Gimcrack Stakes Tips: Royal Scotsman the pick for Gimcrack Glory

There is a cracking hour or so of racing on Friday at York beginning with the Lonsdale Cup at 14:25 and finishing with the Nunthorpe at 15:35. Sandwiched in between these two massive races is the Group Two Gimcrack Stakes and as is often the case with this race it looks a high quality and competitive affair. We have got Billy Grimshaw in the tipping hot seat for this one and he is siding with a Glorious Goodwood winner to back up on the Knavesmire...

The Gimcrack has in the past decade seen some seriously top class winners that would go on to assert themselves as the top sprinter around, with Muharaar and Blue Point arguably the pick of the bunch. It would be quite a surprise if any of the prospective winners this year hit those lofty heights, but there are some cracking entries nonetheless. There are three juveniles vying for favouritism at present, but the one shading it with most firms is Marshman for Karl Burke and Clifford Lee. It is one of the most overused lines in flat racing to back Karl Burke's runners in two year old races but the trainer's reputation as an expert in priming his juveniles is well earned. Marshman is a son of Harry Angel, so electric acceleration can be expected and he exemplified just that in an Ayr romp earlier this month. That eight and a half length win over six furlongs marked him out as something out of the ordinary and if repeating that level of running he should be bang there.

Noble Style was described by Charlie Appleby at the start of this season as his best two year old, which is some statement considering the arsenal the Godolphin main man has at his disposal. He was more workman like than Marshman when last seen, winning by just half a length at Newmarket as a 4/7 favourite. This performance would not be good enough to win most Gimcrack's but the Appleby team will be retaining the faith and if he can bring the talent he has at home to the track he isn't one to be dismissed.  This duo are two of the market leaders but it is with the third and final runner I am siding.

Chateau for Andrew Balding ran creditably last time out at Glorious Goodwood and is a likeable sort who could be one for any forecast and tricast bets if they are your forte, although for win purposes I am inclined to look elsewhere. The one I am keen on is his conqueror that day in the Richmond Stakes, and the final co market leader, ROYAL SCOTSMAN. The Goodwood win was undoubtedly a career best from the son of Gleneagles and it had the look of a race in which the penny finally dropped for the juvenile. Paul and Oliver Cole are clearly holding high hopes for their potential next stable star and I think he has all the right tools to secure another win at a big festival in the Gimcrack. If anything York should suit him more than Goodwood did and with another race and the experience that brings in the locker I can see him improving once again and taking this prize.

As with so many two year old races there is huge potential for massive improvement (or regression when failing to handle the experience for the more skittish runners) in the field so it is with reluctance I would rule out anything in this tricky Group Two. Richard Fahey does well with his two year olds and Clearpoint has some solid form in the book so he is respected, while Waiting All Night is an interesting outsider for Richard Spencer after looking like the drop in trip he encounters today will suit him to a tee. Never Just A Dream won on the all weather at Wolverhampton recently and although it will take much more to win this is not without a chance and is well bred, but Royal Scotsman is my pick to win this race and hand the Cole team a big winner on Ebor week.