TAKE the Mick out of the bookies at York.
Michael Easterby is still doing the business at the age of 88 and can land the Queen Mother’s Cup with WHERE’S JEFF (1.50).
He’s got top amateur Serena Brotherton on board and that counts for a lot in these contests. He comes here after winning pretty much as he liked at Beverley last time out.
The four-year-old stormed home over the 1m2f distance there and ran right through the line so this longer trip should hold no fears.
The handicapper has been more than fair with a 3lb rise in the weights for that convincing win and he handles any ground so more rain won’t be an issue.
This sizeable field isn’t a problem because he saw off 13 rivals when winning at Newcastle last season.
Arctic Fox looks a danger after winning well here over a shorter trip last time. She came from a long way back and is another who shapes as though stepping up in distance holds no fears.
ABOVE THE REST won York’s 2.25 last year and looks worth an each-way punt at tasty odds today.
David Barron’s veteran comes here in better form than it may appear at first glance. He was seventh at Thirsk last time but was unlucky there to be stopped a couple of times when coming with a strong finishing run.
We know he likes this trip and track from 12 months ago and he’s 2lb lower in the weights as he bids to follow up.
He does have a win to his name this term and it came in Listed company at Wolverhampton in March and a repeat of that would put him right in the shake-up.
Aljady looks the type to improve for stepping up to 7f after finishing well over a furlong shorter here last time out.
He was coming back from seven months off and a gelding operation so could well improve for the experience regardless. The handicapper has been fair in leaving his mark alone after that encouraging third in a big field.
The ground shouldn’t be an issue as he won his maiden with plenty of cut and this is just his seventh run so there may be a lot more to come.
MORAAWED is improving fast and can run away with York’s 3.35.
Roger Varian’s speedster hasn’t done a lot wrong so far and started his turf season with a good win at Doncaster in April over this trip.
His fourth at Newmarket last time was another good effort, especially given he had to weave his way through the field in the closing stages.
It’s interesting to see blinkers applied for the first time here and they may help should he need to come from behind again. He stays 7f and that’s an asset at York where the sprint trips take some getting.
With just two runs on grass to his name, you would hope for lots of improvement.
Dazzling Dan is going up the weights but he’s progressing well as he showed with that gutsy win ahead of Moraawed last time. He’s up another 4lb for that victory but has winning form on soft ground and rates a big danger again.
Blown By Wind is more than capable of winning a race like this and he went close at Newmarket last time. He likes to go from the front so can stay out of trouble and soft ground is fine.
YORK
1.50 Where’s Jeff
2.25 Above The Rest
3.00 Mekong
3.35 Moraawed
4.05 Historic
4.40 Markazi
5.15 John Kirkup
SANDOWN
2.05 Well Done Fox
2.35 Wiley Post
3.15 Greenside
3.50 Artistic Rifles
4.25 Absolutio
5.00 Damon Runyon
5.35 Oi The Clubb Ois
BATH
1.45 Dream Free
2.20 Daddies Diva
2.55 Khafooq
3.30 Wahash
4.10 Handytalk
4.45 Lysander Belle
5.20 Luckys Dream
CHESTER
2.10 Mrs Bouquet
2.40 Gravistas
3.10 Queen Penn
3.45 Broken Spear
4.20 Humble Gratitude
4.55 Turanga Leela
5.30 Heart Of Soul
HEXHAM
2.15 Roll Of Thunder
2.45 Some Day Soon
3.20 Longtymegone
3.55 Cairnshill
4.30 Darling Miss
5.05 Prince Dundee
5.40 Wazowski
