Woodhay Wonder bidding to plunder another big prize

Woodhay Wonder is aiming for a fifth successive victory when she travels to York for the first time in the Churchill Tyres Supporting Macmillan Sprint Handicap.

All four of the Tom Ward-trained filly’s triumphs in this run have come over six furlongs at Newmarket, with the first of those in the £100,000 Tattersalls Somerville Auction Stakes last August, when she beat Geologist by half a length.

Woodhay Wonder then powered to a four-length success in the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes and completed her hat-trick in April’s bet365 Handicap to kick-start her three-year-old career.

The sternest test came most recently in the Sky Bet Extra Places Every Day Handicap, when the daughter of Tamayuz held off Completely Random by a neck last month.

As a result, she has racked up over £200,000 in winnings and faces 18 rivals on the Knavesmire in her bid for a five-timer, which Ward is confident could be a possibility on Saturday afternoon.

“She’s very well, she’s come out of a couple of runs in good form,” he said. “I don’t want the ground to get too soft particularly, as long as it stays above the soft margin, it will be OK.

“She’s going there with a good chance. She seems to be improving with each run and each time we send her out to the races, she is getting more and more confidence and she’s going the right way.

“Hopefully she’s making into a pretty useful sprinter for towards the end of this year and for next year.”

Geoff Oldroyd will be hoping home comforts can benefit Pocklington, named after the East Riding market town situated near his yard at Yapham Grange, in his bid to make it three wins from four starts.

The veteran trainer will make the short 20-mile trip to York with the son of Blue Point, who began his career with two victories on the all-weather at Newcastle before finishing fifth of 14 when stepped up in grade for the Listed Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury last month.

“He’s a really nice horse,” Oldroyd said. “He has learnt a lot from that race at Newbury. It was his first run on turf as well and he just got a little bit lost when they crowded him a bit and then he got going again.

“I would still say he is unexposed and he is on the upgrade. We’re very hopeful of a big run.”

Twilight Romance won a maiden over course and distance last year and the John and Sean Quinn-trained bay is hoping the rain stays away.

“He’s training well, he’s had a light campaign so far,” Sean Quinn said. “I think he’s a horse who’s going to be most effective on good ground or faster, so I’m keeping my eye on the weather. But if conditions came up right, I hope he’d be a player in a good race.”

Early market leader Elmonjed goes for William Haggas, who has an interesting booking of crack Irish jockey Chris Hayes for this return to York following his sixth in a competitive handicap last month, when a well-backed favourite.

Ziggy’s Condor, who came second ahead of Elmonjed last time out, is one of four runners for Richard Fahey. Garfield Shadow, Tropical Island and Midnight Affair are the other three horses for the in-form Musley Bank handler.

Ralph Beckett has a royal runner in the field with Serried Ranks, who was bred by the late Queen, while Ryan Moore is on board James’s Delight for Clive Cox.

Imperial Guard goes for Andrew Balding, Charles Hills has Chief Mankato and Julie Camacho’s Cover Point hopes to make it back-to-back triumphs on his reappearance after a 274-day break.

The Coffee Pod has course and distance form for Richard Hannon, while Richard Spencer’s charge, Run Boy Run, makes the long journey from Suffolk for the £100,000 race.

The well-travelled Media Shooter lines up for Karl Burke, Craig Lidster saddles Almarada Prince, We Never Stop starts for Kevin Ryan and Vince L’Amour, trained by Tim Easterby, rounds up a strong contingent of local runners.