Paddington should be hard to beat in big York showdown plus my top tips for the rest of the card

AIDAN O’BRIEN is poised to become the most successful trainer in the history of the Group 1 Juddmonte International as his bear goes to war once again at York today.

The Ebor meeting, live on ITV, kicks off with one of the feature races of the Flat season via the mile and a quarter showdown.

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It’s disappointing only four horses go to post, but O’Brien’s Paddington is sure to excite racegoers as he bids for a fifth Group 1 on the bounce.

It all started for Paddington in handicap company, but the more marmalade sandwiches they fed him the better he got, and he’s banged in the Irish 2000 Guineas, St James’s Palace, Coral-Eclipse and Sussex Stakes. That’s some going.

O’Brien has landed the International on six occasions, the same number as Sir Michael Stoute, including with the horse Paddington is often compared to, the ‘iron’ machine that was Giant’s Causeway.

In a field lacking pace, Paddington is expected by me to go straight to the front and try and make all.

His opponents are headed by Mostahdaf, the mount of Frankie Dettori with Jim Crowley banned, who stormed to success in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot. It just depends whether he can back that up off a slow gallop here.

It’s great Nashwa and Hollie Doyle are in the line-up, but the filly will need a career best to beat Paddington, while Derby fifth The Foxes should be outclassed.

The ITV York coverage gets under way here with the Sky Bet and Symphony Group Handicap over an extended five furlongs.

MANILA SCOUSE is much improved of late and while a mark of 86 could be a step too far I’ll take a chance on the Tim Easterby runner under David Allan.

The lightly raced sprinter’s two recent wins have come with give in the ground, but he has a good fourth at Pontefract to his name and a second on this track on good so I don’t think conditions are key to the improved efforts.

He’s just getting everything together and has a great racing weight to carry of 8st 7lb. Easterby has won this twice with Hamish McGonagall and Copper Knight.

Up in class for the Group 3 Tattersalls Acomb for youngsters over seven furlongs. COGITATE looked good on debut and while it’s crazy to be adamant with lightly raced juveniles he might well be up to this for William Buick and Charlie Hills.

The son of Churchill hacked up at Newbury on debut and Hills has taken this with a couple of decent types in Dutch Connection and Phoenix of Spain who went on to land an Irish 2000 Guineas.

The Group 2 Sky Bet Great Voltigeur is often seen as a St Leger trial over a mile and a half.

A disappointing turnout and I’m happy to stick with Queen’s Vase winner GREGORY for John and Thady Gosden and Frankie Dettori.

The son of Golden Horn is unbeaten in three starts and kept on well at the Royal meeting. Clearly he stays strongly and going conditions should not worry him.

Finally the Sky Bet Stayers Handicap is over two miles. AZTEC EMPIRE might have been crying out for some decent ground and got it at Newbury last time when a fine third behind Sweet William.

Andrew Balding’s runner kept on well that day so the trip is no issue and Oisin Murphy is up this time. Stall six is ideal and it’s fair to expect there still to be more to come so a fine each-way chance.

Good luck!

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