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See The Fire drops in grade for Strensall test

Published at Aug 23, 2024, 12:29

See The Fire will attempt to gain a deserved victory on the Knavesmire and get her moment of glory when she takes her chances in the York’s Sky Bet Strensall Stakes.

Andrew Balding’s filly, who sports the famous purple and blue colours of Jeff Smith, has only won once in her seven-race career, but has campaigned in Group One company on the last five occasions.

A staying-on fifth in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, she has been tested against the very best Ballydoyle has to offer since upped in trip the last twice.

Balding hopeful class will prevail

An honourable fourth to Aidan O’Brien’s City Of Troy in the Eclipse, the daughter of Sea The Stars then pushed Opera Singer all the way when denied by a neck in the Nassau Stakes.

With no O’Brien-trained rivals and a drop in grade, connections are now hopeful See The Fire will get the victory her efforts have deserved.

“Hopefully she goes to York with a great chance,” said Balding. “She’s had a good season, although she hasn’t won yet this year, but particularly in her last couple of starts she has shown she has got the ability we hoped she would and hopefully she will have a good chance.

“These races are difficult to win, as they should be, but she’s in great form and we hope she will go well.

“The trip shouldn’t be a problem. We had hoped she would be a Guineas horse earlier in the season, so she’s not a slow horse by any means.”

Roger Varian’s Enfjaar returns to the scene of his terrific John Smith’s Cup success after his near-miss in a similar event at Goodwood.

Alyanaabi bidding to bounce back

He is one of two for owners Shadwell along with Owen Burrows’ Alyanaabi, who has always been held in high regard and finished fifth in the 2000 Guineas earlier in the year.

A beaten favourite at Newbury last time, he now drops a furlong in distance as his team hope to erase that uncharacteristic blot on his copybook.

“We have hopefully put a line through Newbury and tactics-wise we got that wrong,” said Burrows.

“We will go back to what we know and hopefully we can get him back on track.

“There have been some decent runs this year, the Guineas looks strong form with what the front two (Notable Speech and Rosallion) have done and Clive Cox’s horse (Ghostwriter) was only a neck in front of us and ran a blinder in the International.

“He has some form there and hopefully it was just a blip last time, we’re very happy with him at home and hopefully he can get back on track.”

Scott excited to drop in trip with Phantom Flight

While Alyanaabi faltered in the Steventon Stakes, George Scott’s Phantom Flight thrived to see off the challenge of Al Aasy and register an impressive victory.

Al Aasy turned the tables on Scott’s five-year-old when they clashed over 12 furlongs at Goodwood, but the Newmarket handler is excited to drop back in trip with the Victorious Racing-owned gelding .

Scott said: “We really think coming back in distance will suit him and obviously he has to go and prove it, but going to Goodwood I was very much on the fence over whether he would stay or not.

“I just wanted to find out early as it would clarify running plans with him, but he has been showing more and more speed in his work and I’m very hopeful this will be more his trip.

“He’s a track winner and we know York can be a specialist track which is part of the decision in going for this race.

“It’s a strong race, as you would expect, but I’m really looking forward to it and trying him over this trip and on this ground. We’re getting to know him better and better now and are very pleased with him.

“He might have to pull out a career best to win this race and it remains to be seen whether he is capable of that, but for me all the boxes are ticked heading into the run anyway.”

Ralph Beckett’s Task Force stretches out in distance having finished a close-up third to fellow Juddmonte-owned runner Lead Artist in the Thoroughbred Stakes at Goodwood.

Runner-up in the Middle Park before being set some stiff assignments in the early stages of his three-year-old career, it was a promising run from the son of Frankel with his team still learning about the colt’s full capabilities.

“We sort of felt after the 2000 Guineas that he looked like he might get a bit further than a mile and when he ran in the Jersey (Stakes at Royal Ascot), that kind of confirmed we needed to go up rather than down in trip,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“He ran well the last day at Goodwood, didn’t get much luck in running but finished well and hit the line strong, and definitely suggested that another furlong would be within his compass.

“This will tell us a bit more about whether we can go another furlong on top which will open up a few more options going forward and I think he is starting to come back to his best.

“Andrew Balding has a good filly in there who will be tough to beat, but if he runs a nice race and we learn a bit more about him, we will be happy.”