Channon hopeful for Gather Ye Rosebuds at York

Gather Ye Rosebuds will step up in distance and class for a shot at the Group 3 William Hill Bronte Cup at York this Saturday.

The Jack Channon-trained four-year-old triumphed in Listed company over a mile and a half at Goodwood on 4 May.

Now the daughter of Zoffany has been primed for a trip to the Knavesmire and a black type assignment over a few yards short of a mile and six furlongs.

Gather Ye Rosebuds currently heads the market for £100,000 feature of a seven-race card and will face nine rivals.

Channon, who trains from an historic base at West Ilsley in Berkshire, said: “She is a very nice filly. Obviously, she won the Daisy Warwick (Fillies’ Stakes) last time, which was her best run to date.

“She looks to be improving.  We’re very happy with the way she’s been training since Goodwood and we’re excited to run her.

It looks like there’s going to be a bit of juice in the ground, which is perfect for her.

“The step up to a mile-six is new but we feel that she stays well and it shouldn’t be a problem.

She gives me every impression she’ll stay it.

Her brother Brandon Castle was a good mile-six, two-miler – quite a lot of the family have stayed. I don’t think it should be a problem, but if it is then we can always revert back to a mile and a half afterwards.

There’s quite a nice amount of races for those mile-six staying fillies and there aren’t many of them about. So, if you do get a good one that stays that sort of trip, it can be quite fruitful.”

Channon’s string has caught the eye with some strong early-season form. In the opening months of 2024, he has already posted 18 winners at an impressive 19 per-cent strike-rate.

Channon added: “I’m chuffed with the start we’ve made. But a start’s only a start. We want to kick on now and really cement ourselves as having regular Saturday winners.

“But the horses seem in great form and long may it continue.”

York’s first Saturday card of the year gets underway at 1.35pm. The William Hill Bronte Cup is due off at 3.20pm and 35 minutes earlier sees some smart sprinters in action in the £50,000 William Hill Extra Place Races Daily Handicap.

Five-star hotel Grantley Hall is is set to be this year’s headline sponsor of the Ebor Fashion Lawn, which will take place across the four days of The Sky Bet Ebor Festival, from 21st - 24th August 2024 at York Racecourse.

The Sky Bet Ebor Festival hosts some of the oldest and most iconic races at York Racecourse, whilst combining sporting excellence with fashion and fun over four days.

The Ebor Fashion Lawn is a catwalk that’s open to all during the races, offering the opportunity for the most stylishly dressed to show off their outfits, whilst a judging panel will then select the best dressed each day of the festival. Judges this year will include resident milliner George Durdy, Melissa Barton (founder of the luxury British occasion wear brand 8th Sign) alongside representatives from Grantley Hall.

The judges will decide the winners for each of the five categories: Most Stylish, Most Stylish Couple, Most Stylish Runner Up, Best Hat, and Best Dressed Child.

As part of the sponsorship, Grantley Hall will be providing some fantastic prizes. The sponsorship will also see Grantley Hall take over the branding and styling on-stage, which is situated at the heart of the racecourse on the Edwardian Weighing Room Lawn

Located just outside of Ripon in North Yorkshire, Grantley Hall is a five-star, luxury hotel that boasts 47 bedrooms and suites, five restaurants, an award-winning spa and state-of-the-art