Lonsdale Cup Tips: Coltrane Can Conquer at York

THIS PREVIEW WAS WRITTEN BEFORE THE NEWS OF STRADIVARIUS'S WITHDRAWAL ON FRIDAY MORNING.

The saga of Stradivarius and his 'will he, won't he?' retire this time rumbles on to the Lonsdale Cup as he puts his unbeaten York record on the line. He won this race in 2018, 2019 and last year in 2021 so will undoubtedly be a tough nut to crack when lining up for the fourth time at the age of eight. Billy Grimshaw has previewed the race for us and has a play against Gosden's legendary stayer...  

At Goodwood both of the front pair in the market for this race were vanquished by the new king of the stayers Kyprios, but with Aidan O'Brien's Gold Cup winner missing on the Knavesmire both Stradivarius and Trueshan will be fancying their chances of bagging another Group One. Stradivarius of course commands huge respect and has an army of fans whenever he turns up on a racecourse. He has been rumoured to be off to the breeding sheds for sometime now but after a cracking effort at Goodwood last time out his owners have decided to keep the show on the road and send him here. He is to be ridden once again by Andrea Atzeni and looks to have a favourite's chance on his Goodwood run, when only beaten a neck. The age has been a concern for me all season and he has proven me wrong, but I am once again taking on the entire here on account of his price just being a tad too short considering all the variables.

Trueshan's connections may rue running the highest rated stayer in the land at Goodwood on ground that was undoubtedly faster than ideal, but he seems to have come out of that race in fine fettle according to Alan King and should take his chance here, providing the forecast rain hits York. If the ground were to turn soft he would undoubtedly head into favouritism and arguably would deserve to go off odds-on, however this seems an unlikely turn of events. With the ground likely once again not be his favoured surface I will also be against Alan King's star.

Quickthorn for Hughie Morrison is the likely pace in the Lonsdale Cup and in these staying contests it is always wise to be wary of a front runner attempting to steal the race. He is expected to be collared late but if Tom Marquand can ride his rivals to sleep then who knows what could happen. Reshoun, Nate the Great and Mostly Cloudy are all a massive price and look on all known form to have at best claims to sneak into the frame with a career best, although perhaps that is unfair on the latter named who is only three and will receive plenty of weight. Tashkhan was only five lengths behind Kyprios last time out at Royal Ascot but it is a stretch to see why today he should go past Stradivarius considering Gosden's runner has been ahead of him on numerous occasions throughout their careers.

My each-way selection is the last horse to be mentioned, Coltrane. Andrew Balding's charge has had a brilliant season so far and has taken his form to a new level, but was beaten fair and square by the big three in the Goodwood Cup last time out. On re-watching the race since, I do think there is a bit of a case to be made that were things to have fallen more in his favour he could at least have been involved more in the shake-up. He did not seem to be in quite as fantastic form as he was when romping to a ten length Sandown success on his penultimate start and hopefully he recaptures that star quality here. The Goodwood Cup was his first attempt at a top class staying race and he will have learned a lot from it, so he is chanced each-way to at least make the frame and hopefully give his more high profile rivals a fright up the straight. The stronger pace in this contest should help as Coltrane's stamina is not in question, and hopefully he can spoil the party for Stradivarius on his (possible) swansong.