AUTOCRATIC will bid for more Group-race glory when he contests the £120,000 feature at York on Saturday – the Sky Bet York Stakes.
Owned by Cheveley Park Stud and trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Autocratic boasts a progressive profile having moved up through the handicap ranks as a three-year-old last year to emerge as a Group performer in his latest campaign.
The son of Dubawi ended the 2016 season with a comprehensive success in a handicap run over Saturday’s course and distance, of an extended ten furlongs.
Autocratic started this term with a below-par effort in the Earl Of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket but bounced back with an impressive win next time in the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown in May.
A minor setback has prevented him from running since that success but connections are pleased with his condition and feel this is the obvious next step.
Chris Richardson, managing director of Cheveley Park Stud, said: “Autocratic is in good form and we were obviously delighted with his win in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown.
“He subsequently had a slightly cloudy wash which prevented us from running him, but he is well now and this looks a good step for him.
“He won over course and distance last year with Ted (Durcan) on board and this will tell us if he is still progressing and could come back in a month for the Juddmonte International.”
Autocratic is one of eight declared runners for the £120,000 Group 2 prize which has been won in the past by subsequent Group 1 winners Twice Over and Mukhadram. The former, trained by Sir Henry Cecil, famously went on to beat stablemate Midday in the 2011 renewal of the Juddmonte International Stakes; while Mukhadram took the following season’s Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.
Mukhadram was trained by Newmarket-based if Skipton-born, William Haggas, who saddles two runners in this year’s event. The lightly-raced Hathal won a Group 3 at Haydock last year and was third in the Group 2 Summer Mile on his first start of 2017 while Victory Bond has run well twice at York already this season. As the stable have already recorded ten winners on the Knavesmire this season, the sponsors will have taken note.
Other intriguing runners include the David Simcock-trained Group 3 winner Algometer, the Irish-trained Success Days, and Mondialiste who brought the Arlington Million Trophy back to David O’Meara’s North Yorkshire base.
The seven-race card, which makes up day two of York’s Music Showcase weekend, also features the £50,000 Sky Bet Dash, a handicap over six furlongs. The weights are headed by Wokingham Stakes winner, Out Do, who is one of fifteen runners trained in the White Rose County.
The action gets underway with the Win £100k For Free At sportinglife.com/pick 7 Handicap at 2:05pm.
For tickets please call 01904 620911 x 225 or visit www.yorkracecourse.co.uk