York Ebor — 22 August 2026

Class 1 · 1m0f177y · Good To Soft · 13 ran

We passed. Likely winner: Damysus (10/3)

Won by: Archivist (GB) at 9/1 · then Saber Strike (IRE), Persica (IRE)

What we said: Three runners stack up on the figures and the ground: Damysus (course and distance winner, one run on this exact going, a game 3rd last time), Geryon (dist/going both positive, been consistently competitive at 442412) and Persica (top RPR in the field, proven at today's trip and going), and none of them separates cleanly from what the market already prices in — this is a leave-alone Group 3 with too many share of the pie. Several others (Archivist, Dividend, Jonquil, Saber Strike, Hankelow) carry a real question mark having never raced on this exact good-to-soft ground, which only tightens the picture around the front three without handing any of them a clear edge.

Class 2 · 1m5f188y · Good To Soft · 17 ran

We passed. Likely winner: Infraad (3/1)

Won by: Infraad (IRE) · then Galilean Quality (IRE), Who's Lope (GB), Tierra Del Toro (GB)

What we said: Seventeen runners in a Class 2 heritage handicap is exactly the kind of race built to level the field, and here at least five have legitimate claims: Infraad steps up in trip for the in-form Haggas/Marquand axis but has never raced on this softened ground, Limestone carries the top weight and a hot recent record yet his only run on this exact going was a flat sixth last time, and Into The Light, Mythical Bay and Galilean Quality all arrive with solid form but the same untested-on-today's-ground question mark. With rain in the mix, the going could keep drifting and none of the leading fancies have proven form on it, so there's no single case I'd back my own money on at these prices.

Class 1 · 0m7f0y · Good To Soft · 14 ran

We passed. Likely winner: Notable Speech (3/1)

Won by: Notable Speech (GB) at 9/4F · then Lake Forest (GB), Marvelman (IRE)

What we said: a stacked Group 1 with too many genuine claims: Notable Speech is the classiest form on paper but carries a real caution after 67 days off (0-2 following 60d+ breaks), Ten Bob Tony and Zavateri both arrive with solid recent placed form, and Lake Forest adds course form into the mix, while several fancied types (Puerto Rico, Paborus, Lifeplan, Power Blue) have never raced on this softer ground — no single runner separates cleanly enough to bet with conviction.

Class 2 · 1m5f188y · Good To Soft · 24 ran

We passed. Likely winner: Hopewell Rock (9/1)

Won by: Daiquiri Bay (GB) at 10/1 · then Hopewell Rock (IRE), Opportunity (GB), Ascending (IRE)

What we said: Twenty-four runners in a Sky Bet Ebor is the definition of a race built to be unsolvable, and with four separate drifters (Paradias, Poetic Sound, Align The Stars, Burdett Road, Stressfree) alongside a steamer in Love Me Tender who is 299 days off and unproven on this ground, the market itself is unsettled; Hopewell Rock, Square Necker and Daiquiri Bay all arrive with genuine recent form but nothing separates them cleanly enough to isolate one at a backable price in a field this size.

Class 2 · 0m6f0y · Good To Soft · 20 ran

We passed. Likely winner: Dance In The Storm (11/4)

Won by: Sondad (GB) at 17/2 · then Far Above Dream (IRE), Coul Angel (IRE), Dance In The Storm (GB)

What we said: Twenty runners in a valuable heritage sprint make this exactly the type of race where no single case stands clean: Dance In The Storm heads the market on solid recent form but she's out from an unfavoured stall and ridden by a jockey currently well below market expectations, Air Force One arrives in form at the course and draws into the favoured low stalls but carries two separate fast-ground sire flags on ground that's drifting soft, and Realign/Red Spells Danger both have plausible but incomplete cases undermined by draw or ground gaps. With that many genuine but flawed contenders and a big field on drying-but-still-testing ground, there's no bet here worth backing with real money.

Class 1 · 0m5f0y · Good To Soft · 12 ran

We passed. Likely winner: Adonius (2/1)

Won by: Sale Shark (IRE) at 17/2 · then Adonius (IRE), Hickory Lad (IRE)

What we said: Adonius looks the classiest sort on offer with the highest PR figure (107) and a stack of two wins from four starts, but he's proven only on good-to-firm/firm and today's good-to-soft brings a damsire line (Exceed And Excel) that has flagged as struggling on this surface, so the market's already-short 2/1 doesn't leave room for that doubt. Behind him it's a scramble — Dance A Jig drifting from 9/1 to 11/1 and drawn 11 (disadvantaged today), Sale Shark drawn well but fading form and an out-of-form jockey booking, Dubai Champion progressive but unproven at this trip and draw — none of it stacks into a case worth backing at the price.

Class 2 · 1m2f56y · Good To Soft · 22 ran

We passed. Likely winner: Raammee (10/3)

Won by: Raammee (GB) at 13/8F · then Thunder Run (IRE), Bourbon Blues (GB), Shafdar (IRE)

What we said: Twenty-two runners in a big York heritage handicap is exactly the field size built to level form, and even the market leader Raammee arrives with no recorded run on this exact good-to-soft ground in five starts despite his smart course-and-distance win last time; Erzindjan is stepping up in trip fresh off a break, Al Aali and Diego El Queso are both progressive but unproven at this class, and nothing separates cleanly enough at the prices on offer to take a single-horse stand.