York Ebor Update winner Nigiri (5/1)

Warm Heart could only finish fifth in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh last time but the daughter of Galileo bounced back on a sounder surface producing a career best when winning the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks on the second day of the Ebor Festival. Partnered by James Doyle with Ryan Moore opting for favourite and stablemate Savethelastdance, she travelled strongly before digging deep to fight off the persisent challenge of Free Wind. A head winner, there was two and a quarter lengths back to Moore's mount. Savethelastdance tried to draw the sting out of his rivals by attempting to make all and got everything bar the winner off the bridle  approaching the final furlong. However, she couldn't match the front two keeping on at one pace - she needs further on dry ground and still rates a leading contender for the St Leger at Doncaster next month. Bluestocking ran well in fourth with connections feeling she, too, needs slower ground to show her best. Don't be surprised if she heads to Town Moor, too. 

Relief Rally made it four wins from five starts when capturing the Group 2 Lowther Stakes which opened the card. The daughter of Kodiac suffered her sole defeat in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot before outclassing her rivals in the Weatherbys Super Sprint at Newbury last time. Stepping up to six furlongs for the first time and racing on quicker ground, William Haggas' filly came off the pace before quickening up to win going away by a length from the rallying Cherry Blossom. Set for a busy Autumn, she is likely to contest either the Cheveley Park Stakes or Prix de L'Abbaye and deserves a crack at Group 1 level. Highlighted in Bromley's Best Buys in Ahead On The Flat, she has been a terrific buy costing 58,000gns.

As far as the York Ebor Update is concerned, it was proving a frustrating afternoon with the selections in the Lowther Stakes underperforming, Point Lynas (featured in Ed Bethell's stable interview) was denied by a head by a 40/1 outsider in the Clipper Logistics Handicap and One Evening, advised @ 10/1, missed out by the same margin in the Listed Galtres Stakes. Thankfully, Nigiri (5/1) came to our rescue in the finale running away with the seven furlongs fillies' handicap. Ralph Beckett's runner was landing a hat-trick and, despite rising a dozen lengths for a couple of wins at Haydock, the Lope De Vega filly still looked well ahead of the assessor bounding four and a quarter lengths clear. She looks ready for a tilt at Pattern company and is versatile in terms of ground.

I am working for Racing TV at York on Friday and Saturday and will therefore update the Diary at some stage over the weekend. Fingers crossed we can have a couple of profitable days. 

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