Side with race-fit Brando against the vulnerable Harry Angel

Banksea
2.20 York

Golden Apollo
2.55 York

Brando
3.30 York

Lubinka
4.05 York

James Doyle can do no wrong at the moment and he can get York off to the perfect start for Godolphin with victory on Banksea (2.20).

Giving weight all round will be no easy task, but a first run at 1m4f could eke out some extra improvement and this race doesn’t look as strong as recent renewals.

The five-year-old will be fit having had three runs at Meydan and his running style and pedigree suggests he will appreciate the new trip.

The son of Lawman made eyecatching late headway in all three of his starts in Dubai this year – each over 1m2f – and his final run in Britain last season saw him get rolling all too late in the Dubai Duty Free Handicap when beaten just two lengths off this mark.

Charlie Appleby’s gelding has shown all of his best form on quick ground.

Tim Easterby has thrown three darts at this ultra-competitive handicap, including the well-fancied Orion’s Bow, but unexposed sprinter Golden Apollo (2.55) could be the most interesting of his trio.

The son of Pivotal was a decisive winner off 3lb lower in a three-year-old handicap over 6f at the Shergar Cup meeting last season before stepping up in grade to tackle his elders in competitive handicaps at Ripon and York.

He was third of 14 behind stablemate Flying Pursuit on the first occasion before finishing strongly in the Coral Sprint Trophy on his final start.

That was his second fine effort over course and distance having also won here on good to firm ground last June, making it two out of two in handicaps on such a surface.

He should have learned plenty from that busy three-year-old career and, a year wiser and stronger, he is now open to any amount of improvement in this sphere.

Brando (3.30) bombed out when favourite for the Duke of York Stakes last season but can make amends this year by turning over Harry Angel.

Kevin Ryan’s six-year-old broke a blood vessel when disappointing on the Knavesmire 12 months ago, but he proved himself at the top level subsequently when third behind Harry Angel in the July Cup and winning the Prix Maurice de Gheest.

That July Cup run gives Brando just over a length to find with Harry Angel, but he is now 11lb better off as Harry Angel has to carry a 5lb penalty and no longer gets the 6lb weight-for-age allowance.

Significantly, Brando may also have a fitness edge having run out an impressive winner of the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket on his return, beating Sir Dancealot with a bit to spare.

Harry Angel is without doubt the best horse in the race, but he will have loftier targets than this and should come on plenty for the spin.

It’s worth bearing in mind that Clive Cox’s charge came on a bundle for his first run last season when pulling extremely hard in defeat to Blue Point and he could be vulnerable again.

Peter Chapple-Hyam doesn’t get the opportunity to showcase his talents at Pattern level as much anymore, but he has a strong chance of saddling the Musidora winner with Lubinka (4.05).

The daughter of Mastercraftsman has already shown the best form in the race and may have been underestimated in the market, with many feeling she could be vulnerable to a lightly raced improver.

However, Lubinka, who had some top-class two-year-old form to her name, still looks progressive too given she couldn’t have won any easier on her reappearance, with the runner-up since winning a handicap off a mark of 80 to give the form some substance.

Chapple-Hyam’s filly was beaten just over a length by Guineas sixth Soliloquy on her second start at Ascot and improved on that effort when running a huge race in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket, finishing six lengths behind Laurens.

There’s a chance Lubinka was flattered by those two-year-old efforts, but on each occasion she shaped like a step up in trip would shed her in better light and her extra experience could prove critical.

She is a guaranteed stayer who is unlikely to be unsuited by the quicker ground and may prove too streetwise for her rivals.

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