Kevin Stott’s Blog: Adjuvant can be a Warrior in the Ebor

The week got off to a great start with winners at Lingfield and Leicester. I’ve ridden over 80 winners this year now, so I’m hoping I can keep the good run going with a winner or two at York on Saturday.

York, Saturday

Olivia Maralda is first up in the Group 2 City Of York Stakes (3.00pm). Her career best performance so far was her win at Epsom in the Listed Surrey Stakes, and she backed up that run with a good effort for fifth at Royal Ascot. She made good headway late on in that race, but the pace didn’t collapse and we just didn’t quite make the ground up.

The quick ground at York will help her, but we need them to go a good gallop. She is a talented filly, but this is a really hot race. Hopefully, with the perfect conditions, we can expect a big run.

In the Ebor Handicap I’m riding Adjuvant (3.35pm). He ran a good race behind Sweet William last time out at Goodwood on very heavy ground. He goes up against Sweet William again here. We’ve got a gap of two-and-three-quarter lengths to close this time but, as we don’t know how Sweet William will go on the better ground, we could have every chance of being that bit closer. Adjuvant is a very versatile horse, both on ground and track, and he’s still improving.

This could be a tricky race, but this horse travels really well and has a nice turn of foot to boot, so we can hopefully put in a good finishing effort. The trip of 1m6f is fine and we should be able to hold a nice position. He’s one of the younger, less exposed horses which gives him the greatest chance of improving further and he could run a massive race.

Last of the day is Killybegs Warrior (5.20pm). After a lacklustre run on too soft ground at Goodwood, he’ll appreciate the sounder surface at York. His best form by far is at Newmarket, where he’s won three times, but let’s not forget that he’s run good races elsewhere. We can’t rule him out here and the ground is the main thing – it should suit him perfectly.

We are drawn fairly wide in 12, so I want to be jumping nicely and slot into a good position early on.