THE famous blue and white silks of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum will be carried by a duo of intriguing runners in the Listed Best Western Hotels Ganton Stakes, the black type highlight at York tomorrow.
Muwaary and Mutakayyef are two classy performers with high-class form in the book, although both are on the comeback trail following injuries.
The John Gosden-trained Muwaary hasn’t been seen on a racetrack for 698 days but he was held in high regard as a three-year-old and his connections were keen to persevere with him.
On form it is easy to see why as the son of the Juddmonte stallion, Oasis Dream, registered some smart efforts in 2014, most notably a close fourth in the Group 1 French 2000 Guineas and when runner-up in the Group 3 Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Mutakayyef, trained by William Haggas, also has a number of creditable efforts to his name, including a neck second behind subsequent Grade 1 winner Mondialiste in the Betfred Strensall Stakes, over course and distance last August.
Richard Hills, assistant racing manager to Sheikh Hamdan, said: “Both horses are on the comeback following injuries. Muwaary has been off the track a long time but he is a very good horse – he was placed in a Classic and he finished second in the Jersey.
“Mutakayyef ran a fantastic race in the Strensall last season and is also a useful horse. Both horses are fit enough to do themselves justice and are ready to run. It will be good to get them both on the track and then we can build their seasons from here. We are hopeful rather than confident.”
That Classic history is perhaps what tempted Paul Hanagan to don the first cap on Muwaary; helpfully Pat Cosgrave was in the plate for that placed effort by Mutakayyef at the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival.
An eleven-strong field head to post for this £40,000 event run over a mile. Other interesting contenders include last year’s winner for Brian Ellison, the ever popular, Top Notch Tonto and recent course winner, Jallota from the Charlie Hills stable.
Sheikh Hamdan also has two declared for the £100,000 888sport Charity Sprint, a six-furlong handicap for progressive three-year-old speedsters, as demonstrated by last year’s first and third being Twilight Son and Magical Memory.
Retained rider Paul Hanagan will get the leg-up aboard Elronaq, a son of Invincible Spirit who finished third in the Group 3 July Stakes last season.He has yet to hit those heights since, but connections were pleased with his latest fourth at Chelmsford and hope he can reproduce his best on Saturday.
Sheikh Hamdan’s other runner, Alqubbah, is also declared in the feature on Friday’s York card, the EBF Breeders’ Series Fillies Stakes and her participation is ground dependent.
Hills added: “Elronaq ran very well at Chelmsford and has the ability to run well in a race like this. Alqubbah is a nice filly. She is due to run on Friday but needs the rain to come so we have the option of Saturday if it doesn’t come in time.”
Once again this looks fiercely competitive with 20 sprinters set to face the starter. The betting is headed by the Richard Guest-trained Udontdodou, winner of his last two starts.
A total of £6.7million has already been raised for good causes in the 46 years of the Macmillan Charity Day and just by attending Britain’s biggest charity raceday, spectators will be doing their bit to boost that total.
The seven-race card gets underway at 1:50pm.