Trefor enters Ayr Gold Cup reckoning after York success

Charlie Hills is eyeing a possible tilt at the Ayr Gold Cup with Trefor following his narrow victory in the opening race of the Ebor Festival at York.

The four-year-old won at Doncaster and Ripon earlier this season and having been narrowly denied by Chief Mankato on his most recent appearance in a valuable event at Windsor nine days ago, he was a 7-1 shot for the curtain-raising Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Handicap on the Knavesmire.

He was all dressed up with nowhere to go two furlongs out, but once Kieran Shoemark got him into the clear and set about chasing The Man, he always looked likely to reel him in.

Air Force One was not so lucky and had to wait longer for a gap, finishing fast for third, beaten a head and half a length.

Hills said: “I’m delighted to get his head in front, he deserved that. He was a bit unlucky not to win last week and he was well-in really.

“I liked the draw today (stall seven), I think low numbers are always quite handy earlier on in this week and he travelled away like a really nice horse.

“The Ayr Gold Cup is an obvious step from here, but the key to him is fast ground, so we just need to keep an eye on that.”

Santorini Star (100-30 favourite) returned to winning ways in the Sky Bet Stayers Handicap for William Haggas and Tom Marquand.

Wins at Brighton and Goodwood earlier in the season were followed by defeats at Pontefract and Fairyhouse, but the step up to two miles brought out plenty of improvement as she won by a length and a quarter from Artisan Dancer.

“She was on a really progressive route but just stalled for a couple of races,” said Marquand.

“Stepping her up to two miles maybe happened a bit more prematurely than we thought, but it suited.

“There are nice options over a mile and six (furlongs) for her but I don’t think you’ll see her back at a mile and a half again.”

The Richard Hughes-trained Star Of Mehmas (11-1) defied top-weight in the IRE-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Fillies’ Handicap, narrowly denying Eternal Sunshine and Luna A Inbhir Nis in a three-way finish.

Hughes said: “I hadn’t a clue if she’d got there. Ryan (Moore) said they were going frantic up front and the pace finally collapsed.

“We don’t know what happened here last time (finished eighth), she was agitated and reared up which isn’t like her.

“She’s been carrying a 3lb penalty in Listed races and just getting beat. There wasn’t the perfect five-furlong race for her, so I said let’s take a chance in a handicap that’s worth loads of money and it’s paid off.”

The Sky Bet Nursery Handicap brought the seven-race card to a close as Hugo Palmer’s Ruby’s Angel (33-1) collared Kevin Ryan’s Mo Of Cairo in the dying strides to open her account at the fifth time of asking.

Palmer said: “I went through the card in a box beforehand and gave her no chance from that draw as the draw bias at York has got so tricky.

“I just said to Saffie (Osborne, jockey) that if she jumps, just keep trying to go left handed and she probably hit the line somewhere near stall four rather than 22, so she’s given her an absolutely beautiful ride.

“Saffie observed when I picked the saddle up that we must like this filly as she’s been favourite every time and I said we do like her. York’s Ebor meeting is not the traditional place to break your maiden at the fifth time of asking but she has done it.”