Run as a Group 1 for the first time on Saturday, the 2025 City Of York Stakes has attracted a top class field for the 7f contest on Ebor Handicap day and all eyes will be on Richard Hannon’s Rosallion, who will be a red-hot favourite for the contest. However, our in-house tipster Steve Chambers takes on the mile specialist with an each-way play available at double-figured odds.
Favourites
A former winner of the Group 1 St James’s Palace Stakes and Irish 2000 Guineas, Rosallion has become one of the British-trained stars of the mile division, so it’s fascinating to see Richard Hannon drop the four-year-old back to 7f here. The son of Blue Point is winless in over a year and having been pipped on the line by Docklands in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot back in June, he then suffered a shock defeat to 150/1 outsider Qirat in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. Undoubtedly, the class act of the race, Rosallion could serenely bound to victory here, but with his fast-finishing style sure to be tested against some speedy horses here, he’s short enough in the betting and can be taken on.
One that heads to York in the form of his life is Never So Brave, who scorched to victory in the 7f Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot and then followed up with a Group 2 win in the Summer Mile. The former Sir Michael Stoute-trained inmate has been a revelation since switching to the yard of Andrew Balding and is sure to be a big adversary here. However, he will need to improve again and could well just find a switch to Group 1 company a little too much.
French raider Maranoa Charlie is a fascinating runner as having won a Group 3 at Longchamp in June, the three-year-old was then narrow second in the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Deauville a month later. That is quality form over Saturday’s trip and he could well be a potential threat to the British runners, if continuing his progression.
A former winner of the Gimcrack Stakes at York back in 2023, Lake Forest is looking to return to the scene of his biggest career success and land a first Group 1 prize. It’s been two years since he’s tasted success, so you have to be hopeful at best, but he ran a stormer when second in the Group 2 Lennox Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, and if he can replicate that performance here then could be a notable threat at eye-catching odds.
Outsiders
John & Thady Gosden’s Audience has shown with wins in the Lockinge Stakes and Lennox Stakes that he has the capabilities of delivering on the biggest stage, but he’s struggled of late to sparkle and could only finish third in this year’s Lennox Stakes behind Lake Forest. Sure to be sent to the front from the outset, he is one that could get loose on the front end, but may just lack that resolve to see it out late on.
Qirat caused one of the biggest shocks in modern Flat racing history when downing Field Of Gold and Rosallion in the Sussex Stakes. Sent in as a pacemaker for the former, he simply maintained a big advantage throughout and held on to land the prize at 150/1. He is a big price for this event and will certainly not get it all his own way here, but he does add intrigue to the race and has to be respected.
Aidan O’Brien is yet to taste victory in this race, but will saddle Exactly here. who was sixth in the Coronation Stakes and then followed that up with a mediocre run in France. She will receive weight from all her rivals here, but hasn’t shown enough to suggest she can land the prize. Seagulls Eleven won the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood and will now look to take on the older horses here, but the three-year-old will have his work cut out at this level, while Quinault, Annaf and Ten Bob Tony will also find this level of opposition tough.
Verdict
Rosallion’s inclusion in this race makes it a fascinating renewal and he could prove to just be too good for his rivals, but he’s struggled of late to claim victory and he could just be tapped for toe in the closing stages and could be worth taking on. A former Gimcrack winner, LAKE FOREST is another that has failed to venture to the winner’s enclosure in recent times, but is a decent value play against the favourite and the recent Lennox runner-up can beat Rosallion, with Maranoa Charlie finishing in third.
- Lake Forest
- Rosallion
- Maranoa Charlie
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