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Mastercraftsman has to give way to Sea The Stars.

Mastercraftsman gave it his best shot in today's Group 1 Juddmonte International Stakes, but he just had to give way to a historically outstanding horse in the form of Sea The Stars.

As expected prior to the ten furlong contest, Georgebernardshaw and Set Sail set the pace for their Ballydoyle stable mate Mastercraftsman, and between the three and two furlong poles, as their stamina ebbed, they separated to allow Mastercraftsman through, but Michael Kinane on Sea The Stars used all his racing knowledge, and took the same gap to follow Mastercraftsman through. From that point on, Johnnie Murtagh asked Mastercraftsman to lengthen, and he took a lead of around a length and a half, but gradually Sea The Stars found his stride, and after coming alongside and eye-balling his main rival, he showed his speed and stamina to forge clear over the final furlong.

If any pundits still had any reservations about the standing of Sea The Stars, they have been answered today, for with his win in the Juddmonte, Sea The Stars has completed four straight Group 1 victories over distances from a mile to a mile and a half, and he has beaten all three of the top horses from the Ballydoyle stable of Aidan O'Brien.

Harbinger flops as Monitor Closely lands Great Voltigeur.

Under a very enterprising ride from Jimmy Fortune, the Dante Stakes fourth placed horse Monitor Closely led from start to finish in today's Great Voltigeur Stakes at York. Setting a moderate pace for the first mile, Fortune wound up the pace half a mile from home, and although the Henry Cecil trained Father Time looked a threat at one stage, Monitor Closely kept upping his pace, and a furlong out he started to clear away, eventually scoring comfortably from Godolphin's Italian Derby winner Mastery , with Father Time back in third place.

The 28/1 price tag of the winner was shock enough, but the other shock for punters came in the form of the desperate performance put in by the extremely well backed favourite Harbinger, who finished last of the seven runners, and looked beaten half a mile from home in today's mile and a half Group 2.

Elusive Pimpernel sneaks Acomb victory.

Having broken his way out of the front of the stalls prior to today's Group 3 Acomb Stakes, Poet's Voice indicated how keen he was to grab the lead, and once re-installed he broke smartly and set a good pace as the front runner in today's seven furlong juvenile contest.

However, in the final furlong, the Godolphin colt started to weaken, and Richard Hannon's Emerald Wilderness looked the likely winner, but a late run from second favourite Elusive Pimpernel enabled him to deny Emerald Wilderness in the shadow of the post, with Poet's Voice having to settle for third place ahead of the running on Party Doctor.

Barney Mcgrew wins first race of Ebor Meeting.

The first race of York's Ebor Meeting, the Class 2 Symphony Handicap over the unusual distance of five and a half furlongs proved to be a race of changing fortunes in the final furlong. At one stage it looked like the front running Fol Hollow would hang on for victory, but he was passed by Hamish Mcgonagal who looked certain to win, only for Barney Mcgrew to come late and snatch the race in the final strides, with the hapless Hamish Mcgonagal having to settle for second and Fol Hollow third. Intrepid Jack ran on for each way punters, and took the fourth place in this seventeen runner handicap.

Hannon rates Monsieur Chevalier above his other Gimcrack winners.

Richard Hannon knows how to win the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Gimcrack Stakes, as he has already put his name on the roll of honour no less than four times. Sharp n'early, Rock City, River Falls, and Bannister have all been trained by Hannon to land the six furlong contest, but the veteran trainer rates tomorrow's stable representative Monsieur Chevalier as the best horse he has ever entered in the race. Commenting today, Hannon said,

"The way Richard Hughes galvanised him from an impossible position to win the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood proves to me he is something special, and providing he gets a clear run tomorrow, I would expect him to show he can win over the six furlong trip."

Munsef withdrawal opens door to Precision Break.

Trainer Ian Williams has had to withdraw Munsef from tomorrow's Totesport Ebor Handicap after his charge was found to be lame this morning. The unfortunate absence means first reserve, the Paul Cole trained Precision Break now gets into the race with a weight of 8 stone 10 ppounds.

Drawn in stall 8, Precision Break was well regarded in the anti post market before the original cut, and he is now likely to be the subject of some support during today.

Muir hopeful Enroller will act well at York.

Willie Muir has admitted he was devastated when Enroller failed to put in his running in the Goodwood Cup, for the handler believed he had sent his John Porter winner to the Glorious Meeting in the form of his life. Speaking earlier today, Muir said,

"He was bouncing when he went to Goodwood, but Martin Dwyer told me after the race he was never going. All I can assume is he did not like the track.

Since he returned home, he has been eating up the gallops, so we are hopeful he will give his true running in tomorrow's Lonsdale Stakes, and if he does, he should be thereabouts."

Ballydoyle pair move to Mike de Kock.

It has been confirmed this morning, 2008 Irish Derby victor Frozen Fire, and this year's Irish Derby runner-up Golden Sword are both to be transferred from Ireland to Mike de Kock's stables in Newmarket.

At this stage, details on the purchase arrangements have not been disclosed, but it is understood de Kock will train the pair for a winter campaign in Dubai.

Burke loses his appeal against length of ban.

Following an appeal to the BHA on Monday 17 August, former trainer Karl Burke has been informed his appeal against the length of his twelve month ban from racing has been unsuccessful. Due to his breach of the Rules of Racing for passing insider information to banned former owner Miles Rogers, Burke will now have to sit out any involvement in racing until the end of July 2010, and to add insult to injury, he lost his £800 deposit for the appeal hearing, and was ordered to pay a further £4,000 towards the costs of the actual appeal.

York going the fast side of good.

York Clerk of the Course William Derby reports the going for the first day of the York Ebor Meeting will be on the fast side of good, but with plenty of grass cover, he is confident the ground will not be jarring, and should make for quick but safe racing.

Sariska to face five rivals.

After today's 48 hour declerations for Thursday's Yorkshire Oaks, Michael Bell has learnt his dualOaks winner Sariska will face five rivals in the mile and a half Group 1 on the Knavesmire. Main opposition would appear to come in the form of John Gosden's recent Curragh Pretty Polly Stakes winner Dar re mi, and Lancashire Oaks winner Barshiba. The current field being made up by Aidan O'Brien's pair of Roman Empress and Tamarind, plus total outsider Saphira's Fire.

Henry Cecil's Flame of Gibraltar was originally declared for the Yorkshire Oaks, but connections have now decided to run her in the Galtres Stakes instead.

Stak issues ground warning over Carazam.

Having been badly left at the start of his Maiden at Tipperary, the Tommy Stack trained Carazam showed both speed and stamina to overhaul his rivals in his first ever run, and although the standard of the maiden may be suspect, he did well to win.

The trainer has now pencilled his charge in to run in Saturday's Galileo EBF Futurity Stakes at Fairyhouse, but connections are reported to be keeping a close eye on the weather, for with rain forecast for the end of the week, there could be doubts over Carazam's participation in Saturday's contest. Discussing the situation, Tommy Stack's son Fozzie commented,

"He won on testing going at Tipperary, but we are convinced he prefers good ground, and in a race as competitive as the Futurity , it is unlikely he will run if the ground becomes soft for Saturday's race."

Fellow trainer Andrew Oliver has indicated his juvenile In Some Respect is also a doubtful runner in the Group 2 Futurity Stakes if the going becomes too soft, but if it were no worse than good to yielding, connections may allow him to take his chance in the Tattersalls Millions Sales Race on the same Fairyhouse card.

Mind That Bird has throat operation.

Kentucky Derby victor Mind That Bird was found to have a trapped epiglottis after a cantor at Saratoga racecourse on Monday, and trainer Chip Willey has confirmed the three year old will now require urgent minor throat surgery to rectify the problem.

Connections are hopeful the setback will not require their Derby winner to be scratched from the line-up for the Grade 1 Shadwell Travers on 29 August, but in an interview, the trainer confirmed,

"Following the operation we will have to assess our running plans on a day by day basis."

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