YORK 15:35

Non Runners: NOT SO SLEEPY, ALFRED BOUCHER. Race Distance Adjustment: +32 yds

Time: 2m 58.21s Closing Sectional: (3f): 37.5s (101.9%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 137%, Betfair SP 101.6%

The 2024 renewal of the Ebor is probably indicative of where British Flat racing is at the moment, the race worth £500,000 but only just managing a maximum field and Forza Orta scraping in at the foot of the weights from a BHA mark of 86, whereas just 5 years earlier a mark of 104 was insufficient to get a run; as such, it was essentially a useful handicap but little better, unexposed ones thin on the ground and the average age of the first 7 home close to 6, the time also slower than for the Melrose just over an hour earlier, but at least the winner was one of the unexposed ones, the smart hurdler Magical Zoe proving her opening mark on the Flat to be inadequate as she relished the demands of a soundly-run handicap to prove herself a smart mare on just her fourth start in this sphere, Irish runners likely to have filled the first 2 places had Hipop de Loire not suffered such a troubled passage in the straight.

MAGICAL ZOE (IRE) landed a gamble on her handicap debut on the Flat, proving herself a smart mare in this sphere as well as over hurdles and setting herself up for a crack at the Melbourne Cup this back-end, no reason why the demands of that race won't suit her as well as this one did; mid-field, headway 3f out, led approaching final 1f, drew clear, ridden out.

KIHAVAH has been a cracking servant to this yard and ran as well as he ever has back on the Flat, finding only a lightly-raced one in this sphere too strong; held up, came wide straight, headway from 3f out, nearest at the finish.

ONEFORTHEGUTTER ran up to his very best, reaching a place in a top handicap for the second time this year; mid-field, headway 3f out, challenged 2f out, left behind by winner approaching final 1f, kept on.

EPIC POET (IRE) was 3 lb higher than on his last 2 starts and thereabouts in his third top handicap in succession, though in the end left the impression that the longer trip probably stretched him, likely to be back at shorter next time (still holds an entry in the Cambridgeshire - 100/1 when down the field in the 2023 renewal); held up, hampered soon after halfway, came wide over 3f out, headway under pressure soon after, chased leaders over 1f out, no further impression.

HIPOP DE LOIRE (FR) strong in the betting, was the only runner for Willie Mullins and shaped encouragingly on his Flat debut for the yard, looking ahead of his mark and likely to have finished a clear second had he not been persistently denied a clear run from 3f out, hard to believe this is going to be the limit of what he can do in this sphere; patiently ridden, travelled smoothly, headway over 3f out, no room 2f out, no room again over 1f out, forced to switch, finished with plenty of running left; he's got entries in both versions of the Cesarewitch and will surely be a leading contender for whichever one is chosen (the Irish version is considerably more valuable), though he could technically run in both given they're a fortnight apart.

SEA KING continues in good heart, faring much better than under similar conditions at Royal Ascot despite making life difficult for himself at the start; dwelt, in rear, headway under pressure over 2f out, kept on.

ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) had gone up 8 lb for his emphatic win in the Northumberland Plate 8 weeks earlier and ran to a similar level back on turf without ever really promising to get involved, clearly useful away from the all-weather, too, even if he has never won a race on turf; raced off the pace, headway under pressure from 2f out, never nearer.

RELENTLESS VOYAGER didn't have an obvious chance at the weights under top weight and ran up to his best despite never threatening the principals; out wide early, off pace, pushed along entering straight, had to pick way through from 3f out, never nearer.

MY MATE MOZZIE (IRE) in first-time tongue strap (on Flat), was 2 lb higher than when third in the Copper Horse and, in all probability, ran to a very similar level of form despite managing just a mid-field position this time; mid-field, slightly hampered soon after halfway, pushed along approaching straight, laboured progress over 2f out, edged left, no further impression.

FORZA ORTA (IRE) in first-time tongue strap, did a fair bit better than when beating only one in the 2m handicap here just 3 days earlier without promising any better; in touch, shaken up 4f out, no extra final 1f.

CHILLINGHAM (IRE) remains in good form, presumably kept fresh for this but, if anything, the plan backfiring as he was a bit too keen and ended up leaving himself short for the finish having a first go at this trip in 2024; close up, took keen hold, hampered soon after halfway, went on 4f out, headed approaching final 1f, weakened.

BURDETT ROAD had shaped as if this sort of trip would suit when catching the eye at Ascot, but was too free under a more positive ride and had nothing left in the tank at the business end as a result; it's still early days with him for this yard, especially on the level, and he's not one to give up on just yet.

ZIGGY was strong in the betting under a penalty and shaped as if still in good form whilst again finding his stamina stretched having another go at this far; tracked pace, chased leader over 3f out, faded over 1f out.

FAIRBANKS was racing from the same mark as when runner-up at Goodwood but that form has taken plenty of knocks since and he found this much tougher; handy, hampered soon after halfway, shaken up over 3f out, struggling to quicken when short of room over 2f out, no chance after.

NAQEEB (IRE) is probably best excused this run, things going wrong pretty much from the word go; dwelt, in rear, hampered soon after halfway, shaken up over 3f out, made no impression.

WISE EAGLE (IRE) is too high in the weights but gave himself little chance of being involved by making a mess of the start, anyway; dwelt, always behind.

QUEENSTOWN (IRE) after 3 months off, was racing on ground firmer than good for the first time and possibly unsuited by conditions; chased leader, out wide early, left in front soon after halfway, headed 4f out, soon beaten.

YASHIN (IRE) had undergone a breathing operation since underperforming in the Northumberland Plate but disappointed once more, a physical issue quite possibly at play given how quickly he was done with; mid-field, out wide early, hampered soon after halfway, shaken up 4f out, no response, beaten 3f out.

IRON LION has had a good season, and his Ripon form was franked when Shadow Dance won the previous day, but he himself didn't give his running, unproven over this far but the distance incidental; chased leaders, shaken up 4f out, dropped away 3f out.

CRYSTAL DELIGHT met with a sad end; made running, out wide early, broke down soon after halfway and unseated Tom Marquand.