Hot To Trot: Stoute team ready for York

Flat trainer: Sir Michael Stoute

It’s no surprise Sir Michael Stoute is enjoying another fine season given the quality in his yard, but to be operating at a run-to-form ratio of over 73% and a strike rate of 22% is excellent. As the graph below shows, Stoute has done well with older horses over the past five seasons, and he has some top-notchers entered up at York this coming week.

Firstly, the high-class Crystal Ocean will bid to go one place better in the Juddmonte International than he did 12 months ago, when finding only the remarkable Enable too good. He won’t have her to deal with this year, though, as she is set to run in the Yorkshire Oaks, and Crystal Ocean will go to the Knavesmire with leading claims. The following day, Sun Maiden will test her metal against Enable in the aforementioned Yorkshire Oaks. If Enable is at her top-class best then it is hard to see any of these topple her, but Sun Maiden has the form and class to run into a place. Vivionn will provide Stoute with a better chance of a winner just 40 minutes later in a listed event. She was arguably an unlucky loser in a handicap at Goodwood last time, meeting plenty of trouble but still staying on well for second. Her form isn’t far off listed class and she could have even more to offer yet.

Flat trainer: Clive Cox

Clive Cox looks to have an exciting prospect on his hands in the shape of Golden Horde, who has done nothing but progress this season, and on Sunday will test himself up against some of the best juveniles around in the Prix Morny at Deauville.

Full replay and reaction: Cox and Kirby delighted as Golden Horde resists challenge Threat in Richmond at #GloriousGoodwood >>> https://t.co/IOMucQv8up pic.twitter.com/CsHmeSSs5w

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 1, 2019

Golden Horde was beaten by Arizona – who reopposes on Sunday – in the Coventry at Royal Ascot, but he still looked very raw that day, and showed much improved form when winning the Richmond Stakes at Glorious Goodwood last time. It looks a deep renewal, but Golden Horde looks the type that will go on improving for a while yet and could give Cox another Group 1 victory. Also on Sunday, Shades of Blue has been declared for the listed sprint at Pontefract.  She has some solid form to her name, only narrowly beaten in a Group 3 at York last time, and she seems sure to make another bold bid. Later in the week, on Tuesday at Bath, Noble Fox could attempt to open his account after showing his best form yet when runner-up in a handicap at Windsor last time.

Under the radar: Owen Burrows

As the graph below demonstrates, Owen Burrows isn’t having his best year, a relatively quiet middle of the season putting him behind his number of winners and run-to-form ratio from 12 months ago, but there are signs that he is really starting to turn the corner now.

Burrows only has two entries next week, but such is the form of the stable, they both need keeping an eye on. Motfael is a well-bred colt who has made a promising start to his career, building on his debut when finishing third at Chelmsford last time, still looking green and carrying his head awkwardly in the final furlong. This step up to a mile will suit on pedigree, and he should have even more to offer. At Leicester on Thursday, Baalbek looks an interesting contender now making his handicap debut. He ran his best race to date in a maiden over this C&D when last seen in June, finishing fourth behind some promising types. Baalbek has since undergone a gelding operation, and it would be no surprise to see him take another step forward now in what probably won’t end up the strongest race of its type.