From Galashiels to Goodwood and now York: meet the Scottish raiders hoping to light up the Ebor festival

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You would never hear one of their country folk saying it so the Front Runner feels duty bound to step in and do so. 

The founder of this column is too polite to feel comfortable mentioning Scotland’s fine recent performance at Goodwood – partly to avoid any accusation of bias and partly to avoid the risk of jinxing it and stopping it happening again. 

So it is left to this Englishman to hail Jim Goldie’s triumph in the Group 2 King George Stakes with American Affair, his fifth winner at a meeting staged a mere 430 miles away from his base just outside Glasgow. 

• 'It's taken me ten years to get another one as good' - Paul Mulrennan targeting third Nunthorpe win 

To celebrate Katie Scott's making light of a seven-hour trip from Galashiels in the Borders to take the £50,000 five-furlong handicap with fast-improving Naana's Shadow.

• 'People probably thought it was a bit mad' - Katie Scott dreaming big after scoring with first Goodwood runner 

And to enjoy Rowan Scott, part of the Hawick diaspora of riding talent, winning a nursery on Sword Salute for the Scottish-bred Charlie Johnston.

But that is the past. In racing we are always more interested in next week than last week. 

York is about a quarter of the distance from Scotland that Goodwood is, so surely the country's trainers will be four times as effective at the Ebor meeting there? 

Perhaps not. But they did win the last race at the festival last year, with Dain Ma Nut In triumphing for Lucinda Russell and Michael Scudamore.

So the Front Runner looked into the pick of the likely cross-border raid that will be hitting York over the four days.

Katie Scott, Galashiels 

Black type can wait for Naana's Shadow, who will try to follow up her Goodwood success in the three-year-old handicap on the Wednesday at York. 

"Everything's been pretty straightforward," Scott tells the Front Runner. "She was unbelievable at Goodwood but she keeps improving and she keeps showing us at home that she is. She's just got a super attitude. 

Naana's Shadow with trainer Katie Scott (left) after winning at Epsom earlier this yearCredit: Grossick Photography (racingpost.com/photos)

"You want a good draw at York, it can be quite a big thing there and you want to be near the pace. But the way she's progressing, you'd be hoping that she'd have a good chance once again." 

The handicapper put Naana's Shadow up another 8lb but Scott says: "She deserved it and I wouldn't think it was an unfair rise. It was justified. 

"Personally, I think she'd still have won at Goodwood with another eight pounds on her back. We want a good pace and a nice draw but the more she runs the better she's getting. 

Naana's Shadow: "the more she runs the better she's getting"Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"It would be amazing to win again. Every northern trainer wants winners at York and she's won at the track before." 

Sadly Luna A Inbhir Nis – "her name means moon over Inverness," the trainer tells us – will not make the Nunthorpe. 

"She slipped on the road at York last month and cut her hock," Scott says. "She's just back in work now and is four weeks off a run."

Jim Goldie, Glasgow

Racing American Affair up with the pace paid off in the King George Stakes at Goodwood and his trainer is not fazed by a step back up to Group 1 company in the Coolmore City Of Troy Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

"They were all in it and he was definitely the fastest," he reflects of last month's success. "They went a very fast pace and there were no excuses for the others. The fact they went to close to Battaash's course record shows the quality of the field.

American Affair (far side): back to winning ways at Glorious GoodwoodCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

"His win at Ascot last year was no fluke, he's a talented horse." 

Goldie is excited that next week's race is a win-and-you're-in for the Breeders' Cup but warns: "York can be a wee bit different with the wind and draw bias – it seems hard to win from a high draw." 

Iain Jardine, Carrutherstown

This is a trainer who knows exactly what you need for the Sky Bet Ebor, having won it with Nakeeta in 2017 and having had Shrewd finish second the previous year. 

Which makes it all the more compelling to hear him say of next week's contender Paddy The Squire: "This has been the plan since his last run of last year. We felt he'd be suited by the trip and the fast pace, he gallops on and he's progressive.

Iain Jardine: "This has been the plan since his last run of last year"Credit: John Grossick

"We've been delighted with him this season, he ran really well at Royal Ascot and at Newmarket afterwards. 

"We've kept him back for the Ebor since then. He's the right type and we're really looking forward to it."

Ewan Whillans, Hawick

Talk about a trainer's dilemma. Whillans must decide whether to declare Team Player for the two-mile handicap on the opening day at York at 10am next Monday, two hours before confirmations for the Ebor for which he is currently number 42 on the list.

"I'd love to run him in the Ebor but I fear he won't get in," he says. 

"The stayers' handicap is a £100,000 race and if he won on the Wednesday we might still declare him for the Ebor and he could go again, it's not the daftest idea and he'd have a penalty which might get him in."

Team Player: progressive handicapper for Ewan WhillansCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Whichever he lines up in, a big run is expected from a four-year-old who has won twice and finished fifth in the Chester Cup since moving to Hawick. 

"He ran another blinder at Newbury last time and the winner ran well when finishing second at Ascot last Saturday," the trainer says. 

"He's been absolutely brilliant for us and he's so easy to train, he does whatever you want him to and he's probably the easiest ride in the yard, as quiet as a lamb.

"Later on I'd love to run him in the Cesarewitch as it's a race that will suit him. I just hope there's a big one in him. He seems in good form and looks a picture, still fresh and well."

Read these next:

'We're going to wait for York' - no Bow Echo bout for Thesecretadversary as Fozzy Stack opts for Knavesmire clash instead 

Royal Ascot winner 'the best version of herself' as owner bids to build on landmark US success with York bid 

Kieran Shoemark on his best chances at York - headed by a Group 1 winner taking on the big two in Juddmonte International 

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