Genzy strikes me as an interesting outsider for the Ebor. He started his career in France but is now with Ian Williams. After showing decent form in small-field conditions races he went into handicaps rated 103 but was quickly dropped to 98 after finishing last of fifteen over 10f at Royal Ascot in June and that's the mark he is due to run off at York.
Since the weights came out he's run twice. He was an unlucky loser - "took keen hold, held up in last pair, not clear run from just over 2f out until 1f out, ran on when in the clear final furlong, took 2nd near finish, just failed" - over 12f at Ascot last month, beaten a head by Bishop Roko. He ran again at Newbury yesterday in the Geoffrey Freer. He had a stiff task at the weights and went off at 25/1 but acquitted himself very well to finish fourth, about three lengths off the 112-rated winner at levels. He was already up to 100 after his last run and he's likely to be upped again to around the 104 or 105 mark, leaving him six or seven pounds "well-in" in the Ebor. Yesterday was his first run in excess of 12f and he looked suited by it, as the Ascot run in July had suggested. He settled well, too.
The snag is: I've no idea if he's being aimed at the race. However, the Ebor is now effectively a limited handicap for basically exposed older horses with improvers not getting a look-in and as such it's the logical target for a horse like Genzy who comes up just short in Listed company. He's available at 33/1 with a number of firms. Bet365 have taken evasive action at 14/1 and I can see why.
Cue the announcement that he's going for the Lonsdale...
Since the weights came out he's run twice. He was an unlucky loser - "took keen hold, held up in last pair, not clear run from just over 2f out until 1f out, ran on when in the clear final furlong, took 2nd near finish, just failed" - over 12f at Ascot last month, beaten a head by Bishop Roko. He ran again at Newbury yesterday in the Geoffrey Freer. He had a stiff task at the weights and went off at 25/1 but acquitted himself very well to finish fourth, about three lengths off the 112-rated winner at levels. He was already up to 100 after his last run and he's likely to be upped again to around the 104 or 105 mark, leaving him six or seven pounds "well-in" in the Ebor. Yesterday was his first run in excess of 12f and he looked suited by it, as the Ascot run in July had suggested. He settled well, too.
The snag is: I've no idea if he's being aimed at the race. However, the Ebor is now effectively a limited handicap for basically exposed older horses with improvers not getting a look-in and as such it's the logical target for a horse like Genzy who comes up just short in Listed company. He's available at 33/1 with a number of firms. Bet365 have taken evasive action at 14/1 and I can see why.
Cue the announcement that he's going for the Lonsdale...
