Sharpened by a run in the G3 Sagaro S., George Strawbridge's Flying Officer (Dynaformer) bids to continue Frankie Dettori's purple patch at York's Dante meeting in Friday's G2 Betway Yorkshire Cup. Third under a five-pound penalty in that Apr. 27 two-mile contest at Ascot, last year's G2 QIPCO British Champions Long Distance Cup winner should be able to reverse form with that race's runner-up Clever Cookie (GB) (Primo Valentino {Ire}) on level terms, particularly as the ground has dried against that rival. He also had Clever Cookie back in second when winning the Champions Day staying feature, but the latter's trainer Peter Niven is not giving up hope. “He's good–he seems to be progressing along nicely,” he said. “But I was praying for these showers to happen. He loves it round York and if he gets a strong gallop over a mile and six, he has every chance. He's getting fitter, he's a year older and has taken a while longer to get fit.”
Luca Cumani, who saddled Mizzou (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to win the Sagaro, relies on Merry Fox Stud's Second Step (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}) here. Successful over 12 furlongs in the G2 Jockey Club S. at Newmarket last May and the G1 Grosser Preis von Berlin in August, the 5-year-old was fourth in the G1 Irish St Leger over this trip at The Curragh the following month before finishing ninth in the GI International. “It's a tough race with the second and third from the Sagaro, but he seems well and is training well and we are hopeful of a good run,” Cumani commented.
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