'It’ll be nice if I can get another big one into him' - can Summerghand seal third win in £100,000 handicap at York?

If you found this meeting tricky from a punting perspective the final race in front of the ITV cameras offers minimal respite. Being the best-handicapped horse is not always enough in a massive-field sprint handicap at York. 

Billyjoh proved that in the Stewards’ Cup. He finished third from stall four, winning his group of 16. The other horses in the first six were drawn 28, 27, 24, 26 and 20 as stands-side runners held sway. 

He faced a near impossible task and is capable of collecting one of these. Stall 15 means Billyjoh at least has bankable pace to chase on his side. Oso Rapido (17) has led along two 18-runner fields on the Knavesmire this campaign before being swamped by the closers. 

Aside from Oso Rapido, the pace angles hardly jump off the page. Cover Up (five) is one candidate from the low numbers. He showed plenty of early zip in the Stewards’ Cup, leading the entire field bar front-running winner Get It until the petrol started to empty at the furlong-pole. Perhaps the 5½f sprint handicap that opened this meeting would have been a better fit for him.

Cover Up is drawn in close proximity to last-time-out winners Elmonjed (two) and Dare To Hope (three). Elmonjed’s profile is a steadily progressive one. He dug in to repel a similar-sized field in a valuable sprint at Windsor 12 days ago and possesses solid course form.

Dare To Hope justified a market plunge to land the Great St Wilfrid after finding himself on the wrong side in the Stewards’ Cup. Form figures of 4342 in 6f York handicaps make him a logical candidate for the Placepot.

This is typically the time of year when Summerghand (six) starts to motor. He won this in 2022 and dead-heated with Albasheer (19) in the previous running. A 20lb swing with Albasheer, combined with a series of recent promising efforts, may prove irresistible for the sentimental bettor.
Analysis by Robbie Wilders

What they say

Michael Dods, trainer of Commanche Falls
He's dropping in the handicap a bit now which allows him to get more into where he needs to be, into handicaps rather than the Listed and Group races. He's still got top weight and is giving a lot of weight away. We just felt that he needed a little bit of help early on in a race so he's got a small set of blinkers on.

Commanche Falls: runner-up in this race off 2lb higher in 2022Credit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Cover Up
He ran well to be fifth in the Stewards' Cup last time where he was always on the wing from his wide draw. We think this easy six furlongs will play to his strengths and he is drawn around some fancied ones in stall five.

Adrian Keatley, trainer of Ballymount Boy
Gelding him was the decision made by the team after his last run. He’s in good nick and he’s got good form at the track.

David O’Meara, trainer of Summerghand
He ran well at Ripon last week in the Great St Wilfrid. He likes York and it’ll be nice if I can get another big one into him.

Tom Marquand, rider of Elmonjed
He impressed me last time, he pulled pretty hard off a slow pace and was explosive. He's on the up, but it's not an easy task from that draw. Hopefully he can overcome it.
Reporting by Charlie Huggins

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