York

3.00pm

Bless Him

He was never in the hunt from stall 17 at Goodwood last time, so I don’t think it was the first try at the 1m2f trip that beat him there at all. But the return to 1m is obviously no negative and he had been steadily inching down the weights on the back of some solid efforts prior to that run. He is now just 2lb higher than for his 2017 Britannia win and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ran well here. He shaped okay in midfield over course and distance in May, too, where he probably wasn’t ideally positioned throughout.

4.50pm

Clon Coulis

She could never get into the race from her outside draw at Goodwood last time, and she also wasn’t seen to best effect in a Listed race at Pontefract for me previously, but hopefully she can bounce back to form here. She clearly doesn’t have that many secrets from the handicapper off a mark of 102, though I suppose you can’t say she is badly treated, as she is just 3lb higher than when an agonising nose second in the Hunt Cup in June. I think the tempo of a strongly-run race suits her well, as she likes a pace to aim at, and she will need that here stepping down to 7f. Her best form looks to be over a mile, but I think her chance here rests on a well-run race and luck in running from stall one, given her run-style, rather than the trip.