Matchbook Ambassador Hugo Palmer is bullish on the chances of Arbalet York today
York 16:45
We actually won this race 5 years ago with Short Squeeze – he was given the most fantastic ride that day by Pat Smullen. We were drawn widest of all which is not where you want to be over 1 mile at York, Pat dropped him in and sat patiently before passing nearly every rival in the last couple of furlongs to win by a ‘cosy’ head.
Today, we have ARBALET in the race.
The ground just went against him in the International at Ascot after a deluge of rain on the morning of the race. He was only beaten seven lengths that day and James Doyle reiterated that soft ground doesn’t play to his strengths. He’s now down to a mark of 99 and I don’t think he’s done an enormous amount wrong this season, apart from one disappointing run at Haydock when he wasn’t right.
He is yet to win over 1 mile but the way he ran over that trip in a Listed race at Windsor this season gives me hope and the likely top of the ground that we’ll get today makes me think that he’ll be fine.
Arbalet ridden by Jockey Josephine Gordon goes to post for the Jersey Stakes last year.
