Karl Burke launches a four-strong attack on the 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes, with the course winner Swingalong and Group One finisher Spycatcher spearheading the Spigot Lodge charge.
The former, which is stable jockey Clifford Lee's mount, has had some of her best moments on the Knavesmire and has also performed admirably at the highest level when given some challenging assignments.
Meanwhile, the Spycatcher, who prefers soft ground, is another established performer in elite company and came within a whisker of winning Group One at Deauville last summer, this time paired with Ryan Moore.
Burke stated, “Swingalong has been working really nicely, she’s been on the go a long time and has been ready to go for a while. She loves York and we hope she will run a big race – she has never run a bad race at York. Spycatcher will need every drop of rain and if the ground is deemed to be firm then there would be a doubt about him going. We’ve got four nice horses and it is a shame they all have to run against each other. Swingalong seems to be at the head of them, although on soft ground I would be leaning with Spycatcher.”
Similar to Swingalong, the fifth Marshman from last year has excellent course form, which strengthens the Middleham trainer's hand.
As a juvenile, Stablemate Cold Case finished second in the Gimcrack at York behind Marshman. This past term, she advanced to compete in group one company and placed fourth in the Prix Maurice de Gheest.
“Marshman has always run well at York and he goes there in good form,” continued Burke. “He ran disappointingly at Newmarket, but he always runs disappointingly there so we’re putting that down to the track and he seems in good form. Cold Case is coming back off a bit of an injury last year and he’s worked nicely. He will definitely need the run and come on for it, but if I don’t run him here there’s nothing for him until Ascot, so it is a case of having to go really.”
Yorkshireman William Haggas, who last won this race with Tasleet in 2017, is another with a few tricks up his sleeve for this event.
The trainer's favourite, steady performer Tiber Flow, and the hat-trick-seeking course winner Montassib are the handler's return to his home county from Newmarket.
“It’s a strong race. I would prefer Tiber Flow tomorrow, but the market doesn’t, so we will see,” said Haggas about his chances. “Montassib likes it soft and I don’t know how slow or quick it is going to be. He was really effective on soft ground at Doncaster and it probably isn’t going to be that on Wednesday. I think Tiber Flow is a pretty useful horse. He didn’t like Newmarket (when fifth in the Abernant), but he had a good blow and he has come forward.”
Of those five, four were from the Newmarket Group. Jane Chapple-Hyam is hoping that Mill Stream, the runner-up in Newmarket, can gain from York's level and fair sprint straight with William Buick in the lead when the three clash once more.
She said: “It’s maybe not the best draw (stall five), but we’ve got a good jockey who knows him and the horse has improved from the Abernant, so we’ll try to be in the shake-up. I feel being back on a flat track will make a big difference rather than that first run into the dip at Newmarket. The change back on to a flat track is definitely a plus. He’s raced there, so he knows the track and he’s a very good traveller. That (Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes) is the plan, but we’ll be guided by how he performs on Wednesday. When they are three, they are not as mature as older sprinters that are more conditioned to taking on these high-class sprint races.”