The Sunday Series concludes on the flat this weekend. With York hosting a competitive seven-race card, Matty Sutcliffe has four selection worth a value punt on the day.
2:30 York – Enter ITV7 For Free “Confined” EBF Maiden Stakes (Horses which have run no more than once) (GBB) (Class 2) (2yo) – Infinite Dream 10/1 1pt WIN
Night Of Thunder colt INFINITE DREAM made a promising start to his career when staying on for fourth in a competitive looking Newmarket Maiden won by the 10/11 Godolphin trained favourite Al Zanati who holds a Royal Lodge entry.
Infinite Dream was easy enough to back in the market and was given a considerate ride by PJ McDonald, looking in need of the experience once the pace had lifted. It was still a solid introduction and like the majority of Balding’s two year olds, he’s bound to come on for that run. The form has worked out in places with the second winning next time out and the eighth was just touched off at Haydock on Thursday.
Balding has a fantastic strike rate at York of late particularly in non handicaps with a 22% win rate, and a £56.87+ profit to a £1 stake and four of his twenty qualifiers this season have also won. These same connections teamed up to land the John Smith’s Cup with Fox Legacy this season, and PJ McDonald has a healthy 29.23% strike rate this year when teaming up with Andrew Balding (£39.59+) so it’ll be no surprise should Infinite Dream step forward here in a race that doesn’t look all that deep.
3:00 York – Sky Bet Super Sub Sprint Handicap (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-100) – King Of Stars 8/1 1pt WIN
The large majority of this field have had a long season contesting some competitive sprint and that may play into the hands of KING OF STARS, who’s ran two promising races since returning from a 211-day break.
The first came at Ascot in July when attempting to make all in the Whispering Angel Handicap and he was only collared half a furlong from home with the first three pulling clear of the rest, and the fifth, sixth and eleventh have all franked the form since. He then set a good gallop from the front at Newbury and always looked like coming back to the field, setting the race up for the closers.
He’s likely to be sharper for those efforts now and this speedier track will play into his strengths better than Newbury and Ascot. He was rated 9lbs higher this time last year when finishing third in a Conditions Stakes at Beverley from a 655 day layoff, and he’s 12lbs lower than when finishing second to Bergerac over C&D in the Symphony Handicap here three years ago so a big run can be expected.
3:30 York – Skybet Proud To Support ROR Stayers Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-95) – Ribble Vibe 12/1 1pt EW 3 places
RIBBLE VIBE was picked up by the shrewd Horse Watcher’s outfit for 8,000gns last October and this half brother to Mill Reef and Queen Anne winner Ribchester can reward connections now stepping up to two miles.
The Godolphin cast off looked smart when landing a Deauville Maiden on debut in 2023 but failed to back that up in two starts last season prior to joining David O’Meara. He was given a quiet ride in rear on yard debut and it was a similar scenario when staying on from rear at Newcastle in July, but that was an eye-catching ride as he made up plenty late headway under a very considerate ride by Ben Robinson.
He backed that up with a second at Thirsk when again not give an overly hard time, and the handicapper generously dropped him a pound for that despite staying on strongly behind a subsequent winner now rated 14lbs higher, with the third also winning next time out.
He can be forgiven for a below par effort at Newcastle having made contact with the rail in the prelims, and with this step up in trip to suit I’d expect a big run against some horses far more exposed than him.
5:30 York – Sky Bet, For The Fans Mile Apprentice Handicap (Class 4) (3yo+ 0-85) – Theme Park 14/1 1.5pt EW 5 places
I’ve deserted THEME PARK all season with the view to trying to land a good prize with him at York and hopefully now is the correct time to strike.
The Lope De Vega gelding began this season off a mark of 85 and wasn’t disgraced when third at Pontefract off 84, but he’s since dropped to a very workable mark of 74 and ran his best race yet this term last time out at Redcar, when catching the eye in rear to stay on late, only beaten a length with the race favourite the prominent racers.
That sparked an imminent return to the winners enclosure and he’s 4lbs lower than when winning over C&D last July. He’s 7lbs lower than his last winning mark, and his record in September reads 2121 so he can peak just at the right time. Ethan Tindall takes a handy 5lbs off, and he’s two from three for Nigel Tinkler in the last twelve months which included a 125/1 winner at Newcastle in December.
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