The Group One City of York Stakes at 3.00pm promises to be one of the most compelling renewals in recent years, with a host of top-level winners lining up.
Notable Speech drops back to seven furlongs for this contest, having competed primarily over a mile throughout his career to date.
His latest run in the Group One Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot appeared to offer clues about why connections have chosen to shorten his trip this time.
He travelled with promise at Ascot but seemed to weaken noticeably inside the final furlong, a sign that a return to shorter distances could prove beneficial.
The Queen Anne winner that day was Ed Walker’s Ten Bob Tony, who caused a major shock at a big price and announced himself as a serious force at the top level.
Ten Bob Tony then followed up with a fourth-place finish in the Group One Sussex Stakes, running a big race and finishing ahead of several rivals he meets again in this field.
The recent rain is another positive for Ten Bob Tony, with his best form coming on easier ground conditions that suit his style of racing.
Whether he truly wants this drop back in trip is open to question, but there should be enough emphasis placed on stamina in this contest to bring him into the reckoning.
Ten Bob Tony appeals as a strong Win and Place play with World Pool, offering genuine each-way value against some highly regarded opponents in what is a fascinating race.
Another horse worth considering in the World Pool Win and Place markets is Marvelman, trained by Andrew Balding, whose yard is currently in excellent form.
With the Balding team firing on all cylinders, now is not the time to desert this four-year-old, who remains capable of better than his last run suggested.
He was too keen at Goodwood on his most recent start, but this race should set up considerably better for his particular running style and temperament.
He won’t mind the ground and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see an improved performance from Marvelman when conditions and race setup fall more in his favour.
Away from York, there is strong supporting action at Chester being broadcast on ITV, giving punters plenty to focus on throughout the afternoon.
In the first race from the Roodee, Rhoscolyn looks worth an each-way play at around 7/1 for trainer David O’Meara, who knows the track well.
Chester has received plenty of rain on already watered ground, meaning conditions should be ideal for David O’Meara’s eight-year-old to produce a bold showing.
Rhoscolyn hasn’t won for over a year, but he is now nine pounds below his last winning mark and looks too well-handicapped to ignore from stall one.