Jetsetting Yibir returns to the green grass of home - what is his main danger?

Betfair Exchange Jockey Club Stakes (Group 2) | 1m4f | 4yo+ | ITV4/RTV

It has been easy to forget about Yibir in Charlie Appleby's squadron of four-year-olds, and unlike Adayar and Hurricane Lane, he was never in much danger of being retired.

He was gelded last spring after failing to quite come up to scratch in a couple of Derby trials and has taken off since then. He won a couple of St Leger trials, but as a gelding, was ineligible for the race itself and instead went abroad, winning twice in the US including the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar.

His return in the Jockey Club Stakes is not just a pipe-opener for another wide-ranging campaign, as he has already started. He ran just less than five weeks ago, finishing well from nowhere to just fail in the Sheema Classic.

The main danger to Yibir could again be tactics, as on form and ability he has nearly half a stone in hand on his five rivals even with his 3lb Group 1 penalty. Admittedly, this does not look likely to be a trappy small-field Group race. Three of the five are plausible front-runners.

Exactly who will lead is hard to call, as Living Legend's form is mostly over shorter and he had to fight tooth and nail when winning at Newcastle a fortnight ago.

West End Charmer has run only once in nearly two years, while the likeable Outbox was well placed to win a valuable race at Doha ten weeks ago. The doubt over him is his readiness, although this race might too have been a targeted money-spinner, as it often does not take as much winning as its £115,000 prize fund would imply.

Outbox (left) wins a valuable prize at Doha back in FebruaryCredit: Qatar Racing & Equestrian Club

The final two runners, Raymond Tusk and Red Verdon, are rightfully outsiders and neither is likely to play much part from a tactical perspective.

With the previously expressed doubts over the Johnstons-trained pair, it would appear that the Jockey Club Stakes quickly boils down to a straightforward betting puzzle. Accept Yibir's superiority and either back him or sit out, according to your taste for shorties. Alternatively, play small stakes on Outbox to emerge as the main danger, or perhaps even a tactically fortunate winner.

Whichever route you choose, be sure to get acquainted with the fancied two, who ran 25 times between them in 2021 and are likely to be fixtures in second- and top-tier middle-distances races this summer.
Race analysis by Keith Melrose

Appleby: 'Hopefully this will be a springboard to the Man O' War'

How often we get to see Yibir racing in Britain this season is open to question with trainer Charlie Appleby already setting his sights on broader horizons for a horse who has shown himself to be the most adept of travellers.

The four-year-old proved how smart he is when racing at home last year, winning the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket and then adding the Great Voltigeur to his haul after that.

However, as a gelding, and representing a yard filled with equine talent, Yibir has been granted the opportunity to increasingly race abroad. This has proved profitable, with Yibir landing the Jockey Club Derby at Belmont Park, the Breeders' Cup Turf at Del Mar and coming within a whisker of capturing the Dubai Sheema Classic at Meydan last time as well.

The Group 2 Betfair Exchange Jockey Club Stakes appears there for the taking for Yibir, with the Godolphin runner likely to start a short-priced favourite. But whatever the case, it seems that the four-year-old will be boarding a plane for his next outing.

Appleby said: "Yibir was last seen in the Sheema Classic. He was the winner of the Breeders' Cup Turf and he is going to head towards the Jockey Club Stakes, and hopefully that will springboard him on to a trip to America for the Man O' War Stakes."

The Man O' War, a 1m3f turf contest worth $700,000 (£558,000/€665,000) takes place on May 14 and has been won in the past by European runners such as Cape Blanco, Zhukova and Red Rocks, although not by Godolphin since Fantastic Light struck in 2000.

What they say

Cosmo Charlton, director and racing manager of Hambleton Racing, owners of Outbox
He's been a fantastic purchase for us and he's won stacks of prize-money. He's been a really consistent horse and he's come back from his win in Qatar nice and fresh. Everyone's delighted with him and the quick ground in his favour. Archie [Watson] is great at finding opportunities for his horses and I'm sure he'll be on his travels again at some point.

Alan King, trainer of Raymond Tusk
I thought it was a good effort last time at Newbury. He got stopped a couple of times in the race, and while it didn't make a difference to the result, it did mean he took a bit of time to get going. He seems in good form and I hope the ground will be okay for him. He should run a sound race.
Reporting by Peter Scargill

Friday's race previews:

1.50 Newmarket: Fact-finding Derby mission for connections of small-field Newmarket Stakes

3.15 Goodwood: Could we see another future Group 1 winner in this red-hot Listed race?

4.15 Punchestown: 'His second to Stattler reads very well' - Fighter could frank stablemate's form

5.25 Punchestown: 'He could give her a fright' - can anyone dethrone the mighty Honeysuckle?

6.00 Punchestown: Mullins-trained Champion Hurdle prospect sets the standard in top novice event

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