Dual winner Flying Pursuit one of four runners for Easterby in Dash

Saturday: 2.40 York
Sky Bet Dash Handicap | 6f | 3yo+ | ITV/RTV

It’s not often that horses flourish at the age of eight but that’s what has happened for Giogiobbo, who is bidding to remain unbeaten this season and complete a four-timer.

Giogiobbo was rated in the 100s at his peak on the all-weather in January 2019 and, while he is now 11lb higher than for the first of his victories this year, he is still racing off 78.

All of his wins this season have come over six furlongs at Doncaster, so how will he take to York? This will be his first start on the Knavesmire on what will be the 54th run of his career.

Doncaster and York are flat tracks, but the Racing Post standard time at York is 0.3 seconds quicker than at Doncaster. That might not sound a lot, but the BHA allows six lengths per second on good ground or quicker in Britain, so it’s around 1.8 lengths faster at York.

This will evidently be a sharper test and that might not be ideal for Giogiobbo, who has recorded eight of his ten highest RPRs over further than this six-furlong distance.

The return to York might be exactly what Golden Apollo wants. The course-and-distance winner will be running in this race for the fourth time. He finished second to two-time winning stablemate Flying Pursuit in 2018, fourth in 2019 and was second again last year.

All three of those defeats came off marks in the 90s and he races off just 88 this season.

Flying Pursuit will also compete for the fourth time and he will race off a mark of 86. That is lower than for both wins and 6lb below the mark from which he was fifth in 2019.

His trainer Tim Easterby seems to target the race and also runs Manigordo and Music Society.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

'Flying Pursuit is an absolute superstar'

Flying Pursuit bids to roll back the years and record his third success in the Sky Bet Dash for Tim Easterby, who saddles four runners.

The eight-year-old won this contest in 2017 and followed up when winning by a neck from stablemate Golden Apollo, who reopposes. They are joined by Manigordo and Music Society, who was narrowly denied when second in the Scottish Stewards' Cup at Hamilton.

Tim Easterby: sends four runners to the competitive York sprintCredit: Alan Crowhurst

"It's great to be able to go to a race like this at York with four live chances," said William Easterby, assistant to father Tim. "Flying Pursuit is an absolute superstar but he's better with cut in the ground. He's in fantastic form.

"Golden Apollo ran well when second at Pontefract last time but he was on his own for so long that it probably cost him. Music Society ran well in the Scottish Stewards' Cup. He has to be played late but Ella [McCain] rides him well. He'd also be better with a bit of rain.

"Manigordo loves fast ground. His recent run at Redcar will have left him bang on for this race."

What they say

Clive Cox, trainer of Streamline
Streamline has run very well at York and has a decent chance in a competitive race. Hopefully we're ahead of the wet weather and it stays fast ground as that is what he prefers.

Roger Fell, trainer of Admirality
I quite like his chance. It's difficult to say if he wants six or seven furlongs and the trip probably caught him out a little at Doncaster last time. He's carrying the right weight and is capable of winning.

Scott Dixon, trainer of Giogiobbo
He slipped to a good mark based on past form and has won three races in quick succession at Doncaster, winning twice in two days. This will be a different ball game but the track should suit.

Richard Hannon, trainer of Typhoon Ten
He’s a model of consistency and loves a strongly-run six furlongs on decent ground, so the step down in trip is positive. He’s a big price but ought to run his race and represents solid each-way value.
Reporting by Jonathan Harding

Read a selection of Saturday previews . . .

Why big-race throwback Adayar has it all to prove in stellar King George

3.35 Ascot: Aidan O'Brien on Love's chances in the King George

3.00 Ascot: are we looking at a Group 1 horse in a handicap? International Stakes insight

3.15 York: Armory takes on promising Mohaafeth in Group 2

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