Ebor Festival tips: Page Fuller's day one fancies with the help of RaceiQ

The feature race on day one of the Sky bet Ebor Festival is the Juddmonte International (3.35), and we are in for a cracker with runners from England, Ireland, France and Japan crossing swords.

It’s likely to be a tactical affair, but Godolphin clearly do not want a repeat of the Eclipse, which turned into a sprint, as they have given their principal hope, Ombudsman, a pacemaker in the shape of Birr Castle.

I think that will also favourSee The Fire, who looks overpriced to emulate her sire, Sea The Stars, by landing this prestige prize.

She has yet to land a Group 1 but looked a top-level winner in-waiting when romping home by 12 lengths in the Middleton Stakes over course and distance in May.

Whilst everything else tired through the final two furlongs that day, she quickened again, clocking her quickest furlong of 11.65 seconds in the penultimate furlong. Impressively, that was nearly a second quicker than any other runner.

She has had excuses on several occasions before and since; with the ground too soft last time, and the pace too muddling at other times. The same can be said for some of her rivals, but I think the cards could fall her way today.

The meeting gets under way with the Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Handicap (1.50) over an extended 5f.

Azure Angel is firmly in the mix after her fine run at this track in June. She finished just two-and-a-half lengths behind Jm Jungle that day, and that horse has since landed the Group 2 King George Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

She has been mostly campaigned over 6f, but with the help of a tongue tie, that’s been applied this season, she seems to have developed a turn of foot that we have not previously seen.

Most horses are likely to improve for the second run after they are given some help with their wind, and she was no exception. She was only beaten a length at Redcar in May on her second start with the tongue tie, and even though she didn’t win, it was still a step forward, since the winner recorded a winning Time Index of 9.8 out of 10.

She was dropped back to 5f next time, and that’s when we saw the real improvement.

The win time of 9.5 out of 10 was again very good, and she impressed with her raw speed. She hit a Top Speed of 44.86 mph in the second furlong and maintained that to the line, with three sub-11-second furlongs followed by an 11.18 second final furlong.

That Top Speed is the seventh fastest recorded by any of the runners in this race, and to maintain that to the line speaks volumes for her ability.

Today's contest is over half a furlong further, so it looks the perfect opportunity to combine her newly found speed, with proven stamina.