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Six beaten horses to follow from 2024 Ebor Festival

jon-vine
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Last updated: 26 Aug 2024
jon-vine
Jon Vine 26 Aug 2024
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  • Six beaten horses to track after the 2024 Ebor Festival
  • Relentless Voyager caught the eye after a tough trip in the Ebor
  • Perfect Part and Big Mojo also made it onto our list
magical zoe
Relentless Voyager (centre, yellow w. grey stars) keeps on well behind Ebor winner Magical Zoe. (Getty)
    Horses To Follow
  • Royal Rhyme
  • Perfect Part
  • Mr King
  • Big Mojo
  • Apiarist
  • Relentless Voyager

Racing fans were treated to another thrilling Ebor Festival last week. City Of Troy smashed the track record to win the Juddmonte International, before stablemate Content landed the Yorkshire Oaks. Archie Watson's Bradsell claimed his second Group One win in the Nunthorpe, before Magical Zoe ran out an impressive winner of the Ebor for Henry De Bromhead.

Around the big Graded races, plenty of hot handicaps were staged at York during the Ebor Festival. Here are six beaten horses that could be worth following throughout the rest of 2024.

Horses To Follow - 2024 Ebor Festival


Royal Rhyme


If ROYAL RHYME can maintain this level of form into the autumn, then he's going to be a huge player when he gets his preferred ground.

Since winning the Brigadier Gerard Stakes, Karl Burke's star has run well in defeat on fast ground three times, placing fifth in the Prince Of Wales' Stakes and a close fourth in the York Stakes. Clifford Lee's mount paid the price for trying to stick with City Of Troy in the Juddmonte International, fading when the eventual winner set off for home, but Royal Rhyme still managed to hit the line well back in sixth.

Burke's four-year-old is much happier on soft ground, so the Champion Stakes will be his main objective. A tilt at the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe might be too ambitious, but I do think Royal Rhyme would get a mile-and-a-half if given the opportunity.

juddmonte international
Royal Rhyme (centre, yellow and black) fades to finish sixth as City Of Troy wins the Juddmonte International. (Getty)

Perfect Part


Having won the Hilary Needler on debut at odds of 125/1, PERFECT PART disappointed on her next two starts. Brian Ellison's filly was beaten under a penalty on her second outing at Beverley, and could only finish fourth in a £10k contest at Musselburgh.

On her first crack at six furlongs, Connor Beasley held Perfect Part up at the rear in the Lowther Stakes. Celandine eventually beat the staying on Time For Sandals, but Perfect Part really caught the eye in the closing stages, seeing out the trip well to finish fifth.

The Dick Poole Fillies' Stakes and the Firth Of Clyde Stakes could both be targets in September. Perfect Part's damn won over seven furlongs on the all-weather as a juvenile, so I wouldn't be surprised to see Ellison up his talented filly to that distance before the season is out.

Mr King


Ian Jardine will have been delighted with MR KING'S effort on his stable debut in the Clipper Handicap. A two-time winner for Ger Lyons in Ireland, Jardine's recruit was handed a stiff opening mark of 91 for that British debut, and Hector Crouch's mount was still out the back when the field turned into the straight.

When asked for an effort, Mr King picked up well, weaving his way through traffic to finish just two-and-a-half lengths off Thunder Run back in seventh. This beautifully-bred son of Kingman holds an entry in the Cambridgeshire, but sticking to a mile would be more sensible. Mr King could even a drop down to seven furlongs, as he doesn't look short of speed.

Big Mojo


Given the awful form that Mick Appleby's stable are in at the moment, BIG MOJO'S effort in the Gimcrack should be marked up. Silvestre De Sousa's mount travelled best of all on what turned out to be the wrong side of the track, and only fading in the closing stages as Cool Hoof Luke surged to a surprise victory.

Big Mojo looked like he'd relish the step up to six furlongs when winning the Molecomb Stakes and I don't think it was the trip that got him beat at York. Appleby has entered his budding stable star in both the Mill Reef and the Middle Park Stakes. The Sirenia Stakes at Kempton should also be considered.

big mojo
Silvestre De Sousa riding Big Mojo (red/blue) win The Jaeger-Lecoultre Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood. (Getty)

Apiarist


A winner of the £100k Final for juveniles at York last October, APIARIST again showed his liking for the Knavesmire in the card-closing handicap on Nunthorpe day. Hollie Doyle was scrubbing her mount along in last place turning for home, but Apiarist fair flew through the field, eventually finishing a never-nearer fourth.

Since being gelded in May, Kevin Ryan's three-year-old has powered home from the rear to finish fourth in three highly-competitive handicaps. Apiarist has form on soft ground, so I'm sure Ryan will be able to find Apiarist a winning opportunity off his current mark of 87. 

Relentless Voyager


Much was made of Hipop De Loire's luckless run in this year's Ebor. The one who really caught my eye was RELENTLESS VOYAGER, who carried top weight into that handicap having placed in both the Grand Cup Stakes and the Glorious Stakes at Goodwood.

From his draw in stall 20, Oisin Murphy stayed wide for a while, eventually tracking over to the main field a furlong before the first bend. Relentless Voyager was stuck wide throughout the turn and was being ridden along entering the straight. Murphy could never find a clear path into contention, weaving first right, then darting left towards the rail. Yet, Relentless Voyager maintained his gallop throughout and hit the line hard back in eighth place.

Balding should turn his attentions back to pattern races for Relentless Voyager, who has done nothing but progress this term. The Stand Cup at Chester and Ascot's Noel Murless Stakes look like ideal objectives. A trip to France for the Prix Chaudenay, held on the opening day of Longchamp's Arc meeting, could also be on the table.

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