'It was always the plan to come back here again' - can anyone stop Audience in the City of York?

The City of York Stakes has belonged to Kinross the past two years. There will be no tremendous treble on the cards, though, with Kinross ruled out due to quick ground.

Last year Kinross had 6lb in hand over Audience on BHA ratings when narrowly edging out his old rival; 12 months later and Audience is rated 12lb superior to Kinross.

It has been a special season few saw coming from Audience, the imperious Lockinge winner’s only blip coming in the Queen Anne at the scene of his only other career disappointment. Perhaps the stiff mile at Ascot isn’t for him. The easy 7f at Goodwood certainly is judged by what we saw in the Lennox Stakes.

The Lennox developed into two races from the outset. Audience and Art Power poached an unassailable lead from the closers and the winner scored with plenty in hand. He will be 5lb better off with the horses he defeated at Goodwood.

A drying surface also favours Lake Forest, a new kid on the block in the 7f division. He graduates from sprints after a series of excellent efforts on fast ground. He won the Gimcrack here last season and is unlikely to have reached his ceiling.

Shouldvebeenaring is another speedster, albeit one with top form across the 6f and 7f spectrums. He has been placed in a Prix de la Foret and a Sprint Cup while earning his lifetime best Racing Post Rating in the Duke of York Stakes. He could be the answer in the ‘without the favourite’ market.
Analysis by Robbie Wilders

Will Audience play the lead role?

Audience proved his Lockinge Stakes triumph was no fluke when a highly impressive winner of the Lennox Stakes and is out to thwart Kinross again in his hat-trick bid.

The John and Thady Gosden-trained five-year-old was runner-up in the 7f Group 2 a year ago but has taken his form to new levels this year, including his fine front-running win in the Newbury Group 1 in May.

He disappointed in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot but showed his true colours at Glorious Goodwood last time when running away with the Group 2 by four lengths, with Kinross behind him in third that day.

Audience races off the same weight as his rival this time, having given him 5lb when they met in the Lennox. Thady Gosden said: "He's been in good order since winning the Lennox Stakes last time. It was always the plan to come here again as he finished second in the race last year. He has a nice draw in stall six."

What they say

Alastair Donald, racing manager to King Power Racing, owners of Art Power and Fivethousandtoone
It's highly unlikely Art Power will run as the ground is quick. Things haven't quite fallen Fivethousandtoone's way recently, but there's huge prize-money on offer in a small field, so we thought we'd let him take his chance.

Tim Palin, director of racing at Middleham Park Racing, owners of Shouldvebeenaring
He won a Group 3 in France last time and it was one of his career-best performances. He's a Group 1 level performer at his best. I think his best form is at seven furlongs now and it's fascinating form-lines with Group 1 sprinters taking on Group 1 milers. I think Audience is the one to beat, but we've got a fighting chance.

Kevin Philippart de Foy, trainer of Vafortino
When you have good prize-money like this you have to try and support it, which is what we are doing. There are some pretty good horses in there and we'll ride him for a place and see what we can pick up before heading back to Redcar for the race he won last year.

Tom Marquand, rider of Lake Forest
He's an absolute class act. I hope the rain doesn't arrive because the faster the ground the better. He's an exciting horse for this sort of race because he's got plenty of speed.
Reporting by Matt Rennie

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