Rest of York review | Alflaila sinks Strensall rivals

Alflaila shoots Strensall rivals in style

Alfaila came from last to first under Jim Crowley to raid the stakes at Group Three Sky Bet and Symphony Group Strensall in York.

Masekela set a decent pace in the nine-metre event and a furlong kept him alive but once the former champion jockey found his rhythm, Dark Angel’s Owen Burrows-trained son found another gear .

The 3/1 Chance was the first three-year-old to win the competition since 2009, by two and a half lengths over Finest Sound, who was doing well under Silvestre de Sousa.

Mighty Ulysses, the favorite sent off, proved disappointing, briefly unflattering until his run ended in a furlong to the race.

“He can get your heart pumping a bit because he’s going slow, but that suits him and now as he got going I felt like he hit the line hard,” Burrows said.

“He cantered right around the corner and I don’t think another furlong would hurt him. They raced and only left him flat-footed for a second, but when he hit top gear he picked up the momentum and did well.

“He won for the first time at Ascot, he just missed the break in the jersey and looking back now he would never have been competitive then. He has done well at Newmarket and is making good progress.

“That’s a Bahrain win and you are, but that’s in November, he’s in at the Arc weekend in the Prix Dollar on Saturday but Anmaat is in too, we’ll see.”

Soulcombe turned the Sky Bet Melrose Handicap in York into a procession under Hollie Doyle.

Slowing away as he usually is, the William Haggas-trained three-year-old made his handicap debut only in June at a low mark of 68.

He went on to follow 6lbs higher at Ascot but was beaten last time out at Goodwood when he caught the eye behind Secret State.

The 3/1 favorite was sent off and Doyle made progress with two furlongs to go but prolific winner Caius Chorister had the rest of the field down.

Had it not been for the severely handicapped winner, David Menuisier’s filly would have won for the sixth straight year, but Soulcombe could have scored twice as many points as he had if Doyle had wanted to. Adjuvant was third.

The winner was a relatively rare ride for Doyle von Haggas, who employs her husband Tom Marquand as stable jockey.

“He has a lot of talent but he has a few quirks, he should have won at Goodwood but he was so far behind even though he finished well,” Haggas said.

“I didn’t do much with him between races, he was just quietly gone. He’s only won 83, he could win a little more, but if he’ll win a stakes race I don’t know.

“He’s well raised (by Frankel from Group 1 winner Ribbons) if they are raised well and stay and get their trust you never know what could happen.”

Summer love for O’Meara

summer ghand proved a popular Sky Bet Constantine Handicap winner for Yorkshire trainer David O’Meara.

After the 69th race of his career, the eight-year-old got a great ride from Danny Tudhope as he sped through the field to grab topweight Commanche Falls, who had won the Stewards’ Cup at Goodwood for the second time.

Drawn on the wrong side at the Great St Wilfrid in Ripon last week, won the 15-2 chance by a three-quarter length.

Twomey on target

Paddy Twomey had been close to his two previous winners meeting La Petite Coco, third in the Yorkshire Oaks, and Earl Or Tyrone, who filled in the same sport in Ebor, but made sure he went with a winner when Treasure Trove landed the Julia Graves Roses Stakes .

Faced with a confident ride from Billy Lee breaking away from the fast pace, she accelerated in fine style to win by 4/1.

Rocket Rodney, the 6-4 favorite, seemed to have it all covered at one point but simply had no answer for Treasure Trove, who won the elimination.

Lee said: “We were going fast but that suits this filly, halfway through she came alive. Those five stadiums are for her, she is a filly who will likely join the group company and the Breeders’ Cup could be on the agenda.”

Flight lands lands finals

The final race of the Ebor meeting, the Sky Bet Final Handicap, went to those coached by James Horton phantom flight (3/1 common favourite).

He was five lengths ahead of PJ McDonald and won for the third time in his last four races.

• William Buick was crowned Leading Jockey at the Sky Bet Ebor Festival and donated his winnings to Racing Welfare.

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