Finest Sound set for Ebor meeting after 'confidence booster' feature win

Friday: Thirsk

Finest Sound, who finished second in a Meydan Group 1 on his seasonal debut, got off the mark for 2022 in the significantly calmer waters of the three-runner 7f conditions stakes.

The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained five-year-old followed home Saturday’s Rose of Lancaster favourite Grocer Jack at Newbury last time and overcame a slow start to land the feature contest under Andrea Atzeni.

Despite holding an entry for Goodwood’s Celebration Mile at the end of the month, Finest Sound could return to Yorkshire for the Group 3 Strensall Stakes on August 20.

“I think we’ll probably go to York,” said Ed Crisford. “He’s in the Celebration Mile but I think we’ll probably go down the Strensall route. Obviously, we’ve got options, but we’re glad he’s got his head back in front; it’s a bit of a confidence booster.”

Glory again

The Horse Watchers Syndicate have become synonymous with horses racking up sequences, most notably Raasel, and Glory And Honour could be next after following up a win at Catterick on Tuesday.

Shane Gray was on board for that success and helped David O’Meara’s six-year-old land a near identical contest, the 1m4f handicap, under a penalty.

The win also brought up a double for Gray after he steered Alexa’s Princess to a first win at the sixth attempt in the 7f fillies’ nursery, a second two-year-old winner of the day for Karl Burke after Looking For Lynda’s success at Musselburgh.

Change of luck

Also getting off the mark was Sparkling Red, who ended a run of three consecutive seconds to justify favouritism in the 5f novice stakes for the Stewards’ Cup-winning duo of Michael Dods and Connor Beasley.

Results, replays and analysis

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