'There's still plenty left in the tank' - analysis and quotes for an intriguing Listed race at York

There can't be many more progressive horses in training than David Loughnane's Sparks Fly, who steps up to Listed class for the first time in search of a seven-timer.

Such heights could not have been imagined when the daughter of Muhaarar made her turf debut in a handicap off a mark of just 59 at Windsor in April, but she won that easily and hasn't looked like being beaten in five further outings.

Now rated 98, she has more to find to keep the run going, but she won with her ears pricked at Ayr 19 days ago despite hanging across the track, and there's no telling how far she can go.

She is clearly fancied by some as she opened up as 15-2 fifth favourite with Hills on the first show and was market leader at 3-1 not long afterwards.

All her victories have come with cut in the ground, so the recent rain is very much a plus, although the move Hills made favoured a filly trained by William Haggas who was stones below on her only start this season, finishing a 17-length seventh of ten when favourite at Nottingham in May.

If that sounds familiar it's because Haggas's Al Aasy won the Steventon Stakes at Newbury on Saturday just three weeks after a similarly woeful return to action, so it would be no surprise if Golden Lyra, a winner at this level on heavy ground at Saint-Cloud in October, bounced back.

She is the only older filly in the first half-dozen in the betting, and she has to give 9lb weight-for-age to a string of three-year-olds, that age group having won six of the last eight runnings, albeit not last year's.

Golden Lyra: won at Listed level in France in OctoberCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Queen For You, arguably unlucky not to win a Listed race over course and distance in May and far from disgraced when fifth of sixth in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot last month, brings more solid form to the race, but has never encountered soft ground, and nor has Midnight Mile, fourth at last year's Breeders' Cup but tailed off in the Ribblesdale last time.

Electric Eyes won her maiden on soft ground last September, although she hasn't been seen since running second to subsequent Fillies' Mile winner Commissioning in the Rockfel Stakes later the same month. She has clearly had her issues since, but that form is among the best in the field.

Sir Michael Stoute's hat-trick-seeking Long Ago, stepping straight out of novice company, adds further intrigue to a fascinating and competitive contest.
Race analysis by Paul Kealy

What they say

William Haggas, trainer of Golden Lyra
She ran poorly at Nottingham and I need to get her season back on track. She got worked up in the preliminaries that day and York is a tricky place, so I'm hoping the same doesn't happen again, but she'll like the ground.

Roger Varian, trainer of Mukaddamah
She's in great form and this is probably her trip. She ran much better at Ascot than her finishing place suggests, she just didn't get much of a run on the inside. We are concerned about the going, but apart from that we're happy, and we've left the cheekpieces off.

Archie Watson, trainer of Pink Carnation
We've been waiting for some cut in the ground for Pink Carnation. She's in great form at home and I think she'll have her conditions at York.

Jane Chapple-Hyam, trainer of Queen Of The Skies
She's trained well and I'm going into unknown territory with the going, but she's by Lope De Vega, so I would hope she'd act on it. I'm there to get a bit of black type and she's progressed in her two runs for us. I hope we get lucky for her new owners.

Ed Walker, trainer of Scenic
Getting black type is hugely important for Scenic and her owner David Ward. She nearly managed it in France last time, losing third place only late on in a Listed race at Longchamp. Although she's still a maiden, she's a decent three-year-old and she'll be well suited by the extended ten furlongs and wouldn't mind any cut in the ground.

Dave Loughnane, trainer of Sparks Fly
The way she's won every race, she's done it with complete ease. I don't think we're anywhere near the bottom of her yet. I think she’d be fine on good ground as well, but it's not something we need to find out right now. We're on for a seven-timer, so we just need to tick every box at the moment, but there's still plenty left in the tank.
Reporting by Catherine Macrae

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