Could this hot handicap provide compensation for some unlucky Goodwood losers?

Thursday: 3.00 York
Clipper Logistics Handicap | 1m | 3yo+ | ITV/RTV

Prize-money of £100,000 is up for grabs in the first of three heritage handicaps at the Ebor festival, and unsurprisingly this mile contest has attracted a maximum field of talented performers.

Usually well represented in this type of contest, Mark Johnston instead relies on topweight Maydanny, who has held sway at the top of the markets all week.

His Golden Mile success at Goodwood was a clear career-best and immaculate breeding and a substantial price tag mean he could ply his trade in Group company and he might possess a slight class edge.

But even if that is the case, Maydanny needs to improve again to win. He is 2lb wrong at the weights under a penalty and achieved a measly RPR of 49 on his sole start at York at this meeting last season. Testing underfoot conditions could be a plausible excuse, but finding potential holes in market leaders is crucial in such a tight-knit affair.

Magical Morning, Orbaan and Escobar all renew their rivalry with Maydanny after being firmly put in their place last month. Goodwood doesn't suit every horse – the camber and downhill finish can lead to plenty of scrimmaging – and failure to find a clear passage is a common excuse.

Magical Morning: not suited by soft ground at Goodwood last timeCredit: Alan Crowhurst

The David O'Meara-trained Orbaan and Escobar both met with traffic problems last time and given both are course-and-distance winners and will appreciate the return to the Knavesmire, they may reverse the form with Maydanny. The local trainer is also represented by French recruit Tammami, who makes his first start after a gelding operation but looks well handicapped off a mark of 97, and the experienced Young Fire.

There don't appear to be too many front-runners in the field, which could lead to a slower pace than expected. Maydanny will go forward, as will Fame And Acclaim and Cruyff Turn, but the lack of speed may cause an issue for hold-up performers such as Irish Admiral and La Trinidad.
Race analysis by Tom Collins

Maydanny stays handicapping for now

Maydanny had four of his rivals behind him when scooting up in the Golden Mile at Goodwood last month. A hike up to a mark of 108 would have had many connections scrabbling for the Pattern book but Mark Johnston and owner Shadwell Estate have decided the hustle and bustle of 20 runners going hard from the start is just what this son of the yard's multiple Group 1 heroine Attraction needs.

Assistant trainer Charlie Johnston said: "He's 2lb wrong with his penalty and it was a tough call between coming here and running in the [Group 3] Strensall on Saturday but we just felt he really suits strongly run big-field handicaps.

"He travelled through the race at Goodwood very strongly and while it will be tough off top weight, he has a lot of the same horses to beat as he did pretty convincingly at Goodwood so we're happy to take them on again."

The Johnston team have fond recent memories of this race, as it gave Mark his record-breaking 4,194th career winner with Poet's Society in 2018.

What they say

John Gosden, joint-trainer of Magical Morning
His chances were compromised by the soft ground at Goodwood last time and this surface should be better, although he is drawn wide in stall 18.

Philip Robinson, racing manager to Saeed Suhail, owner of Astro King
I'm very concerned about the draw, it will be very difficult from 17. He's very well in himself, he’s been freshened up by Michael [Stoute].

Les Eyre, trainer of Fame And Acclaim
We'd like it to dry out as little as possible, and to have a little bit of juice in the ground to help. He's been in good form since Newmarket.

Tim Easterby, trainer of Cruyff Turn
The faster the ground the better for him. He's a really nice horse and has been progressive.
Reporting by Scott Burton

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