Up To Scratch

There is a tendency for the G2 Betway Yorkshire Cup to come up short on occasion, but that is not the case with regards to Friday's renewal at York, which has a deep look to it. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's Muntahaa (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) has already made his intentions known this season by winning the G3 John Porter S. over 12 furlongs at Newbury on Apr. 22 and he looks tailor-made for this trip. “He won nicely at Newbury the other day. He is a bit more relaxed this year and settled a lot better last time,” commented the owner's racing manager Angus Gold. “The plan last time was to ride him patiently and that seemed to work well. I like the way he applied himself at the end of the race at Newbury. He probably won't mind the easy ground as long as it doesn't get too soft, but you never truly know until they try it.”

Sir Michael Stoute is looking for a fifth renewal with The Queen's G2 Hardwicke S. winner Dartmouth (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}), who should not be inconvenienced by the ground but who may need the reintroduction after his second in the GI Canadian International at Woodbine in October. Also staging her return is the 2015 G1 St Leger heroine Simple Verse (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}), who boasts a 100% record at this distance having also garnered the G2 Park Hill S. back at the Leger's home Doncaster in September. “She's in good form and went well when she worked on Monday morning,” trainer Ralph Beckett commented. “The ground should be ideal, as should the track and trip. I have the [June 22 G1] Gold Cup [at Royal Ascot] in mind and this is the best place to start. Last season she was down and then up–things went well once we upped her in trip. Her last two starts were excellent and we are very pleased to have her back. She certainly ran to the same level last year as when at her peak at three. I don't know if she's going to improve this year, but she might not need to. She trains with plenty of enthusiasm, so she is relatively straightforward to get fit.”

Godolphin has enjoyed success in this five times with Saeed bin Suroor trainees, but this time it is Charlie Appleby who is charged with the responsibility of saddling the operation's representative. Last year's G2 Lancashire Oaks winner Endless Time (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) rounded off her 2016 campaign with a second in the G1 Prix Royal-Oak over nearly two miles at Saint-Cloud in October and her trainer said, “I'm pleased with the way that she has wintered and I feel that we have got her in great condition for her first start of the season. The conditions there should suit her, both in terms of the trip and the ground. She is proven on soft ground and has put up two good performances at Group 1 level. We have got her in the Gold Cup and if conditions came up with some ease in the ground we would take that into serious consideration.”