Will the Ebor form prove key again in the richest race on Racing League finale night at Southwell?

The Ebor form went on trial at Haydock on Saturday and on that evidence it appears to have been another typically strong running. The first three home in the Old Borough Cup had finished ninth, sixth and 16th in the York feature and one of the trio is back for a quick return.

Enemy, who was 16th in the Ebor and third in the Old Borough Cup, is the horse in question and his solid run at Haydock was a step back in the right direction. He had been beaten more than 12 lengths in each of his three starts before that and had looked to be on the wane.

He was rated 112 at his peak and went off a 6-4 chance for the Group 3 Henry II Stakes at Sandown only in May, so maybe he had been prematurely written off. He gets the chance to continue his resurgence here and his form figures on sand in France in 2021 read 212.

Saratoga Gold finished a place in front of Enemy in the Ebor and will definitely be suited by returning to an artificial surface. He won his last all-weather start at Kempton by seven lengths from the reopposing Protected Guest and is only 4lb higher than for that victory.

Protected Guest is 4lb lower in the weights and therefore has an 8lb turnaround. He was beaten 77 lengths on turf at Ascot last time, but seems to save his best for the all-weather.

Scampi beat Saratoga Gold and Enemy when tenth in the Ebor and is the best finisher from the York race in this line-up. However, he runs off a career-high mark and has so far looked better on turf.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

What they say

David Probert, rider of Scampi
He’s been a fun, consistent horse all year and should run well providing they go a good gallop. He’s not got much experience of the all-weather but gallops on a similar surface to this at home.

Scampi: having a good season but lacks experience on the all-weatherCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Kieran Shoemark, rider of Saratoga Gold
I’m looking forward to getting back on him as he’s very effective on the all-weather, including when I won on him at Kempton. He went up a lot in the weights for that, but he would have a decent each-way shout around there.

George Baker, trainer of Graignes
He’s been a busy boy but is holding his form very well. It’s a bit of a punt running him back only six days from Wolverhampton, but he seems in good form and these £100,000 races don’t come along very often.

Brian Ellison, trainer of Onesmoothoperator
There’s only one way to ride him which is to drop him out as we did at Newcastle last time when he was second. He likes the all-weather so hopefully he can be in the mix again.

Philip Robinson, racing manager to Saeed Manana, owner of Regal Empire
Josephine Gordon knows the horse as she rode him the time before last at Yarmouth when he was third. He won well under Hollie Doyle at the Shergar Cup last time and should enjoy the track. All being well we expect him to be thereabouts.

Stuart Williams, trainer of The Thunderer
He’ll have to pull his socks up from his effort at Wolverhampton last week where he was still coming around the bend when the leaders were in the straight, but I expect this more galloping track will suit him better. I’m sure he won’t be last.

George Margarson, trainer of Protected Guest
Obviously we’ve laid him out for the race. We gave him a break and freshened him up by sending him schooling over hurdles on the Links. We’ve Luke Morris on board and, looking at the prize-money, we’ll be happy with second.
Reporting by David Milnes

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