Micheál Deasy has four selections for Day Three at York.
Natalie’s Joy made a debut so impressive that she started a short price favourite for the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot last summer. Things did not go to plan that day but she made amends a month later in a listed race at Newbury where she took the scalp of Emaaraty Ana who would go on to win the Gimcrack.
Natalie’s Joy has a huge amount of speed but has not been tested over a mile. This shouldn’t be a problem when looking at her pedigree, her sire Lope De Vega was a top-class miler and her trainer has entered her in the Irish 1000 Guineas and the Coronation Stakes, which suggests she will stay the trip.
If she can settle and deliver that awesome pace in the final furlong, she can lay down a marker ahead of bigger targets this summer.
Mildenburger is a very interesting entry here for me. He surprised a lot of people last year when he ran a stormer in the Dante and was not seen again for the season. This year he has looked like a horse that needed a longer trip during both his runs and is getting a crack at 1m6f today.
He was slow to get going at Epsom on his seasonal reappearance and while his seventh-place finish wouldn’t catch the eye it hides the fact that he absolutely flew home in the final furlong. He didn’t quite get there over 1m4f at Newmarket next time out but it was a much better run and a definite return to form.
I think he will stay the trip today and while he may not have the class to beat Stradivarius he can definitely run into a place ahead of Ispolini and Southern France.
Lucius Tiberius ended up being a middle of the road handicapper for Aidan O’Brien who produced his best runs on fast ground last summer with wins at Leopardstown and the Curragh. He was subsequently bought by Godolphin and is now in the care of Charlie Appleby who threw him in at the deep end in France on his first start where he was blown away like the rest of the field by Ghaiyyath.
His second run was another “just fine” effort and that has seen his mark drop to 100 which gets him in here off top weight. He is running against some very exposed horses here and as a 4yo could still have a bit of improvement in him. The firm ground will suit him and if his genius trainer can unlock a few pounds of improvement in him he could have too much for this field.
Alfie Solomons was a great character on the hit TV show “Peaky Blinders” and I’m hoping he can run another blinder on the Knavesmire tomorrow. He led at the furlong marker in the Goffs Premier Yearling Stakes over CD last August before veering wildly right and ruining his chance of landing a huge pot.
Course form is a great asset to have at York and that was a career best on ratings for him. This may not take a lot of winning and he is a double-figure price. Back him to win and back him to place.
