Top Notch Tonto among Listed race entry

TRAINER Rae Guest is hoping Show Stealer can live up to her name this Saturday when she’ll contest the £100,000 888sport Charity Sprint, on the second day of York’s June Meeting.

The three-year-old filly produced a sizzling seasonal reappearance at Newmarket where she sped to success in a nice handicap over the same trip as this weekend, six furlongs.

Newmarket-based Guest pointed the way to York immediately after that triumph. Sure enough, Show Stealer is one of the leading contenders for the richest race of the weekend on the Knavesmire. She is one of 37 entries for the valuable contest, so it is little surprise that no fewer than nine of them were victorious on their last start.

Guest said: “I was very pleased with Show Stealer’s run at Newmarket. It was her first of the year and we hadn’t been getting her ready because she likes firm ground. Lucky enough, it was firm ground that day which suited her and she has come on for that run.

“We have been targeting this race from that day – as long as it doesn’t rain we are very hopeful.

“She doesn’t take much getting ready – she is not a very big filly, has always been very clean winded and very easy to deal with. Whatever you want to do with her, she does.”

Guest also has Show Stealer entered in the feature of Friday at York, the EBF Breeders’ Series Fillies Handicap. But he acknowledged that entry was “a fall back” in case she didn’t beat the cut for Saturday’s big prize.

However, Show Stealer will comfortably make the 20-strong line-up for the 888sport Charity Sprint with thirteen rated higher than her on official figures. Indeed, Guest believes that in the future his charge can aspire to contesting Group races.

“I think so,” he confirmed. “She is 92 now. If she does well on Saturday, she’ll probably go looking for some ‘black type’ afterwards.”

It would be no surprise at all if the race produces a high-class performance. In the past, it has been won by star sprinters such Cadeaux Genereux, Sheikh Albadou and just last year Twilight Son and Magical Memory were at the fore of affairs.

The black type highlight of Saturday – Britain’s biggest charity raceday – is the Best Western Hotels Ganton Stakes. This Listed contest over a mile has attracted a 20-strong entry, including the popular Top Notch Tonto who won it last year for local handler, Brian Ellison.

The two-day ‘June Meeting’ begins on Friday afternoon. Both days offer seven races under rules and gates open at 11.15am.
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