Paul Kealy's play of the day at York

Reaching High
2.25 York

The Sky Bet Melrose Handicap (2.25) is the three-year-olds' version of the Ebor, and it often goes to a horse with Group-race pretensions.

There is no shortage of horses with that sort of potential lining up, but I do really like the chances of Reaching High for Sir Michael Stoute.

He has been a bit of a slow-burner for the yard, but that's hardly surprising for one with his pedigree and he has improved with every step up in trip.

Two starts ago he came within half a length of getting off the mark for the first time at Windsor, with the front two pulling 11 lengths clear of a subsequent dual winner in third, while on his latest start he made no mistake at Wolverhampton.

Stoute probably wasn't best pleased that Luke Morris guided him to such a wide-margin win on his first run at 1m6f (seven and a half lengths), but he looked in a different league to his Racing League Rivals there.    

By Sea The Stars out of Gold Cup winner Estimate, Reaching High is a half-brother to this year's Northumberland Plate second Evaluation (a York winner too), and a strong test is obviously going to suit him well. 

Reaching High14:25 York

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Jky: Daniel Tudhope Tnr: Sir Michael Stoute

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