York Saturday preview: Dubai Honour back on duty for Haggas

William Haggas is keen to get Dubai Honour back in action in the Sky Bet York Stakes on Saturday.

The six-year-old was last seen in the Sheema Classic at Meydan, finishing 10th of 15 on good ground over a mile and a half – a rare disappointing outing.

Haggas considered the going proved too quick for the gelding, who has not run since as dry conditions have meant his preferred softer ground has not materialised.

Having made giant strides last season, progressing from handicaps to finishing second in the Champion Stakes to Sealiway and a close fourth behind Loves Only You in the Hong Kong Cup, he arguably sets the standard.

The Knavesmire turf is likely to be good to firm, much quicker than he would like, but Haggas feels he has to get him going again.

“He’s very well and ready to race, he was a bit battered and bruised after Meydan but he’s back in great shape,” said Haggas.

Regarding ground concerns he added: “Everything worries me! He’s better on soft and he needs it to rain, but we’ve been waiting for rain for some time and it hasn’t come.

“We’ve got to get on with it as he needs to run, he’s bored of galloping.”

Saeed bin Suroor saddles Dubai Future, a Dubawi gelding who won the Listed Wolferton Stakes by three lengths at Royal Ascot on his most recent outing.

A return to Group calibre now awaits, with the bay having previously been campaigned at the top level in the Middle East when finishing a place behind Dubai Honour in the Sheema Classic.

“He’s come back well from the win at Royal Ascot, he’s doing well and he’s in good condition,” Bin Suroor said.

“I’m very happy with him, this is going to be a race where the trip will suit him again.

“I’m looking forward to running him, we’ll see how he goes but so far the horse has been in good form. After that (Ascot) run we have been confident to go again in Group races.”

Another Royal Ascot winner in the line-up is Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Claymore, triumphant over the Queen’s Reach For The Moon in the Group Three Hampton Court Stakes under Adam Kirby.

With his three-year-old allowance the colt will carry only 8st 13lb at York, a weight difficult for Kirby to attain and the reason for the decision to allocate the ride to David Egan instead.

Chapple-Hyam said: “David sat on the horse on Thursday morning – a get-to-know and everything went absolutely fine.

“They went up Long Hill. David’s looking forward to riding him and said he’s a class horse, so that was nice to hear.”

Claymore is also entered in the Group One Juddmonte International at York in August, a race he could take up his entry in should this weekend go to plan.

“The Juddmonte’s very hot competition but we’ll see what he does on Saturday,” Chapple-Hyam said.

“He is in very good order. Everything is fine. He has pleased me on the gallops and he’s improved.”

Also in action is William Knight’s Sir Busker, an experienced six-year-old who will be tried at the 10-furlong trip for the first time in 36 starts.

“We are trying a mile and a quarter for the first time. He went a mile and one over in Dubai – he seemed to like that extra furlong,” said Knight.

“It will just be interesting to see how he gets on. Now he’s got older I think he will just get that bit further.

“He likes York as a track, I think he could run a big race there on Saturday – he’s in very good form.

“My only concern is it’s not too quick at York, but hopefully it will just be on the easy side of good to firm.”

The field of five is completed by Kevin Ryan’s three-year-old Night Of Thunder colt, Dark Moon Rising.

Tom Scudamore is chasing a third success in the Sky Bet “Jump Jockeys’ Nunthorpe” Handicap.

A multiple Grade One winner over obstacles, Scudamore is among the top 10 National Hunt jockeys of all time but showed he is no one-trick pony when winning the inaugural running five years ago on Tylery Wonder, before adding a second victory on Soul Seeker 12 months ago.

Scudamore was denied a third win as he finished second to Graham Lee in 2018 – with the jumps-turned-flat rider going on to land the actual Nunthorpe on Alpha Delphini the following month.

He rides the Mick Appleby-trained Val De Travers this year, a three-time winner already this season.

“I’m looking for my third win, but it could technically be my fourth as I was second to Graham Lee once the year he did the double!” quipped Scudamore.

“I’ve ridden a lot for these owners (Value Racing Club) in the past as they have horses with David (Pipe), so we go back a long way and my agent (Chris Dixon) has horses with Mick.

“You’d like to think he’s got a big chance, he’s an improving sprinter and was impressive last time at Musselburgh, the flat five at York should really suit him.

“I’m very much looking forward to it and hopefully I can keep my good run going.”

One of Scudamore’s weighing-room pals is Daryl Jacob, who recently completed the set of riding a winner at every National Hunt track.

He rides Indian Sounds for Paul Midgley, who has provided two winners of this race in the aforementioned Tylery Wonder and Nibras Again for Josh Moore.

“I think I’ve got a chance, he has been rated much higher than he is now and has some good form in the book,” said Jacob.

“He’s dropped down the weights but Mr Midgley felt he just wasn’t right earlier in the season. His last run was much better and he thinks he’s in a good place again having done a good piece of work this week.

“It would be lovely for me to win as I’m sponsored by Sky Bet and they sponsor the race, but it is a race I really enjoy, we always have a good day afterwards.

“I have had a couple of other rides on the Flat but I was never an apprentice. Alan King kindly let me go in to his place a few times this week to jump a few out of the stalls and do a couple of fast bits of work, so I’ve been getting my eye in.

“It’s a lot of fun but let me tell you, jockeys are a competitive bunch and we take it very seriously.

“I’d love to win, I’ve been trying for a few years now. I promise you everyone wants to beat each other and down at the start the juices start flowing.”

Sean Bowen, currently leading the jump jockey standings, rides Soul Seeker for David O’Meara while brother James rides Richard Fahey’s Internationaldream.

Aidan Coleman (La Roca Del Fuego), Jonjo O’Neill jnr (Albegone) and champion jockey Brian Hughes (Eeh Bah Gum) are also taking part.