Tower to hit Yorkshire Cup heights

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Tower Of London can rise above his rivals on the Knavesmire to lift the Boodles Yorkshire Cup.

Aidan O’Brien’s four-year-old made his winter travels to the Middle East a worthwhile venture when landing both the Red Sea Turf Handicap in Riyadh and the Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan.

Those lucrative triumphs came ahead of some respected performers and were a step forward on his European form from last summer.

The peak of that segment of his career was a fourth-placed run in the St Leger, where his stablemate Continuous may have been the clear winner but the placed horses finished fairly well bunched.

After some longer distance efforts since, Tower Of London drops down to a mile and six furlongs and looks the horse to beat under Ryan Moore.

On the same card, Running Queen can take the Clipper EBF Marygate Fillies’ Stakes at Listed level for Sam Sangster and Oisin Murphy.

The Kingman filly was the winner of a Salisbury conditions race when last seen in early May, a smart length-and-a-quarter success on soft ground that tees her up nicely for a step up in grade.

The other Listed contest on the card is the Sky Bet Fillies’ Stakes, where Charlie Appleby’s Devoted Queen catches the eye on her third career start.

Another daughter of Kingman out of multiple Group race-winning mare Fintry, her two prior outings ended in success as she took a Newmarket maiden by a good margin last year and returned to action in April to win on the all-weather at Kempton.

Now returned to turf, she looks poised to take the next step in her career under William Buick.

Newbury punters are advised to side with Diligently in the ARC & Sky Sports Racing Support Starlight Maiden Stakes.

There was plenty of chatter about Clive Cox’s juvenile prior to his racecourse introduction at Ascot a couple of weeks ago and by the time the gates opened, he was a 2-1 favourite.

Diligently’s supporters were ultimately left counting their losses, with the Harry Angel colt beaten two lengths into fourth place, but he should improve for the run and deserves a second chance.

Mount Teide is another who can confirm debut promise in the Starlight Express Novice Stakes.

Andrew Balding’s three-year-old was a big price at 25-1 at Newmarket’s Craven meeting, but hit the front at one stage before being caught close home by a trio of rivals.

Mount Teide was beaten just three-quarters of a length by Frankel’s half-brother Kikkuli and he can only progress.

In Ireland there is Group Three action in the Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes, where O’Brien has the key contender in Kyprios.

Once appearing to be the champion-elect in the staying division with a string of Group One successes in 2022, including the Gold Cup, the Goodwood Cup and the Irish St Leger, the chestnut has since been hindered by injury.

His winning streak may have been interrupted but his talent clearly remains and a Listed win in the Vintage Crop at Navan was a good way to return in late April.

This is a level up but in a small field, he is a clear choice and should not find too much hardship in the assignment if he can tap into the ability he has shown in abundance previously.

SELECTIONS

AINTREE: 5.45 Roaring Legend, 6.20 Homme Public, 6.55 Alnilam, 7.30 Kinondo Kwetu, 8.05 Majestic Jameela, 8.40 Bells of Ufford.

HAMILTON: 5.30 Captain Corcoran, 6.05 Gobsmacked, 6.40 Quintus Arrius, 7.15 Capital Theory, 7.50 Majestic Newlaw, 8.25 Lia Rose, 9.00 Bernie The Bear.

KILBEGGAN: 4.25 Minella Buddy, 5.00 Run For Harry, 5.35 Oh So Charming, 6.10 Jhentong Enki, 6.45 Ottizzini, 7.20 Warm In Gorey, 7.55 Take All, 8.30 Custom Taylor.

LEOPARDSTOWN: 4.15 Mount Kilimanjaro, 4.50 Cardinal Zin, 5.25 Giuseppe Cassioli, 5.55 Storm Eric, 6.30 Speckled Meadow, 7.05 Kyprios, 7.40 Charlie Darling, 8.15 The Black Tiger.

NEWBURY: 2.00 Darvel, 2.30 Glam De Vega, 3.00 Diligently, 3.30 Jarraaf, 4.00 Clockmaker, 4.35 Houstonn, 5.10 Papagei, 5.40 Waxing Gibbous.

NEWMARKET: 2.23 Powdering, 2.53 Creative Story, 3.23 Skukuza, 3.53 Gold Medallist, 4.25 Moktasaab, 4.55 Unico.

YORK: 2.15 Running Queen, 2.45 Botanical, 3.15 Devoted Queen, 3.45 TOWER OF LONDON (NAP), 4.15 Lead Artist, 4.45 Challet, 5.20 Vantheman.

DOUBLE: Tower Of London and Running Queen.

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