Joshua Tree and Sir John to strike for Ryan Moore at York
Published:Ryan Moore registered three wins on the first day of the Dante meeting but was out of luck on day two. He can get back in the winners’ enclosure on day three courtesy of Sir John Hawkwood and Joshua Tree.
York 1:45 Majestic Alexander @ 6/1
This has the look of a highly informative fillies event with Royal Ascot in mind and the selection, a once-raced maiden-winner is one of those with Queen Mary aspirations. The daughter of Bushranger beat stablemate Limegrove by four and a half lengths under a very gentle ride from Tom McLaughlin on debut and that one went on to finish five and three quarter lengths behind Quator at Chester last time.
Beldale Memory, another once-raced winner, is feared most, with the second and fourth in her maiden success winning since. Ultimately the result could come down to who better handles the soft ground.
York 2:15 Sir John Hawkwood (NAP) @ 2/1
Sir Michael Stoute’s four-year-old is a confident choice, having been turned out under a penalty for a commanding victory over an extended 1m2f at the Chester Cup meeting. His past runs have suggested he should relish the extra 2f on offer here and the soft going should prove no problem to him, with the son of much-maligned Derby winner Sir Percy a five-length soft ground scorer on debut.
York 2:45 Joshua Tree @ 4/1
The former Aidan O’Brien inmate performed heroically in a globetrotting 2012, winning a French Group 2 over 1m7f before taking the Canadian International, with narrow defeats in the Prix Foy – to Japanese superstar Orfevre – and the Hong Kong Vase along the way.
That strong form came under the tutelage of Marco Botti and Joshua Tree has moved on to the yard of Ed Dunlop – who won this last year – since. It may be that a move to the experienced handler can get him to fire on the Knavesmire.
York 3:15 How’s Life @ 6/1
A race that seems to revolve around unexposed trio Pavlosk, Orpha and How’s Life, with preference for the Rae Guest-trained latter, who missed out on taking her chance in the French Guineas due to her rating being too low. She has a run under her belt this term – when scoring in a facile manner in Beverley – and this should be in her favour over seasonal debutant and multiple Group 1 entrant Orpha.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
