Ed Walker hoping things fall right again for exciting Primo Bacio on Knavesmire

Sky Bet City Of York Stakes (Group 2) | 7f | 3yo+| ITV/RTV

One of the issues with the British Flat schedule is the lack of races for three-year-old Group 1 fillies best suited by 7f or a mile between the Falmouth in July and the Sun Chariot in October.

Unless connections opt for an untimely three-month break or travel abroad, taking on the boys is unavoidable. The Hungerford provides an opportunity, as exploited this year by the William Haggas-trained Sacred, but the City Of York Stakes is far more enticing.

Fadhayyil (2015), Nemoralia (2016) and Talaayeb (2017) have been successful targets and Primo Bacio bids to follow suit this time for Ed Walker.

The sole three-year-old filly in the field, she was sent to Deauville this month for the Prix Rothschild but found the race developed a little too quickly as she met with trouble in a compact field. Her prior Falmouth fifth gives her sound claims and she's well off at the weights as she drops in grade.

Dropping back to 7f should not cause an issue for her on pedigree and her fourth in the Fred Darling at the start of this campaign showcased her push-button turn of foot. However, whether she has the gears to sit close enough to the pace against speedier rivals is up for debate.

Safe Voyage ended a run of five consecutive victories for three-year-olds in this race 12 months ago and is sure to be on the premises early, alongside perennial front-runners Lord Of The Lodge, Pogo and Highland Princess.

They could set it up for a closer and Space Blues, the top-rated horse in the race and a course-and-distance winner, has a favourite's chance as he returns to quicker ground after finishing fourth in the Lennox Stakes. Last year's Maurice de Gheest winner was strongly supported into favouritism from 11-4 this week.
Race analysis by Tom Collins

Godolphin hope it's Space time

Mishriff advertised the value of Saudi Arabian form when running away with the Juddmonte International on Wednesday and Space Blues bids to do the same three days on.

Godolphin's globetrotting 7f specialist earned more than £430,000 when landing a turf event at Riyadh in February, recording his fifth win in a row in the process.

Testing ground hindered his chance of repeating his 2020 success in the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood and the five-year-old, who was racing in his fourth different country in four runs, was not at all disgraced with a close fourth place.

A big run is expected as he returns to a track where he won a three-year-old handicap on his only previous visit, in 2019.

Space Blues (blue) won at the Dante meeting at York in 2019Credit: Edward Whitaker

"We were pleased with Space Blues at Goodwood on ground that was plenty soft enough for his first start in a while," said trainer Charlie Appleby.

"He has got form on slow ground but it was on the quick side of good when he won in Saudi Arabia and he handled that well. He has definitely come forward for the Lennox Stakes and should be very competitive."

Primo primed

Plenty who watched from afar as Primo Bacio bolted up behind closed doors in May will be keen to give her another chance as she returns to York to perform before a big crowd.

She was an impressive three-length winner in the spring, which makes the trouble in running that has prevented her showing what she can do in Group 1 events at Newmarket and Deauville all the more frustrating.

Trainer Ed Walker reflected: "Primo Bacio has not really had the rub of the green this year as she's run four times and had an interrupted passage in three of her races.

"The only time she had a clear run, she bolted up in the Michael Seely here in May. I hope things work out for her again back at York."

Walker has enough faith in the filly to have supplemented her for this race on Monday and said: "She's come out of her run in Deauville very well and she's more than capable of dropping back to seven furlongs. This looks a good Group 2 opportunity after a couple of luckless runs in Group 1 company."

What they say

Sean Quinn, son of John Quinn, trainer of Safe Voyage and Highfield Princess
Safe Voyage won a good renewal very well last year. He's in very good form but the ground is a concern and he would need rain. Highfield Princess is improving all the time, ran well from a poor draw at Goodwood and deserves to take her chance.

William Knight, trainer of Sir Busker
He got back on track with a blinding run at Salisbury and he'll get a good pace to aim at. I'd like to see a bit of rain as otherwise seven furlongs seven furlongs on fast ground might be a bit sharp for him.
Reporting by David Carr

Saturday's race previews:

1.50 York: fast-improving Real World out to continue march towards Group 1s in Strensall

2.05 Sandown: will the Queen's Reach For The Moon be another winning Solario favourite?

2.25 York: can King Of The Castle lay one more ghost to rest for late sire Galileo?

3.35 York: 'if you win the Ebor you're a bloody legend!' – key quotes as 22 go for glory

Big-race analysis: do you need a Group horse for the Ebor? Keith Melrose is not convinced (Members' Club)

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