Group Two Duke Of York Stakes Guide 2021

Tim Easterby has twice won this race as a trainer, albeit in the 1998 and 2001 renewals of the affair. 

He is represented at the head of the market by Art Power who performed well in some top sprint affairs last season as a three year old, including a Group 3 win in Naas, Ireland (6f).

He subsequently scored a fourth placed finish in the Group 1 Betfair Sprint Cup before another fourth placed finish, going down by just a length, in the Group 1 Champion Sprint stakes at Ascot on soft ground.

Art Power now returns for his four year-old season on the back of a 207 day break and may do better yet after progressing over the winter.

He’ll also appreciate any cut in the ground and holds strong claims here. 

2008 race winner, Ryan Moore, is employed on board Roger Teal gelding Oxted, who returned from a disappointing trip to Saudi Arabia with a close runner up effort behind re-opposing rival Summerghand in the Abernant Stakes (Group 3, 6f). 

He proved his high class ability last summer with a quick-fire double in group company in the aforementioned Abernant Stakes before a Group 1 success in the Darley Stakes. 

That form is some of the best on offer in this field and if running up to those standards once more, will have him very difficult to stop. 

He only went down by a nose behind Art Power  in the Champion Sprint at Ascot so may well reverse the form, although he does look to prefer faster ground. 

He also has the advantage of a recent run so should be stripping fit for the race this time out. 

Lightly raced four year-old Starman represents trainer Ed Walker who has enjoyed plenty of winners since the return of the flat season. 

The colt recorded three straight wins in his opening three races last season, the latter of those runs being an impressive listed win at York (6f).

He clearly holds bags of potential and is highly likely to have improved during his recent layoff, by which he returns from today on the back of a 207 day break. 

Having said this, his most recent run prior to the layoff was a disappointing 14th placed finish in the Champion Sprint (G1, 6f) under soft underfoot conditions and this slower ground is likely to be on offer once more here, although not quite as drastic. 

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy is employed for the ride and Starman looks to be one with a big four year old season ahead for sure.

Group 3 Jersey Stakes (7f) winner Molatham drops back in trip today for Roger Varian and Jim Crowley, with the pairing in excellent form of late. 

Molatham is fairly versatile ground wise and was subsequently thrown into a Group 1 affair in Deauville, France (7f) on the back of his Group 3 success, finishing an eventual fifth.

A respectable 3rd placed effort in the Group 2 Park Stakes (7f) followed, before a poor run in the Queen Elizabeth (Group 1, 8f) where the extended distance and testing ground looked to stretch him. 

He’s since been off for 207 days, however is highly likely to of progressed during the winter ahead of his four year old season.

It’s an interesting proposition to drop back to 6f and will have his natural pace to prove here against the sprinters, however still holds decent claims and should have a big season ahead. 

William Haggas won this race in 2017 with Tasleet and is represented here by sole entrant, Nahaar, with the employment of the talented Tom Marquand in the saddle. 

Nahaar ran out as an impressive winner of the Ayr Gold Cup handicap (6f) on his final run before a layoff, quickening up well in the final 100 yards.

He was subsequently last of four, on his return in a small field on the all-weather up at 7f however he will appreciate a bigger field and the drop back to 6f today whilst also stripping fitter for the run.

He’s another that holds potential to do big things this season and the Duke of York stakes will be his first taste of group company. 

Saeed Bin Suroor has been in sparkling form since the flat seasons return and the Godolphin trainer boasts two past victories in this race in 2000 and 2011. 

He is represented by sole runner Final Song who has enjoyed an impressive spell at Meydan recently and marks her return to British soil here after a Group 3 success and a Group 1 runner up finish at the Dubai venue. 

Final Song’s exploits in Britain have been less impressive, leaving the runner with it all to prove on her return, however the equippal of Frankie Dettori on board can be seen as a possible sign of what’s to come. 

She also gets a mares allowance for taking on the boys here. 

Fans favourite, Summerghand is David O’Meara’s representative in the race and come here’s on the back of two good wins. 

He’s been highly tried since his return from a winter layoff and after some varied efforts in Listed and Class 2 affairs, he landed the AW sprint championship stakes by a head before subsequently landing the Group 3 Abernant Stakes, beating re-opposing rivals, Oxted and Emaraaty Anna.

He will need to step up his form once more here in a Group 2 affair and is boosted by the employment of James Doyle on board so is likely to run his race.

However, he may be exposed to the slightly softer conditions having done his best running on firmer ground. 

The first of two Kevin Ryan entrants into the race is the once hot prospect Emaraaty Anna, who as a 2 year old, landed the Gimrack here at York (Group 2, 6f). 

His sole win since that run was in a Conditions stakes (6f) as a three year old although having said this, he has gone close recently in respectable grade affairs.

The gelding returned from a winter break with a runner up finish at Doncaster in a listed race (6f) before a close third behind Summerghand and Oxted in the Abernant (G3, 6f) and neck third in the Betfair Palace House stakes (G3, 5f). 

He’s done the majority of his running on firmer ground, so any cut in the ground would pose question marks over his chances here.

He will also need to step up his form once more as he steps back into Group 2 company.

Not completely disregarded but looks up against it today. 

The second Kevin Ryan representative in the field is Brando, who will be hoping to help his trainer land his third success in this race after victories in 2007 and 2012. 

Brando is a highly tried nine year old with past Group 1 success in France and Group 3 success’ in Britain (6f trips) and remains a competitive player in this field.

He returned from his winter break with a third placed effort in the listed Cammidge Trophy Stakes at Doncaster (6f) before subsequently finishing second on heavy ground in a Class 2 event at Haydock (6f) 4 days ago. 

He has the benefit of race fitness and should, as always, run his race, however looks to have a bit to find here and would of preferred a stiffer test. 

Karl Burke is another trainer chasing his first win in this race and brings the lightly raced five year old, Lady In France to York to try her hand in the affair. 

She won a Class 2 fillies handicap here at York over the shorter 5f trip, before being sent off to France for two runs at the end of last season, finishing a close up third in a Group 3 (5f) before keeping on well in heavy conditions in a Group 1 affair (5f). 

That final run was more of stamina test in the mud and definitely warrants Lady In France to be stepped up to 6f here, by which she can progress at a trip she remains unexposed at.

She is likely to have improved during her layoff however will have race fitness to prove on her first run back after 220 days. 

The mare also gets a fillies allowance here for taking on the boys.

Ventura Rebel is a colt with big potential, signified by his win to round off last seasons three year old campaign after crossing the Irish Sea to land the Group 3 Renaissance Stakes (6f) at Curragh.

Trainer Richard Fahey won this race in 2009 and his colt is likely to have progressed during a layoff over the winter. 

He’ll need to step up on the form previously shown before his group success, having finished a well beaten 6th behind Starman on his penultimate start and also has race fitness to prove here having been off for 228 days. 

Having said this, he’s not completely dismissed and has enjoyed softer conditions in the past finishing runner up in the Norfolk Stakes (G2, 5f) as a two year old. 

He has the chance to run a big race at a price and if stepping up his efforts from last season with the in form Paul Hanagan on board, has each way claims here. 

The third and final Kevin Ryan entrant is Queen JoJo who is the current outsider of the field at the prices. 

The daughter of Gregorian enjoyed Listed success as a three year old before stepping up her efforts as a four year old, landing the Group 3 summer fillies stakes over C&D. 

She subsequently kept on over 7f for a third placed finish in the City Of York stakes (G2) however ended last season with a disappointing run in Group 1 company in the Haydock Sprint Cup (6f). 

The mare clearly thrives here at York and will appreciate the return to the track however does have race sharpness to prove on the back of a 249 day break. 

She has also shaped much more like a 7f runner than a sprinter on more recent runs, leaving her possibly exposed to the natural pace of her opposition.

Queen Jo Jo gets a mares allowance for taking on the boys and Kieran Shoemark gets the leg up on board.