Bill Esdaile

YORK’s Group One Juddmonte International Stakes (3.35pm) regularly features among the top-rated races in the world and for good reason.In 2024, it saw a superb performance from City Of Troy to down one of the best older horses around in Calandagan, and while Delacroix attempted to repeat the feat for the three-year-olds last year he [...]

YORK is bracing itself for a potential deluge of overnight rain with torrential thunderstorms set to hit the Knavesmire.The going had already changed to good, good-to-soft in places before racing began on Wednesday, so there is every chance conditions could get really tough if some forecasts are to be believed.The feature contest on day two [...]

AIDAN O’Brien’s SUN GODDESS is far and away the classiest performer in what is Europe’s richest two-year-old race (2.25pm), having already won the Group One Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh last week.On ratings she looks miles clear of the majority of these and should make straightforward work of this if too much rain doesn’t fall.That [...]

FRIDAY’s card opens with a competitive mile handicap (1.50pm) featuring lots of unexposed three-year-olds.One of those is William Haggas’ ZENNOR STORM who looks a winner waiting to happen.He finished with a flourish to be second at Goodwood last time. He was beaten a length by Exclusive Code that day but did best of those that were positioned towards the rear [...]

WITH the rain that has fallen at York and dry conditions forecast for the rest of the meeting, the ground could ride tacky on Friday.That’s likely to place emphasis on stamina and the conditions should suit French raider RAYEVKA in the day’s big race, the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes (3.35pm).Francis-Henri Graffard’s four-year-old is a proven Group [...]

EUROPE’s richest handicap, the Ebor (3.35pm), headlines Saturday’s card from York.We’re already in a good position in this fiercely competitive contest, having taken an ante-post position on EMIT at 25/1 a few weeks ago.Joseph O’Brien’s four-year-old looks set to go off as one of the favourites for this, with a current best price of 7/1, [...]

THURSDAY brings us the second of four days of racing from York’s Ebor Festival, with the fillies and mares taking centre stage.Another 19 two-year-old fillies will take to the Knavesmire to test their credentials for next year’s Classics in the Group Two Lowther Stakes (1.50pm)The ground has been a big talking point heading into the [...]

THERE’s a star-studded line-up for this year’s Group One City of York Stakes (3.00pm), with a host of Group One winners lining up for what promises to be a fascinating renewal.Notable Speech drops back to seven furlongs for this, having done most of his racing over a mile.His latest run in the Group One Queen [...]

SATURDAY’s card from Doncaster features the final Classic of the British Flat season, the Group One Betfred St Leger (3.35pm).Derby winner Christmas Day heads the market in a bid to give Aidan O’Brien a fourth St Leger win in as many years.He holds clear claims stepping up to this trip for the first time, but [...]

THERE is a mass of action heading into the weekend across Doncaster and the Irish Champions Festival, but it’s racing at Chester on Saturday that looks to have presented a few interesting betting opportunities.The first race on the card, the Listed Stand Cup Stakes (1.30pm), sees the return of the admirable DUBAI HONOUR.The eight-year-old is [...]