago and would look for more success at amateur level here with I Still Have Faith. The six year old was in good form during 2023 with four wins, but he has been lightly raced since then. A former course and distance winner would be Julie Camacho's Titian. The seven year old has shown a liking for Ripon where he gained his latest win and ran well there once again on recent seasonal comeback. Ian Williams would be represented by Whathappensinvegas, who has been in decent form of later over staying distances. The four year old has finished in the frame in all three starts this year, albeit over a mile and a half. A runner for the Leeds based yard of Sam England would be It's A Love Thing, who had be been at the top of his game this season with three wins in 2025, but he struggled to get involved in a handicap over course and distance two weeks ago. There would be more family affairs as Show Biz Kid lined up for the mother and daughter trainer partnership of Julia and Shelley Birkett with son/brother Ross in saddle. The four year old gelding has been running well this season and looked to be unsuited by the longer trip on latest start. Another dual purpose stable with a runner here would be Jess Bedi with Sharona. The four year old filly would make her first start on the flat since late 2023, but she has since been running over hurdles. Top amateur rider Eireann Cagney would take the ride on Glistening Nights for his boss Richard Fahey. The gelding won on this day last year, but has generally struggled for form this season. Kevin Frost's Bass Player is an easy ride for an inexperienced amateur, so has been a regular in these sorts of races. The six year old won twice at the end of last year and has gone well under rider Lauren Frost in the past. The husband and wife team of Archie Watson and Brodie Hampson are a potent combination in these races and would partner again with Alazwar. The seven year old has returned in good form this season and won nicely in a similar race at Newbury last time. The Scott Dixon-trained Golden Pharaoh has been frustrating since arriving in Britain, but posted his best effort to date when second over a mile two starts ago. He would race too keenly on his first attempt at this trip here last time. Another runner for the Tim Easterby yard would be the veteran Poet's Dawn. The ten year old recently surpassed a hundred race starts, but has remained in form with a handful of placings this year. The Easterby clan would be doubly represented as Mick and David Easterby would be represented by This Year's Love. The four year old has won three times down the road at Beverley, albeit at a lower grade of race. He would have the assistance of the vastly experienced Serena Brotherton. Completing the lineup would be Seb Spencer's Mr Jetman. The five year old has been in good form since moving to Malton, but ran below par when trying this trip last time out. 

Winner: TITIAN (#12) (Iffraaj x Lucelle) - L. Kent - J. Camacho

The field of seventeen experienced horses and a mixture of riding careers would take their place in the stalls ahead of the finale. A large number of horses would prove edgy in the stalls, which led to some scary moments, but thankfully all the horses settled in time without causing injury.

Once the signal was made to start the race, one of the horses who gave issues Leadenhall, was very slowly from the gates and lost up to ten lengths on his rivals; his race would be over as soon as it started. The early leader would be the veteran Poet's Dawn under Emily Roberts, who had tracked over from stall six to bag the running rail. The ones who were drawn next to the leader, Glistening Nights and  Hamlet's Night both raced close to the leader and were joined by Golden Pharaoh. After negotiating the left hand kink into the straight adjacent to the woods, This Year's Love nipped past Poet's Dawn to take up the overall lead under Serena Brotherton. Whathappensinvegas would be trapped out wide throughout the contest and had to cover more ground than others in the race. As the race began to heat up in the final two furlongs, Hamlet's Night battled back to regain the lead under David Dunsdon as Glistening Nights was always in the right position. From the rear, the black silks of Titian had made quiet progress under Lewis Kent and was the newest face on the scene as he moved into contention. Kicking into the lead at the final furlong pole, Titian began to open up a gap on his rivals despite hanging towards the stand's side rail. I Still Have Faith and Paul Hainey would make spirited late ground from the rear along with Financer and Will Easterby, but the winner had already flown and Titian would return to winning ways for the Julie Camacho stable. Financer would run a tidy race by finishing second, just ahead of I Still Have Faith. The old boy Poet's Dawn maintained his good form with a fourth place. 

It would be a fifth career win for the seven year old Titian, whose career has been stop and start through the years. After beginning life with William Haggas in Newmarket, he looked a useful prospect before moving to the jumps based yard of David Pipe, where he struggled to adapt to hurdles. He would join his third trainer in a short amount of time by moving north to Julie Camacho, where he has recaptured his form. A winner over course and distance back in October 2022, he showed smart form on his day; including a close second in the Spring Mile at Doncaster. In recent times, he has developed a liking for Ripon, a course he has now won twice at in recent seasons. It was at the garden venue of Ripon where Titian made his comeback run in May, finishing well to take fourth which set him up for this contest. It would also be a big moment for the rider Lewis Kent, son of Newmarket trainer Terry Kent. The amateur gave Titian a good ride and was rewarded with his second win of the year and fifth in his short career.