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Skybet York Stakes 2008 |
Tajaaweed Among 11 Declarations for Sky Bet York Stakes 24/07/08
The Sir Michael Stoute-trained Tajaaweed has been declared along with 10 others for the £100,000 Group Two Sky Bet York Stakes (3.15pm) at York on Saturday, July 26. The three-year-old, who carries 8st 6lb, will be taking on older rivals for the first time and is reported to be in good form ahead of the extended 10-furlong contest.
A winner on his debut last season, Tajaaweed failed to figure in the Group One Racing Post Trophy at the end of his two-year-old campaign, but returned to action a much stronger horse this year.
He started the current campaign off in the best possible way, winning the Group Three Dee Stakes at Chester on May 9. The son of Dynaformer handled the tight track well and booked his ticket for the Vodafone Derby, where he finished a creditable eight, beaten less than nine lengths by New Approach.
“All being well, Tajaaweed will run in the Sky Bet York Stakes on Saturday. He came out of Epsom well and is fine,” explained Angus Gold, racing manager to owner Hamdan Al Maktoum.
“Michael Stoute gave him a little bit of a break and freshened him up after Epsom. I spoke to him yesterday morning and he said that he is very happy with the horse, so as long is everything is alright between now and Saturday, it’s all systems go.
“He ran well enough at Epsom. I personally don’t think that the track suited him, which is no great surprise looking at the individual he is - a big, tall horse. My gut feeling is that he wasn’t suited by Epsom. Obviously York is a flatter track so we’ll see.
“He won well at Chester and he’s on the upgrade. I’m sure he’s a horse who will continue to improve as he gets older with the scope that he’s got. He is only going to get stronger and more mature, so we’ll see where we are after Saturday.”
A 3/1 chance with Sky Bet and the mount of Richard Hills, Tajaaweed faces stiff opposition from Sky Bet ’s 9/4 market leader Pipedreamer, whose four starts this season have resulted in four third-place finishes, most recently at the highest level in both the Prince Of Wales’s Stakes and the Coral-Eclipse.
The Godolphin team is represented by Coral-Eclipse fourth Campanologist, who will carry the stable’s first colours under Frankie Dettori, and last year’s winner Stage Gift, the mount of Kerrin McEvoy. Meanwhile, Henry Cecil is also double-handed, with Hardwicke Stakes runner-up Multidimensional declared along with recent Listed Gala Stakes winner Many Volumes.
On his previous start, Many Volumes found the Hughie Morrison-trained Supaseus a length too good in the Listed Wolferton Handicap at Royal Ascot, a race in which the Mick Channon-trained Halicarnassus finished fifth.
Veterans Blythe Knight and Dunaskin, both eight-year-olds, have been declared by their respective trainers, John Quinn and Brian Ellison, while the Mark Johnston-trained Hearthstead Maison completes the line-up.
Meanwhile, a maximum field of 20 will go to post for the competitive £50,000 Sky Bet Dash Heritage Handicap (3.45pm), headed by market rivals, the Jeremy Noseda-trained Express Wish, who will have the assistance of Frankie Dettori in the saddle, and the Richard Fahey-trained top-weight Knot In The Wood, who Jamie Moriarty will claim 3lb off.The duo both currently trade at 6/1 with Sky Bet .
Fahey is also represented by Harrison George, Kaldoun Kingdom and Sunrise Safari, while Kevin Ryan has declared Tamagin, who has failed to hit the target this season but could figure if he reproduced some of last year’s form.
River Falcon has been declared by Jim Goldie, while the Conor Dore-trained Efistorm, a recent winner at Pontefract, is also among the line-up.
Sky Bet York Stakes
Pipedreamer 9/4
Campanologist 11/4
Tajaaweed 3/1
Many Volumes 10/1
Multidimensional 10/1
Hearthstead Maison 16/1
Stage Gift 16/1
Blythe Knight 16/1
Halicarnassus 33/1
Supaseus 33/1
Dunaskin 100/1
Each Way terms: 1/5 of odds for 1st 3 places. Non Runner Money Back.
