Lifeplan ready to take on big guns at York on Saturday
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Tue 18 Aug 2026
Declan Carroll says he is under no illusions about the size of the task facing Lifeplan in the City of York Stakes on Saturday – but is hoping his colt can spring a shock back at the scene of his Gimcrack win.
A combination of a tooth infection then a poor scope prior to a planned run at Royal Ascot have restricted the Kodi Bear colt to just one outing since his success on the Knavesmire 12 months ago.
But that third-placed effort, trying to make all in the Listed Queensferry Stakes at Chester but overhauled close home, should put the three-year-old spot on for a crack at the best over seven furlongs at the weekend.
Watch: Lifeplan won the Gimcrack Stakes 12 months ago
“He ran a good race in the Queensferry, as he hadn’t run in nearly a year. He ran well there but I think the draw on the day beat him. With a better draw we could have ridden him a little bit differently maybe.
“But it was good to get him back on the track and I’m sure it will bring him on a bit. We are expecting a good run, but we are not under any illusions that it is a Group One race.
“There was no problem last year, but he got an infection in a tooth that had to come out and that knocked him back quite a bit,” said the Malton trainer. “He was going to go to Ascot and then a scope just a week before wasn’t right so we had to abort that.
“You understand that this is part and parcel of training racehorses and you can only run when he’s right and he was only ready to start off there at Chester. That should bring him on.”
Lifeplan, who is a 20-1 shot for the City of York in the early exchanges, with Notable Speech the best-priced 7-2 favourite, won a six-furlong novice stakes at Thirsk before landing the Group Two Gimcrack at 13-2 under Zak Wheatley in an unbeaten two-year-old campaign.
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