Balding anticipating York battle for Lennox victor Sandrine

Filly will try to confirm Goodwood form in Knavesmire Group Two.

Sandrine bids to follow up Glorious Goodwood success in the Sky Bet City of York Stakes on Saturday.

A winner at Group Three and Two level as a juvenile last season, Andrew Balding’s filly kicked off the current campaign by finishing fifth in the 1000 Guineas.

The daughter of Bobby’s Kitten was subsequently well held in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot, but bounced back to finish third in the Falmouth before successfully dropping back in trip to win last month’s Lennox Stakes.

She faces several of the same horses in this weekend’s GBP 400,000 Group Two, and Balding is more hopeful than confident she can confirm her superiority.

“She maybe had the run of the race last time at Goodwood and there might be a few in behind who felt a bit unlucky, so it is not going to be straightforward,” said the Kingsclere handler.

“She’s in great form and ran well in the Lowther last year so we know that the track won’t be an issue. We hope she will go very close again.”

Sandrine renews rivalry with Goodwood runner-up Kinross, the third home Pogo and the fifth-placed Sacred, with connections of the latter expecting an improved performance.

Chris Richardson, managing director for owners Cheveley Park Stud, said: “She’s in good form. Things didn’t quite go her way at Goodwood, but William (Haggas) has been happy with her since.

“As long as there’s not much rain, the ground should be ideal for her on Saturday and seven furlongs suits, so fingers crossed.”

Jumby with connections after winning last week's Hungerford Stakes
Jumby with connections after winning last week’s Hungerford Stakes (Steve Paston/PA)

Other hopefuls include the Charlie Appleby-trained Al Suhail, Eve Johnson Houghton’s Hungerford Stakes winner of last weekend Jumby and Brad The Brief, who is on a hat-trick for Hugo Palmer.

Johnson Houghton said: “He’s in great form, he seems to have come out of Newbury really well.

“He loves fast ground so I think we should keep running him while the ground is good.

“It’s obviously a quick turnaround. He seems to be bouncing, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating as they say.”

The final day of the Ebor Festival gets under way with the Group Three Sky Bet And Symphony Group Strensall Stakes, for which Mighty Ulysses is the likely favourite.

Beaten less than a length into fifth place in the St James’s Palace Stakes at the Royal meeting, John and Thady Gosden’s charge made the most of having his sights lowered when comfortably winning a Listed prize at Newmarket last month.

“He ran well in the Henry Cecil last time and the step up in trip to nine furlongs shouldn’t be a problem to him,” said Thady Gosden.

“He’s a horse we have always liked and has plenty of talent. He ran a huge race in the St James’s Palace then dropped back in grade and won and deserves to run in this company.

“It’s a deep field, but he goes there in good order. All these races at York are very competitive, as they should be given the quality of festival it always is.”

Bashkirov and Tom Marquand winning at Epsom
Bashkirov and Tom Marquand winning at Epsom (John Walton/PA)

The Cheveley Park silks are carried by Bashkirova, who won the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom before finishing fifth behind the top-class Saffron Beach in the Duke of Cambridge.

Richardson added: “Some rain might be a help to her as she likes a little bit of ease in the ground.

“We did think about going for the Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville on Sunday, but a Group One might be shooting a little bit too high with her and we thought we’d roll the dice at York instead.

“William is very happy with her and thinks she’s a good, progressive filly.”

Pontefract Listed winner Alflaila (Owen Burrows) and Cadillac (Kevin Philippart De Foy) also feature.

A fiercely-competitive Sky Bet Melrose Handicap includes Caius Chorister, who bids for a remarkable sixth successive win for David Menuisier.

“She’s fine and has been really progressive all season,” said the trainer.

“We think the step up in trip will suit her – her dam stayed well – and hopefully she can keep on improving.

“At the end of the day she owes us nothing, so we’ll go there hopeful and ready to enjoy the day.”

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