York Saturday

1:50 Sky Bet And Symphony Group Strensall Stakes (Group 3) 1m 177y

The more I look at this contest, the more I like the chances of Mighty Ulysses, who appears to have standout claims on form, and is open to improvement stepping up from a mile to boot. Fresh and keen when beaten less than 2½ lengths in the Cazoo Blue Riband Trial at Epsom on his return, he has dropped in trip subsequently, winning a novice on the Rowley Mile and the Sir Henry Cecil Stakes.

Arguably the best effort produced by the selection was his close fifth in the St James’s Palace Stakes when beaten only half a length, but the point is that has been performing with great credit all season, and on the basis of consistency, is the most likely of these to run his race. He also gives the impression that he has been building a foundation for bigger things this season, and it’s easy to imagine him challenging higher honours in time. As such, his chance here is very clear, and it will be a surprise if he’s beaten.

2:25 Sky Bet Melrose Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 1m 5f 188y

Soulcombe is likely to be popular with punters in the Melrose Handicap over the Ebor trip given how he caught the eye in a hot handicap won by State Secret at Goodwood, but I’m more interested in Inverness, who finished just in front of Soulcombe there despite having to be switched twice in the straight. The pair meet on identical terms, but while punters are scrabbling to take 7/2 about Soulcombe, Inverness is unwanted at several times that price, and that makes little sense to me, even accepting that the former could improve for the longer trip.

Inverness hasn’t progressed much this year, but with some horses progress only comes after laying a solid foundation, and he started the summer looking less clued up than many of his contemporaries, with the penny seeming to drop gradually with experience. He did a little better than previously when third over an extended 1¾m at Ascot two starts back, and there is no doubt that his running-on third at Goodwood was a career best. Most looking at his record would assume he’s reached his peak, but I think this slow learner can keep progressing now that he’s finally learned what’s required. The Goodwood form is solid, with the winner finishing second in the Great Voltigeur earlier in the week, and Inverness can reward each-way support.

3:00 Sky Bet City Of York Stakes (Group 2) 7f

Andrew Balding’s Sandrine looked ideally suited by stepping back to seven furlongs when beating Kinross in the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood, and she looks an excellent bet to confirm that form at a track where she was runner-up in the Lowther a year ago. She has kept the best company among her sex at a mile this year, but showed at Goodwood that the 7f trip is her ideal, and I was particularly impressed with how she travelled through that contest.

There are question marks about several of her rivals in terms of fitness or the suitability of the trip, and that merely adds to her appeal. She holds Kinross and Sacred on Goodwood form, and I’m not convinced that last week’s Hungerford winner Jumby will be as well suited by a turning track.

3:35 Sky Bet Ebor Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 1m 5f 188y

Okita Soushi looks a sound bet to win the Ebor for Joseph O’Brien based on his excellent placed efforts in the Orby Stakes and the Copper Horse Handicap earlier in the summer. He was arguably disappointing when beaten 10 lengths by a stable-companion at Leopardstown in July, but that contest for Qualified Riders was a farcical affair in which he was given far too much to do.

At Ascot in June, Okita Soushi finished best of all to grab third behind Get Shirty in the Copper Horse, and he can meet that rival on 9lb better terms, which looks more than enough for him to turn the tables. The fact that the Ascot form has worked out well is a bonus, and Okita Soushi is unexposed as a stayer after just five lifetime starts. He coped with good to soft ground when second to Raise You in the Orby Stakes, and that form got a boost when Raise You took the Irish St Leger Trial at the Curragh last weekend.

The obvious danger is Paddy Twomey’s Earl of Tyrone, who is the correct favourite for this race, and who has improved enormously since joining his current yard early this year. He took a win-and-you’re-in handicap at the Curragh in June, and then enhanced his reputation when beating Raise You in the Martin Molony Stakes at Limerick. Again, Raise You has made that form look even better since, and it will be hard to kick Earl of Tyrone out of the places, with both horses worth backing at the generous place terms on offer.

4:10 Sky Bet Constantine Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 6f

Surely, surely, this is the day that the well-handicapped Summerghand gets the rub of the green. Badly drawn in the Great St Wilfrid last time, he ran as well as could be hoped, and he was unable to open up until too late in the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood, having travelled as if back to his very best through that race. He’s easing further in the handicap despite those more positive signs, and it’s just a matter of the gaps appearing for him before he can deliver the performance he’s been promising.

If there is a worry, it’s that the jockeys haven’t been riding to their draws on the straight track at York this week, and another unseemly shift towards the far rail could turn a good draw in stall three into another nightmare of congestion. Please don’t!

Sandown Saturday

2:05 JRL Group Atalanta Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies & Mares) 1m

Fonteyn is tempting here given she’s shown loads of talent despite doing plenty wrong at York and Goodwood on her last two starts, but she was 50/1 in places when the market opened last time, and she’s more like 3/1 here. I’m not sure that price takes quite enough account of her waywardness, and while she can definitely win down in class, she’ll have to do so without my money this time.

Grand Dame’s defeat of Oscula over C&D in the Coral Distaff looks the most reliable form on offer, and given the Gosden filly sound claims of winning, but there is a feeling that the runner-up has thrived since, and that win is marginally flattering. She still appeals as the safest choice, but I’m inclined to take a chance on Mise En Scene who was almost certainly rushed to get to the Irish Guineas and hasn’t been since. Her absence is both a concern and an excuse for that poor effort, and she is selected on the basis of her excellent juvenile form.

Mise En Scene has Prosperous Voyage back in third when winning the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood last term, and was badly drawn when just a neck and a short head behind her and Guineas winner Cachet in the Fillies’ Mile. That form has worked out tremendously well, and while it’s clearly taken James Ferguson’s filly some time to find her form this season, she is worth risking given she looked sure to progress from two to three.

2:40 Fasig-Tipton Night Of The Stars Solario Stakes (Group 3) 7f

Peter Chapple-Hyam is certainly not the force of old in the training ranks, but he is still capable of unearthing the odd gem (think Vertem Futurity winner Marcel), and looks to have found a diamond in the rough in the shape of Defence Of Fort, who landed a quiet gamble on debut at Ascot, and did so in a smart time.

He did have the benefit of a good position near the stands rail that day, but so did the runner-up, and that colt did the form no disservice when narrowly touched off in a similar race last time.

Defence Of Fort is not fashionably bred, but while his dam showed little on the track, she is a half-sister to Dubai Sheema Classic runner-up Razkalla, and there is no denying the promise the selection showed when winning first time up.

Recommended

Inverness 2:25 York – 1pt e/w @ 12/1 (general – SkyBet 5 places)

Sandrine 3:00 York – 2pts win @ 9/2 (general)

Okita Soushi 3:35 York – 1pt e/w @ 8/1 (general – SkyBet 8 places)

Earl Of Tyrone 3:35 York – 1pt e/w @ 11/2 (general – SkyBet 8 places)

Mise En Scene 2:05 Sandown – 1pt win @ 10/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair, 9/1 general)